Answer:
He wanted to weaken the South and help the North win the war.
Explanation:
Before the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln was focused on preserving the Union. This is why he does not originally address the issue of slavery. However, as the war changes his thoughts about the war and what is purpose was changed. This is why he tries to free slaves in the Confederate states using the Emancipation Proclamation. Even though the law does not technically free anyone, it gives a new energy to the Union cause.
Instead of fighting to keep the Union together, they are fighting to ensure that all citizens are free. Making this into a moral war ensured that no other country would support the Confederacy.
