Which term refers to the strategy of total war used to destroy civilian resources?

Study for the CLEP US History 1 Test. Immerse in flashcards and multiple choice questions, each complete with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The term that accurately describes the strategy of total war used to destroy civilian resources is "Total War." This concept involves mobilizing all of a nation's resources, including its civilian population and infrastructure, to achieve a military victory. The idea is not just to defeat the enemy's army but to undermine the enemy's ability to sustain that war effort, which often includes targeting civilian resources, supplies, and morale.

Total war is characterized by the blurring of the lines between combatants and non-combatants, as military actions can directly affect civilian life. This strategy became particularly prominent during conflicts such as the American Civil War, where generals like William Tecumseh Sherman implemented tactics that aimed to demoralize the enemy by destroying both military targets and civilian infrastructure.

In the context of the other options, guerrilla warfare refers to a more irregular form of combat, often characterized by small, mobile groups engaging in hit-and-run tactics, rather than the large-scale destruction represented in total war. Blockade strategy usually involves obstructing maritime trade routes to cripple an enemy’s economy but doesn't inherently involve the direct destruction of civilian resources. Scorched earth tactics can be part of a total war approach and involve intentionally destroying resources within a specific area to prevent their use by the

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