American Civil War
The American Civil War cost more than 600,000 lives. This was a war in which families were torn apart with family members fight for different sides, the Union or Confederacy. The American Civil War is often called the first truly "modern" war, because that conflict experienced the tremendous impact of drastic scientific and technological changes associated with the Industrial Revolution which flowered in America during the nineteenth century. This was the first time that repeating weapons were used. No longer would wooden ships rule the waves - ironclads became the key to naval superiority. Many times old technology fought against new technology with a devastating outcome. The Civil War witnessed the introduction of new weapons and other industrial technology that would change warfare forever and make this conflict the bloodiest in our nation's history.Over 600,000 Americans died in the war, with disease killing twice as many as those lost in battle. 50,000 survivors returned home as amputees. The losses sustained during this war currently exceed the total of all American casualties in all other wars combined. Just the first major battle, Shiloh, exceeded the number of losses for America in all other wars up to April 1862.
At the time Doctors only attended 3 semesters of 13 weeks of medical school. The introduction of hot-air balloons, provided a view of the enemies formations in the field. Many of the new weapons and corresponding tactics went against the fundamental conceptions of what constituted proper conduct of war, making change difficult and unsettling. Soldiers now learned that the best way of survival with the new technological changes in use was to stay low to the ground and behind cover. Lowe stationed one of his balloons, "Intrepid," near Yorktown. There simply was no such thing as good medical care in that age. When he fought, he was likely to be hurt pretty badly; when he stayed in camp, he lived under conditions that were very likely to make him sick; and in either case he had almost no chance to get the kind of medical treatment which a generation or so later would be routine. Armies and Navies were still using tactics which dictated massing forces together in large formations in order to bring the greatest possible firepower to bear on an enemy. Flights became a familiar sight,Lowe even affixed a telegraph to his balloon so he could immediately communicate important information to the ground. The odds were certainly against the soldier during this conflict. Military conditions were in continual flux during the industrial age as new weapons were developed and transportation and communication improved. Although many new technological advances had occurred during the Civil war the medicine was unfortunately the weak point of the war. It also proved how non-military inventions such as steam, rail, and the telegraph could revolutionize the way war was fought. Historians generally agree that the reason for this was because this was a time of transition for the military. This gave them an advantage because they were aware of their enemies location and were able to surprise them with full force causing many deaths to their unprepared opponents.
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Acceptance Essays
