What was the initial goal of the Anaconda Plan as envisioned by Winfield Scott?

The initial goal of the Anaconda Plan, as devised by General Winfield Scott, was fundamentally about suffocating the Southern economy through blockades. The plan aimed to use the Union navy to impose a naval blockade on Confederate ports, restricting the South's ability to trade and resupply. By cutting off access to essential supplies, including food and war materials, the Union sought to weaken the Confederacy economically and strategically over time.

This approach was more about a gradual, strategic constriction rather than a swift offensive campaign. While capturing key urban centers was important to the broader war effort, it was not the primary goal of the Anaconda Plan, which focused on crippling the enemy's economy first, thereby reducing their capacity to sustain a prolonged war. The concept of attrition does resonate with the overall strategy but is more aligned with the idea of wearing down the enemy over time rather than the specific actions of blockading.