History essay

Leadership Strategies The leadership strategies used by President Abraham Lincoln and the general Ulysses S. Grant were significant in the victory of the American Civil War in different ways. The two leaders had their differences, but they both contributed to the victory through their plans, actions, and strategic decisions. President Abraham Lincoln Lincoln can be defined as a Great War president who led the victory of the American Civil War. He had no military knowledge; he had never served in the military or been in any military school. The only time he was close was when he was the captain of a militia unit that saw no action in the black Hawk war. Lincoln was a quick study, and he learnt mostly by observing the actions of others (McPherson, 2009). He had a keen analytical mind, he read and easily understood military history and strategies, and he observed the works of others and their failures as well as success. Throughout his service, he applied common sense when dealing with military situations. Lincoln did not rely so much on the knowledge of the military but on strategy. He appointed several prominent leaders who had no military experiences as brigadiers of generals. Following the issue of slavery, where slaves rebelled and sought freedom, Lincoln refused their plea and stated that the slaves would join the opposing team if left free (McPherson, 2009). However, he changed his mind on the issue later on during the war and set all the slaves in the rebelling cities free. He did this to ensure the preservation of the union, which provided support during the war. In addition to that, he took a large part in the framing of the military policies, and he came up with proposals that led to the defeat of the opponent. He formed a campaign against the Confederate Gen. Joseph E Johnston's army. The plan was to invade the enemy's residence where part of the army would form the frontal attack while the remaining part would use the Occoquan valley to surround the enemy and cut their communication as well as supplies. He had opinions about the battlefield tactics, which he rarely shared with his generals since none of them understood what it took to win a war. General Ulysses S. Grant General Ulysses Grant had military knowledge which he acquired from the many missions he led. He began with a military career as a cadet and slowly climbed the ladder. He was a fast learner, and he gained knowledge and skills from the war, where he gained battle strategies. When the civil war began, he was sought out because his skills were needed in the field. He trained the newly recruited officers the strategies of war and provided the plans and the way forward for the attacks. He was promoted to the lieutenant-general by President Lincoln and given the authority to rule the union armies (McPherson, 2009). He is, however, considered a ruthless general who used aggressive strategies to get his enemies to surrender. Compared to other generals, he got three enemy bases to surrender through his strategies. Although he had the highest number of casualties, he was a military genius, and his strategies were in line with the U.S. government's strategic war aims. He can also be defined as a modern general who led from the central command center by use of common sense, and he delivered planned and premeditated attacks on the enemy's armies. His leadership was mainly based on the war objectives, and he focused on the winning strategies. This may have led to a number of casualties from both sides, but the goal of his strategies was met at all times. In conclusion, the two leaders, President Abraham Lincoln and General Ulysses Grant, were both strategic leaders whose leadership tactics lead to the victory of the American Civil War. They used different strategies which were all aimed at meeting the war objectives and ensuring total defeat of the enemy. References McPherson, J. M. (2009, January 1). Lincoln as Commander in Chief. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/lincoln-as-commander-in-chief-131322819/