Since the Civil War, the American way of war has been to break things and kill the enemy, and husband the lives of our troops.
Today, the anti-war protesters have helped the military so efficient in technology that the losses of Americans in battle has been reduced dramitically.
I’m in agreement with you on this. Being from a Southern state I was basically taught that Northern generals were butchers and that the only reason they won was because of superior men and resources. Well, along the way I read J.F.C. Fuller’s book Grant and Lee. He pretty well destroyed that silly argument. Ditto, Horace Porter’s Campaigning With Grant. Fact is, Grant is simply one of the greatest Captains ever. He was without guile or pretense, odd for a military man. There was nothing of the martinet in him. By all means, if you haven’t read it pick up his Memoirs, one of the greatest ever written. Shelby Foote was an unrepentent Southerner and he loved Grant. That speaks volumes.