The Impact Of The Industrial Revolution

“On March 12, 1862, Charles Phillips of Niles, Michigan received a telegram that announced the death of his son.” He was one of thousands of Union Soldiers who had died during the recent capture of Fort Donelson, Tennessee. The rapid transmission of information, through the use of the telegraph, to the Phillips family, was one of the many ways that the American Civil War ushered in a new era of warfare. This period has remained largely unchanged for the past one-hundred and fifty-years. The industrial revolution, the impact of mass politics, and a revolution in fiscal policy all contributed to make the American Civil War the first modern war.
The industrial revolution dramatically restructured manufacturing in Europe by the end of the
The realities of mass politics, central to conflict in the current age, impacted the conscription, campaign plans, and propaganda of both armies. Enabled by the speed and distribution of the telegraph, the public mood and support for the war shifted radically based upon battlefield success and failure. The management of public opinion and support for the war was essential. The fielding of massive armies, by both sides, could only be accomplished through the willing participation of the citizenry. Concern over public opinion, in 1864, forced General Grant to attack Richmond via the overland route vice preferred attacks against Confederate rail links in North Carolina. It was believed that if Lee attacked into the north again, like he did in the summer of 1863, that the political fallout would prevent Lincoln’s re-election
The industrial production of tools of war, the interplay between mass politics and war policy, as well as the financing of war efforts by a willing citizenry are all common features of modern warfare. Contemporary scholars of war, have little difficulty understanding the importance of these factors when examining current conflicts. The Generals preparing to fight in 1861 however, had no way of predicting that they would usher in the first modern war. These techniques pioneered on the battlefields of the United States, would be further refined in the trenches of France and over the skies of London during two world wars. The industrial revolution has given way to the technological revolution. Telegraph machines have been replaced by smart phones, text messaging and the use of the internet. In western nations, the consent and support of the citizenry is now the most important ingredient in a decision to go to war. Sophisticated taxation vehicles ensure that armies are equipped and able to fight wars of long duration. The pattern of warfare, set during the American Civil War, has remained firmly in place for the past one-hundred and fifty