During the Civil War why couldn't women fight in the war as soldiers?

Question

I read a book on the Civil War and found out women where spies but not soldiers in the Civil War. I asked her maybe because Women reproduce and usually where needed to weave or cook or be a Mom. But another boy told me (I don't know who that kid was) women aren't as strong as men. I don't agree with what he had told me but i would like get a good answer.

Answer 1

It's not just a matter of if men are stronger than women. All across the world our allies and enemies all have different customs. Some of our enemies would treat a woman soldiers much harsher than they would a man. It's not fair to put our women in uniform in that position.

Answer 2

Because physiologically, the male of this species, like most mammal males, is designed to be better in fighting/hunting. For hunting or protection of the women and children.

On the average, men are bigger, stronger, with better endurance. Studies done show that the average man is stronger and has more endurance and speed than the average woman, and after equal training, the difference in each category increases.

On a societal level, a tribe or a country can, population-wise, bounce back after a war if the women remain unharmed.

Culturally, in the West, women have not been soldiers.

Just because some small percentage of women could meet the demands of being an infantryman doesn't mean the Army should experiment with it.

Answer 3

It had little to do with strength more to do with prelevant male chauvanistic attitude that exsisted then.

Because back in those days a girl / woman was taught her place was in the home, and not to worry her head about manly affairs.

Try researching the way people lived back then, women had very little if no say in the affairs of men in most of the country's of the world, things didn't change much till WW1 and in WW2.

Even in a lot of todays so called modern cultures women take a back seat, doing corporate jobs for less wages than a man who does the same job!

Answer 4

The boy WAS right- back then they did believe that men were stronger than women. Not only that but women worked wonderful as spies b/c lets face it- suduction is a powerful weapon. Women, to this day, can't be in the front lines and some military men say it's because they are more connected to feelings and might pause about shooting and they would end up dead. Others think it's b/c women's periods might cause problems with cramping and fatigue.

Answer 5

On both sides of the fight, the recreation activities were.... interesting. Soldiers on both sides drank and gambled. Washington DC was loaded with brothels, and my guess is that so was Richmond. Both sides were also quite content with looting. In the case of the Confederates, they would "pay" the person they looted with their valueless currency. Also, on the Union side, the soldiers enjoyed Cock-Fighting, naming victorious chickens after Grant and Sherman and then pitting them against weaker chickens named after confederate leaders. In the Confederate camp, people would sometimes take big lice, put them on a plate, and hold a "race" in which the winner's louse made it off the plate first.

Answer 6

Well women can't fight as soldiers even today. They can join the military but not hold combat positions.

Answer 7

The cultural values of that time were completely incompatible with women in the military. However, some women disguised themselves as men, usually to fight alongside their husbands, and fought in uniform, until they were discovered to be female. When they were discovered, they were expelled from military service on the spot. One woman was discovered when she went into labor. Another fought so gallantly that upon her subsequent discovery, she was FIRST promoted, and THEN expelled.

Answer 8

there is many parts to the questions answers.
1 - women were felt to have been inferior to men.
2 - women had no rights at that time in our history.
3 - also it is true that when a man falls in battle another man will stop render aid and move on. if it is a woman then the man stopping to help will stay until she is helped more.
4 - weapons of that time were 20 - 30 pounds women of the time were not working in the heavy lifting and physical side of the jobs so them lifting the weapons was an issue.
now as far as the modern world of war. the U.S.S.R. had two divisions of nothing but women solders from the lowest rank to the highest rank. The Russian Spetznas (special forces) who were mostly men were scared of the women.
Now as far as the women and men together the 6 day war the Israelis had made clear that when there are women in Battle men go soft. also could a women have pulled or lifted me to safety if i was wounded total weight when i went to battle was 400lbs. I was a Ranger from '98 - '01 we tried to work the women in a test to see if they could handle it. with men they FAILED, but with nothing but women they scared the living hell out of me because women do not fight by the same rules.

WOMEN ARE NOT LESS THEY ARE JUST NOT A MAN SO THEY FIGHT DIFFERENT AND ACCOMPLISH THE SAME IN THE END.

So women and men toghter is a bad thing Women by them selfs well lets just say TIME TO RUNAWAY MEN

Answer 9

i doubt they would really want the "privelage" to do that.

Generally, men are stronger than woman... this isn't sexism . note: "generally"...

these days men and women can both join the millitary as they wish

...mainly due to the liberal changed in society's attitudes. Something I do support, by the way.

=]

Answer 10

Women were not allowed to own property or vote either, they were considered frail and sickly and thought to be more of a distraction to any soldier regardless of uniform or sneaky and wicked witch is still my opinion and they make great spies.

Please disregard any sarcasm it was a moment of weakness