Confederate Involvement In Ww2
Intro
The Confederates actively sought European support throughout the war. Many Southerners believed that foreign dependence on cotton imports would force world leaders to join the fight against the North. Union leaders wanted to avoid foreign intervention and attempted to make the southern government appear illegitimate.
Under General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan, the Union formed a naval blockade in 1861 in an attempt to deplete Confederate resources, block the importation of weapons, and prevent cotton from leaving southern ports. The people of the South saw the blockade as an opportunity for Europeans to officially declare their loyalty in order to maintain trade connections. Because of Confederate military failures and the South’s connection to slavery, European powers never recognized the legitimacy of the Confederacy.
Blockade
The Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, suggested creating an undeclared blockade. This would ensure that other nations could not grant the South “belligerent status.” Instead of following this course of action, …show more content…
Once, the Union had regained its full strength, world powers were directly affected. Emperor Napoleon III was forced to end his plan to conquer Mexico. The threat of the US trying to expand to the North pushed the Canadian provinces to form a united front and formally become one nation. Also, due to the reputation of the Union during the war, Secretary Seward was able to purchase Alaska from the Russian government. Lastly, the defeat of the South inspired a wave of international abolition. The Dutch, Spanish, and Brazilian governments took steps to abolish slavery in their territories. Ultimately, Union interactions with foreign powers during the Civil War set a precedent for all future diplomatic relations between the United States and the rest of the
The Confederates actively sought European support throughout the war. Many Southerners believed that foreign dependence on cotton imports would force world leaders to join the fight against the North. Union leaders wanted to avoid foreign intervention and attempted to make the southern government appear illegitimate.
Under General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan, the Union formed a naval blockade in 1861 in an attempt to deplete Confederate resources, block the importation of weapons, and prevent cotton from leaving southern ports. The people of the South saw the blockade as an opportunity for Europeans to officially declare their loyalty in order to maintain trade connections. Because of Confederate military failures and the South’s connection to slavery, European powers never recognized the legitimacy of the Confederacy.
Blockade
The Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, suggested creating an undeclared blockade. This would ensure that other nations could not grant the South “belligerent status.” Instead of following this course of action, …show more content…
Once, the Union had regained its full strength, world powers were directly affected. Emperor Napoleon III was forced to end his plan to conquer Mexico. The threat of the US trying to expand to the North pushed the Canadian provinces to form a united front and formally become one nation. Also, due to the reputation of the Union during the war, Secretary Seward was able to purchase Alaska from the Russian government. Lastly, the defeat of the South inspired a wave of international abolition. The Dutch, Spanish, and Brazilian governments took steps to abolish slavery in their territories. Ultimately, Union interactions with foreign powers during the Civil War set a precedent for all future diplomatic relations between the United States and the rest of the