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Weigley explains in his essay, How Americans Wage War: The Evolution of National Strategy, American military strategy dating back to the Indian wars and ending with future military tactics. Two key strategies emerged from the Civil War: Grant’s strategy of the total destruction of the opponent’s fighting power and Sherman’s tactic of destroying the economy and morale of those who supported the enemy. These ideas remained unchanged and were implemented during WWII. American forces overpowered the German forces in France and caused mass havoc to the German economy in moral using bomber warfare. Again the American military used Grant’s and Sherman’s strategies in dealing with Japan. The U.S. Navy wiped out the Japanese navy and the bombing of Hiroshima resulted in a devastating blow to Japanese moral and economy. In these wars the American military sought a common objective, the unconditional surrender of their enemies. In both instances they were a success. If one thing has remained consistent within national strategy is that same objective of seeking unconditional surrender whish was made apparent in the Indian wars, the Civil War and in WWII. However, post WWII it has become unlikely that wars will reach the same magnitude of the “all-out” wars that have taken place throughout American military history. Thus, strategies have changed to smaller tactical units who use fewer resources and still maintain the peace. These modern military approaches are not an entirely new idea. George Washington and Winfield Scott both avoided larger battles and using their limited resources won smaller battles with large political objectives in mind. Also, in the Southern Campaign during the Indian wars George Crook used guerilla tactics to successfully fight against Indians. All American military strategy has its roots back in the early years of American history with an ongoing evolution from large scale total war in past centuries to smaller tactical groups fighting present day.
acnassar 
It’s interesting how you begin this in what could constitute as the middle of American military history and then bring it back around to its beginnings. Do you feel as if there is a cycle that is developing that might cause a regression into the “total warfare” mentality, or that a different strategy will evolve?
Colonization of our Solar system and international power transition (where a hegemon, declines in international and a rising challenger (China )contests the declining power in the world stage could very well allow for a regression into Total War.