CIVIL WAR QUESTION ABOUT SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA.For all it's brutality did it cut the war short ?

Question

Should it be considered a merciful thing or knowing that the war would have continued was it just brutal.

Answer 1

It did help cut the war shorter. It helped save more lives,in the long run. A lot of property was destroyed,but it finally made believers out of the south that it was futile to continue.