Infrastructure limited America's deployable power

The United States possessed the potential to become a major power, but potential was not the same as usable combat strength. Railways began tying the continent together, while local connections and supporting systems took much longer to mature. European powers with existing fleets and denser infrastructure could still place more effective force into some theaters. Congressional reluctance to maintain warship reserves made the imbalance worse because America would need to construct ships that rivals already possessed. The same discussion places the Mexican-American War near the end of sail's viability and the Civil War at the decisive turn toward ironclad warships.