American Civil War: The conflict, perhaps for the first time since the French Revolution, approaches the absolute concept of war. The North’s task is daunting: to conquer the entire enemy territory—eight times the size of Italy, five times the size of France, or France, Germany, England, and Spain combined. The ratio of men under arms will be only about 1.5:1 throughout the conflict, when Clausevitz estimates at least 2.0–2.5:1 as the minimum ratio for a reasonable chance of victory. The Confederacy’s advantage is precisely its backwardness and lack of strategic centers: it must be conquered in its entirety. The front extends for more than 3,500 kilometers.
