You misunderstood my point about Japan.

The confederacy claimed it was a sovereign country but it actually wasn't. That's the legal basis for the war with the north from the north's perspective, which is what i have already stated. the war was over the right of a state to secede and form their own country.

If the south was a sovereign country then fort sumter was an occupying army base, was it not? the conflict was one thing from the south's perspective and another thing from the north's perspective. that's why they fought a long ass bloody war. i agree with the north's perspective (no right to secede), but that doesn't make the south beyond reproach for having the opposite view. they also tried to secede peacefully and did not want a war with the north. of course if secession is illegal this is a moot point as you point out. however, it's not moot in the context of their intent. I was and have been talking about intent. it was also not moot at the time of secession, as this was not a well defined legal question.