08-11-2024, 05:14 PM
(08-11-2024, 04:59 PM)GK3 Wrote:True. Your earlier point about ammunition and gas is right on. Patton ran out of gas and Sherman was concerned about ammunition. Patton had no solution. Sherman had one, he just had to get there. Ukraine has no Savannah in their invasion of Russia. They also don't have a railroad, secure or otherwise. I don't think Ukraine can afford a Voie Sacrée. We will have to see how it plays out, but it isn't obvious how Ukraine can retain a military position in Russia. Then again, lots of things in this war aren't "obvious".(08-11-2024, 04:19 PM)Goose Wrote:True, but it was still pretty much a scorched earth march in terms of anyone opposing him. If the locals left him alone, he left the towns and cities alone but heaven help those who fought him. There were Confederate guerillas who attacked him and in response he burned or destroyed all the crops and forage.(08-11-2024, 02:31 PM)GK3 Wrote: Sherman would have taken every cow and pig he could find and all the food he could carry, but in those days the only other problem was really ammunition. Today Ukraine can probably feed its men, but they can't put gas in the tanks or replace expended munitions unless they get lucky and capture a supply dump with the right stuff. Patton would have done what he did back then, run out of gas and have to sit and then deal with whatever else happened.Sherman didn't need to take any food on the way to Atlanta. He had a railroad that worked and that he could keep open. Of course the troops took what they wanted, but didn't need to. The railroad also ensured Sherman always had enough ammunition and replacements. Sherman had plenty of railroad troops and rebuilt the line whenever required. Johnston, who initially had a bigger army than Sherman, lacked supplies of all sort, even though it was home country. On the way through Georgia into South Carolina was a different story. Sherman could indeed get all the food his men could want, but he could not get ammunition. Sherman had to reach the coast where he could be supplied with ammunition by the USN. Along the way it was touch and go. Sherman was concerned. He was pretty sure there was no organized force that could stop him before he reached the sea, but he didn't have enough ammunition to fight an extended engagement. Fortunately he didn't have to. He got to Savannah just fine, taking just over a month to do so. After that, he had, worst case a place he could retreat to and be supplied easily.
