“Congressional plans for Reconstruction aimed to punish, rather than rebuild and reform the South.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the assessment that Congressional plans for Reconstruction were guided not so much by the desire to rebuild and reform as they were by a desire to punish the South. Candidates may agree, partly agree or disagree with the statement. Candidates may refer to Radical Republicans being dissatisfied with President Johnson’s Reconstruction plans, especially after scores of former Confederate officers were returned to Congress in the initial post-war elections. The Republicans saw Johnson’s plan as too lenient and they were intent on getting revenge on the South for starting the war. The Military Reconstruction Act divided the South into five zones of occupation by the US Federal Army. All former Confederate states had to accept the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments which could be seen as reforming the South. No federal funds were used to rebuild the war-torn South, and many states were too poor to provide it themselves.