Which strategy did the North employ that was intended to suffocate the South's economy during the Civil War?

The strategy that the North employed to suffocate the South's economy during the Civil War was known as the Anaconda Plan. This plan, proposed by General Winfield Scott, aimed to constrict the resources and capabilities of the Confederate states through a combination of naval blockades and the control of the Mississippi River.

The naval blockade was critical; it sought to prevent the South from exporting its cotton and importing essential supplies, thereby crippling its economy. At the same time, gaining control of the Mississippi River would split the Confederacy in two, further isolating and limiting its resources. The Anaconda Plan was designed to apply pressure gradually, squeezing the South economically and militarily until it could no longer sustain the war effort.

In contrast, the Peninsular Campaign was a series of battles in Virginia aimed at capturing the Confederate capital, Richmond, rather than a comprehensive economic strategy. The March to the Sea, led by General Sherman, focused on destroying infrastructure and civilian morale in an effort to hasten the end of the war, while the Total War Strategy encompasses a broader approach that included significant destruction beyond military targets. The Anaconda Plan specifically targeted the economic underpinnings of the South, making it the strategy aligned with the goal of suffoc