Why was the battle of Gettysburg a turning point of the civil war in the east?

Answer 1

It marked the failure of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, which was aimed at plundering food and other supplies from this prosperous state, so the Confederates would be increasingly barefoot and starving after this.

It was also a psychological blow, perhaps demonstrating that Lee without Jackson was not a winner.

Although Lee managed to get his army back to Virginia, it was in no state to fight for the next few months.

Simply, the Confederate campaign in the East had lost vital momentum.

NEW RESPONDENT

Because:

- the defeat of Gettysburg greatly weakened the strength of the Army of Northern Virginia, which was no more able to mount a large scale offensive against the Union territory;

- the Confederacy had to give up every hope to be recognised as an independent nation by the Foreign Powers and therefore to be supported by a military intervention by Great Britain and France;

- the morale of the Union Armies and home front rose up, while the Confederacy's

lowered both influenced by the almost simultaneous surrender of Vicksburg.