I saw a very interesting lecture- at the Naval War College about the similarities between the War of Northern Aggression and WWII comparing the South and Japan v the USA. Both the South and the japs scored initial and very successful victories but both nations realized they at best, needed a decisive BIG victory to change public opinion and hope for at least a draw, for there was no way they could win a protracted war in the end (and they didn't).
Enter Gettysburg and Midway. Had the South and the japs won, maybe this would have happened but in both instances, both Lee and Nagumo screwed the pooch with wrong decisions, indecision on Nagumo's part to go after our carriers once he found out and Lee of course stalling on the attack and that incredibly poor planned strike at the Union Center with Pickett. Both the South and Japan lost the second the first Volley was fired at Sumter and the first bombs came of the rails over Pearl Harbor,
