Plans could never keep up with change. The American Civil War, which had seemed likely to end at any moment, was still deadlocked between the two sides by 1864.
A major battle involving armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands could not possibly be settled in a day or two. Neither North nor South could afford to lose, and both sides' commanders were seasoned, steady men. The campaign had directly turned into a war of attrition.
The Southern army was slightly stronger in combat, but the Northern army had greater numbers. Along a front stretching over a hundred kilometers, the two sides fought many bitter battles, winning and losing against each other. Overall, they were evenly matched.
The butterfly effect was powerful. With the aid of various countries, the Southern Government had been strengthened while the Northern Government had been weakened. That rise and fall was directly reflected on the battlefield.
New York. Staring at the telegram requesting reinforcements in his hand, President Lincoln was on the verge of collapse. This was already the Nth request for aid. Since the decisive battle had begun, he had received three or four such telegrams nearly every week.
If anyone dared say again, "Use our overwhelming national strength to wage a war of attrition and drag the rebels to death," Lincoln would definitely go up and slap them across the face a few times.
Industrial superiority? With the Great Powers backing them, did the North truly still possess an industrial advantage?
The Southern rebels had limited industrial production capacity, but couldn't they simply buy what they needed?
The Northern Government could no longer blockade Southern ports. The two navies had already fought many fierce engagements, yet the Northern Navy still could not secure victory.
Their economic advantage was even more absurd. Did they