He did it to his own people though, our people. I have a problem with that, but i understand the mentality and how bitter the Civil War must have been. IMO, 'scorched earth' is a justified approach against the shitbags we are at war with today. It is the muslim populations' indifference and islame itself which spawned these ignorant zealots and has allowed for them to thrive.
The Civil War was very bitter. In minds of the Union at the time, the South was not "our people". General Sherman was one of the first generals to put forward the concept of "total war" - you are either totally at war with the enemy, their armies, their supporters, their land, and their population.... or you should not be going to war at all. While brutal, the "total war' concepts still apply today. The liberals who want to go "win hearts and minds" simply don't get it.