The Civil War 1860-1865 - The Relationship With Europe

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) The Civil War, 1860–1865 The Relationship With Europe The Confederacy had high hopes of being acknowledged and backed by France and Great Britain from the start of the conflict. The prospect of European interference in the battle persisted, but when it did come about, neither the Union nor the Confederacy had prepared for it. Napoleon III thought he had a chance to revive the French Empire in the Americas as a result of the Civil War. The timing felt right, with the United States distracted. Napoleon's objective was Mexico, and Veracruz was captured by a sizable French navy in 1861. After that, the French attempted to take control of Mexico City, but in 1862, Mexican soldiers repelled the French, ending their progress. In spite of this defeat, France went on to conquer Mexico and institute a rule that persisted until 1867. France utilized the Civil War as a pretext to try to recover its previous colonial territories from the eighteenth century, rather than aiding the Confederacy. Despite the anti-slavery attitude in Great Britain, the Confederacy remained quite confident that it would find an ally there. Southerners believed that Britain would remain on their side because of the country's need on cotton for its textile factories. Southern ambitions were further bolstered by the British willingness to build and sell ironclad ships designed to breach the Union naval blockade. The CSS Florida and the CSS Alabama were two of the armored blockade runners that the Confederacy acquired. Both were lost in the conflict. Given that Great Britain had outlawed slavery in 1833, the Confederacy's steadfast dedication to the practice finally worked against British recognition and assistance. The British were never again in dispute about the Union cause's objectives after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Following the declaration, a lot of people in Britain applauded the Union's success. In the end, the Confederacy's hopes of an alliance were dashed by Great Britain and France, leaving the outnumbered and outresourced states that had left the Union to fight for themselves. The American Civil War, which raged from 1860 to 1865, was a turbulent time defined by the Union and Confederacy's internal strife as well as the complicated ties with European nations, especially France and Great Britain. The Confederacy hoped to win assistance and recognition from France and Great Britain from the beginning of the war. Nevertheless, neither side had sufficiently braced itself for the eventual appearance of European meddling. Amidst the diversion of the Civil War, Napoleon III of France saw a chance to assert French authority in the Americas. Napoleon wanted to expand French rule over Mexico to include Mexico City, which is why French soldiers took Veracruz in 1861. Mexican soldiers stopped the French in their tracks in 1862, despite their early victories. Nevertheless, Mexico was finally subjugated by France, who ruled it until 1867. Rather than providing direct assistance to the Confederacy, this effort reflected France's geopolitical interests in the area. The Confederacy thought that because Britain relied on Southern cotton for its textile industry, Great Britain would be sympathetic to their cause, but in the end, Britain's anti-slavery position won out. The Confederacy's steadfast commitment to preserving slavery hampered its chances of receiving support and recognition from the British. Furthermore, the Union's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 strengthened British support for the Union cause since a large portion of the British public welcomed the country's efforts to end slavery. In addition, the Confederacy bought armored vessels from British shipyards in an effort to strengthen its naval power. The purpose of acquiring ships like the CSS Florida and CSS Alabama was to break through the Union naval blockade. Nonetheless, the Confederacy's naval efforts were hampered by the loss of these ships during the battle. Confederate dreams of forming European alliances were shattered, and they were forced to take on the Union on their own. The Confederacy's commitment to maintaining slavery and its military defeats hindered their attempts to win over France and Great Britain. The American government's approach to foreign affairs underwent a sea change during the Civil War, as European nations eventually supported the Union and helped bring about the Confederacy's final downfall.