American Military History: Civil War, Reconstruction Analysis

This assignment provides answers to questions regarding American Military History. It reflects on the potential outcomes if the South had won the Civil War, discusses the effectiveness of the military during Reconstruction, and considers the impact of a continued US presence in the Philippines. Furthermore, it extracts valuable lessons from historical events that can be applied to modern leadership and decision-making scenarios, highlighting the importance of accountability, humility, and determination in overcoming challenges. The solution also emphasizes the role of military in preserving individual freedoms and ensuring the rights of marginalized communities.

American Military History
Question one
From 1861 to 1865, the American states experienced the American Civil war. It was
between the confederate states of America and The Union. The confederation chose Jefferson
Davis as there their leader and declared war on The Union, which meant the remaining countries
of the US. Finally, the Confederation was defeated. The end of slavery was the most significant
outcome of the war. All restrictions on voting were as well abolished because of the war. It gave
freedom to all citizens to vote regardless of their race. Additionally, all the federal troops were
removed from the South. This war saw the election of Rutherford B. Hayes as the U.S. President.
If the Confederates had won the civil war, my life would be very different from the way it
is today. As Abraham Lincoln once stated, the emergence of the south as the winner in the war
would have determined the future of not only the United States but also the future of humanity. I
would have lost all the national and world pictures as a modern American. As a military officer,
probably I would have engaged myself in agricultural trade, as the south would have thrived well
agriculturally due to availability of cheap labor from the slaves. My life could be in another Dark
Age since America could not have survived.
Question two
I think that the military was used well as it could have been. The southerners were
expected to acknowledge defeat by the northerners by rejecting confederate leaders, treating
blacks justly and embracing southern unionists. Unfortunately, none of these expectations
happened. The military was used to ensure that past Southerners did not change the victory of
The Union. This was by no approaches amicable but was a credence that was more frequently

expounded, by the revolutionary republicans and chosen military personnel that resulted to the
aggravation of devising the federal policy.
Worse things would have happened if there were no troops in the state as the former
confederates knew anything about the law. The military helped to preserve the spirits of the
fourteenth and fifteenth corrections that granted black suffrage and protected the intervention of
the military-offered individual freedoms. The military also ensured that the freedom to vote and
cling to elective offices was followed. This right on its own could not have guaranteed that the
needs of Black Americans were ascertained. The military forced sitting officeholders out of their
positions for the freshly elected African Republicans to locate their pass to the office.
Question three
The United States took entire control of the islands of Philippine in the western Pacific
Ocean in 1898. The islands remained under control of the United States until 1946 when they got
their independence. This was the largest overseas area to be controlled by the US. Coming to
reasons as to why the US decided to take control of the islands, one the US had business interests
with the Philippines. Secondly, the US wanted to project itself as a colonial power.
Law enforcement agencies in Philippine are struggling to connect or fill their ranks with
the increasingly diverse populations. They are now turning to immigrants primarily from the US
to fill the gap. As a military officer, if the United States remained a presence in the Philippines,
my family and career might have been affected positively. This would have given me an
opportunity to rise through ranks in the military sector since I would have applied for a transfer
to the Philippines. On the other hand, the Philippine highlands are rich minerals such as the oil.

My family would have taken that golden chance to generate some extra income through buying
oil products in the islands cheaply and reselling them at the US at higher prices.
Question four
A true leader takes the blame. Robert E. Lee was one of the supreme inspirational leaders
of the American Civil War. During his leadership, Lee won a good number of battles against
enemies who were well loaded with numbers and weapons. His strategies were costly thus
denying him the chance of being the best leader. He took all the blames when his army decided
to attempt a win against a group that was well loaded with weapons. He lost almost half of his
men during this fight. However, his action of taking the whole blame inspired the remaining
soldiers that were left under his command to fight another day. This is an event that can be
applied in the modern world to motivate soldiers who survive during a mission to fight another
day.
Big egos lead to significant failures. If one is scared out of their wits to make a mistake
and lose face, then automatically they fail and lose face. George B. McClellan was one man who
heaped all the responsibilities for setbacks on others. His men adored him for his capabilities to
plan well on how to win the opponents but he was always afraid that he had fewer men for him
to win any battle. His fear of failure led to his defeat. In the modern world, regardless of the
situation, determination and humbleness can lead to victory.