[BroJoeK]

Tax-chick: " When I said we have not fought a 'to the limits war,' I meant one with national survival on the line, one in which every resource was committed because the alternative was the non-existence of the United States, not just a far-less-favorable geopolitical situation."

I'd think your description could apply to the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812, as well as the Confederacy after, say, Gettysburg in 1863.
The final death rate percentage (10%) among Confederate men exceeded that of any country, including Soviets, in the Second World War.

Estimates I've seen of civilian deaths, including slaves, in the hundreds of thousands seem utter nonsense when you ask: where are all the contemporary news stories of these deaths?
Where are the graves?
They are non-existent, because the alleged deaths are mythological, intended to support Lost Causer propaganda.

The reality was awful enough, no exaggerations needed.

[Tax-chick]

The final death rate percentage (10%) among Confederate men exceeded that of any country, including Soviets, in the Second World War.

Very interesting - I did not know that.

Estimates I've seen of civilian deaths, including slaves, in the hundreds of thousands seem utter nonsense when you ask: where are all the contemporary news stories of these deaths?

That hadn't crossed my mind. I was offering a viewpoint (open for discussion), not pushing a specific agenda.