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Great Generals Of The Napoleonic Wars
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Book Synopsis Great Generals of the Napoleonic Wars and Their Battles, 1805-1815 by : Andrew Uffindell
Download or read book Great Generals of the Napoleonic Wars and Their Battles, 1805-1815 written by Andrew Uffindell and published by Spellmount, Limited Publishers. This book was released on 2003 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This in-depth survey of the greatest generals of the Napoleonic wars offers biographical information of twelve oustanding military commanders including Napoleon, Wellington, Blucher, Kutusov and Archduke Charles; with analysis of each general and and their battles.
Book Synopsis Great Generals of the Napoleonic Wars by : Andrew Uffindell
Download or read book Great Generals of the Napoleonic Wars written by Andrew Uffindell and published by Spellmount, Limited Publishers. This book was released on 2007-11-01 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Great Generals of the Napoleonic Wars
Book Synopsis Once There Were Titans by : Kevin F. Kiley
Download or read book Once There Were Titans written by Kevin F. Kiley and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2007-04-15 with total page 461 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first serious investigation of Napoleon's generals Covers the well known to the relatively obscure Provides a fresh insight into the periodThis is a masterly study of generalship in Napoleon's Grande Arme. Napoleon arguably had the greatest collection of military talent to ever serve one man working for him during the period 1800-15. The role of the Marshals of the Empire has been covered many times, and due credit is also given to them here; however, for the first time Kevin Kiley also examines in depth the contribution of the generals who never made that rank. Fifty-two general officers are examined using the battles they fought to illustrate just how valuable they were. From Marengo in 1800 to Ligny in 1815, both French victories and defeats are studied in meticulous detail, each chapter covering a battle fought and the generals who commanded them. Diverse source material has been consulted in the preparation of this volume, including after-action reports, memoirs and correspondence from officers including Senarmont, Eble, Drouot, Teste, Marmont, and Davout, as well as from lesser-known characters such as the artillerymen Boulart and Nol, and the Polish cavalryman Niegelewski, who led the final dash up the pass of Somosierra. Furthermore, those closest to Napoleon such as Fain and Marchand give their piece and provide invaluable information. Taken individually, this material paints a vivid picture of the Grande Arme and those who led it into fire. Taken as a whole, it provides an invaluable source and tells the story of the officers without whom Napoleon could never have achieved as much.
Book Synopsis How Great Generals Win by : Bevin Alexander
Download or read book How Great Generals Win written by Bevin Alexander and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2002 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a narrative account of decisive engagements that succeeded by brilliant strategy more than by direct force. The reader accompanies those who fought, from Roman legionaries and Mongol horsemen to Napoleonic soldiery, and Douglas MacArthur's Inchon invaders. Maps. Illustrations.
Book Synopsis Napoleon and Wellington by : Andrew Roberts
Download or read book Napoleon and Wellington written by Andrew Roberts and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2010-12-16 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A dual biography of the greatest opposing generals of their age who ultimately became fixated on one another, by a bestselling historian. 'Thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully written and meticulously researched' Observer On the morning of the battle of Waterloo, the Emperor Napoleon declared that the Duke of Wellington was a bad general, the British were bad soldiers and that France could not fail to win an easy victory. Forever afterwards historians have accused him of gross overconfidence, and massively underestimating the calibre of the British commander opposed to him. Andrew Roberts presents an original, highly revisionist view of the relationship between the two greatest captains of their age. Napoleon, who was born in the same year as Wellington - 1769 - fought Wellington by proxy years earlier in the Peninsula War, praising his ruthlessness in private while publicly deriding him as a mere 'sepoy general'. In contrast, Wellington publicly lauded Napoleon, saying that his presence on a battlefield was worth forty thousand men, but privately wrote long memoranda lambasting Napoleon's campaigning techniques. Although Wellington saved Napoleon from execution after Waterloo, Napoleon left money in his will to the man who had tried to assassinate Wellington. Wellington in turn amassed a series of Napoleonic trophies of his great victory, even sleeping with two of the Emperor's mistresses.
Book Synopsis The Worlds Greatest Generals by : Charles River Editors
Download or read book The Worlds Greatest Generals written by Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-06-26 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes over 25 pictures of Napoleon, and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes maps of famous battles like Austerlitz and Waterloo. *Answers common myths about Napoleon, including whether he was short, whether his men shot off the Sphinx's nose, whether he played chess, and whether he was poisoned. *Includes a Bibliography "Courage cannot be counterfeited. It is the one virtue that escapes hypocrisy." - Napoleon When historians are asked to list the most influential people of the last 200 years, a handful of names might vary, but there is no question that the list will include Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), the most successful French leader since Charlemagne and widely acknowledged one of the greatest generals ever. Indeed, Napoleon was likely the most influential man of the 19th century, leaving an indelible mark on everything from the strategy and tactics of warfare to the Napoleonic Code that drafted laws across the continent. To defeat Napoleon, the Europeans had to form large coalitions multiple times, which helped bring about the entangling alliances that sparked World War I after Europe was rebuilt following Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna. Napoleon's influence on the United States was also palpable. To finance his endeavors, he struck a deal with President Thomas Jefferson that became the Louisiana Purchase, and it was Napoleonic warfare that was used throughout the Civil War, leading to massive casualties because the weaponry of the 1860s was now more advanced than the tactics of 1815. When Napoleon died at St. Helena, he still engendered fear and distaste among the Europeans, but the man and his legacy continued to be held in awe across the world. In Napoleon's time, emperors and leaders still hoped to become the next Julius Caesar. After the Napoleonic Era, emperors and generals hoped to become the next Napoleon. For the next century, military leaders and even civilians struck Napoleonic poses when having their pictures taken, and phrases like "Napoleonic complex" and "meeting one's Waterloo" are now common phrases in the English lexicon. It would be truly impossible to envision or understand geopolitics in the West over the last two centuries without Napoleon. With the passage of time, Napoleon's legacy has had time to crystallize, but the legends, myths, and controversies about the man and his empire continue to swirl. Was he really short? Did his men shoot the nose off the Sphinx? Was he a good chess player? Was he poisoned by the British? In the rush to analyze his stunningly successful military record or question whether he was very short or a great chess player, people often overlook his political reign and personality. The World's Greatest Generals: The Life and Career of Napoleon Bonaparte addresses the controversies, myths, legends and battles, but it also humanizes a man who famously dominated most of the European continent while loving an indomitable woman whose political calculations matched if not surpassed his. Along with pictures of Napoleon and other important people, places and events in his life, you will learn about the French emperor like you never have before, in no time at all.
Book Synopsis The Grande Armée and Wellington's Scum by : Charles River Editors
Download or read book The Grande Armée and Wellington's Scum written by Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures Nearly 50 years after Napoleon met his Waterloo, generals across the West continued to study his tactics and engage their armies the same way armies fought during the Napoleonic Era. Despite advances in military technology and the advent of railroads for transportation, all of which made defensive warfare more effective, acclaimed military geniuses like Robert E. Lee used flank attacks and infantry charges against superior numbers in an effort to win decisive victories, and it would not be until World War I that concepts of modern warfare made the Napoleonic Era of the early 19th century outdated. For those questioning why generals continued using tactics from the Napoleonic Era even as technology changed the battlefield, the Battle of Austerlitz may provide the best answer. Napoleon is regarded as one of history's greatest generals, and Austerlitz was his greatest victory. In 1805, Britain, Austria, and Russia allied together to form the Third Coalition against the French, and the Third Coalition's forces consisted of armies from Austria and Russia, with Britain providing naval support as well as its financial powers. Napoleon had already defeated and mostly destroyed an Austrian army in October at Ulm before it could link up with the Russians, setting the stage for the Battle of Austerlitz to be the culmination of the war against the Third Coalition as a whole in early December. The influence Austerlitz had on Europe's political and military situation cannot be overstated. The Third Coalition's defeat led to the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire, allowed France to redraw the map of Central Europe, and ultimately put into place the chain of events that would lead to France's subsequent wars. Furthermore, Austerlitz set the model that every general hoped to emulate in battle, and the results were undoubtedly on Napoleon's mind when he tried to use the same movement strategies in an attempt to keep Prussian and British armies from linking together at the Battle of Waterloo nearly 10 years after Austerlitz. Napoleon's enemies would famously say he was worth 50,000 men in the field, but the simple truth is he wasn't able to dominate Europe on his own. In fact, the subordinates and soldiers underneath him participated in several of history's most famous battles and charted the course of Napoleon's rise and fall. No single factor can account for these victories, which could be attributed to a combination of high morale, a truly egalitarian approach to promotion from the ranks, a radical army organization, and the inspired leadership of Napoleon, all of which combined to make the Grande Armée virtually unbeatable for the first few years of its existence. The 18th century was a tumultuous period for the British army, one often overlooked in popular accounts of British history. It began with the formal unification of Britain, a period of great success for the nation's armies, which were led by one of Britain's greatest generals, the Duke of Marlborough. This was followed by a period of global activity and military reform as the British Empire expanded. Though naval power played a greater part in this success, it led to new obligations and challenges for the army. Even as the empire soared to new heights, the 18th century was one that was initially marked by triumph but ended in failure and decline. The late 1770s and early 1780s brought about a disastrous war for control of the American colonies, during which the British Army was ultimately defeated by colonial militiamen allied with French forces. In the aftermath came a period of decline and complacency, leaving the nation ill-prepared for war with Napoleon and France. Nonetheless, Wellington famously referred to his men as the scum of the earth, even as he took pride in their skill and successes. This was an army that took rough material and shaped it into something refined and effective.
Book Synopsis The World's Greatest Generals: the Life and Career of Napoleon Bonaparte by : Charles River Charles River Editors
Download or read book The World's Greatest Generals: the Life and Career of Napoleon Bonaparte written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2018-02-27 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes over 25 pictures of Napoleon, and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes maps of famous battles like Austerlitz and Waterloo. *Answers common myths about Napoleon, including whether he was short, whether his men shot off the Sphinx's nose, whether he played chess, and whether he was poisoned. *Includes a Bibliography "Courage cannot be counterfeited. It is the one virtue that escapes hypocrisy." - Napoleon When historians are asked to list the most influential people of the last 200 years, a handful of names might vary, but there is no question that the list will include Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), the most successful French leader since Charlemagne and widely acknowledged one of the greatest generals ever. Indeed, Napoleon was likely the most influential man of the 19th century, leaving an indelible mark on everything from the strategy and tactics of warfare to the Napoleonic Code that drafted laws across the continent. To defeat Napoleon, the Europeans had to form large coalitions multiple times, which helped bring about the entangling alliances that sparked World War I after Europe was rebuilt following Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna. Napoleon's influence on the United States was also palpable. To finance his endeavors, he struck a deal with President Thomas Jefferson that became the Louisiana Purchase, and it was Napoleonic warfare that was used throughout the Civil War, leading to massive casualties because the weaponry of the 1860s was now more advanced than the tactics of 1815. When Napoleon died at St. Helena, he still engendered fear and distaste among the Europeans, but the man and his legacy continued to be held in awe across the world. In Napoleon's time, emperors and leaders still hoped to become the next Julius Caesar. After the Napoleonic Era, emperors and generals hoped to become the next Napoleon. For the next century, military leaders and even civilians struck Napoleonic poses when having their pictures taken, and phrases like "Napoleonic complex" and "meeting one's Waterloo" are now common phrases in the English lexicon. It would be truly impossible to envision or understand geopolitics in the West over the last two centuries without Napoleon. With the passage of time, Napoleon's legacy has had time to crystallize, but the legends, myths, and controversies about the man and his empire continue to swirl. Was he really short? Did his men shoot the nose off the Sphinx? Was he a good chess player? Was he poisoned by the British? In the rush to analyze his stunningly successful military record or question whether he was very short or a great chess player, people often overlook his political reign and personality. The World's Greatest Generals: The Life and Career of Napoleon Bonaparte addresses the controversies, myths, legends and battles, but it also humanizes a man who famously dominated most of the European continent while loving an indomitable woman whose political calculations matched if not surpassed his. Along with pictures of Napoleon and other important people, places and events in his life, you will learn about the French emperor like you never have before, in no time at all.
Book Synopsis Blundering to Glory by : Owen Connelly
Download or read book Blundering to Glory written by Owen Connelly and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2006 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Renowned for its accuracy, brevity, and readability, this book has long been the gold standard of concise histories of the Napoleonic Wars. Now in an updated and revised edition, it is unique in its portrayal of one of the world's great generals as a scrambler who never had a plan, strategic or tactical, that did not break down or change of necessity in the field. Distinguished historian Owen Connelly argues that Napoleon was the master of the broken play, so confident of his ability to improvise, cover his own mistakes, and capitalize on those of the enemy that he repeatedly plunged his armies into uncertain, seemingly desperate situations, only to emerge victorious as he "blundered" to glory. Beginning with a sketch of Napoleon's early life, the book progresses to his command of artillery at Toulon and the "whiff of grapeshot" in Paris that netted him control of the Army of Italy, where his incredible performance catapulted him to fame. The author vividly traces Napoleon's campaigns as a general of the French Revolution and emperor of the French, knowledgeably analyzing each battle's successes and failures. The author depicts Napoleon's "art of war" as a system of engaging the enemy, waiting for him to make a mistake, improvising a plan on the spot-and winning. Far from detracting from Bonaparte's reputation, his blunders rather made him a great general, a "natural" who depended on his intuition and ability to read battlefields and his enemy to win. Exploring this neglected aspect of Napoleon's battlefield genius, Connelly at the same time offers stirring and complete accounts of all the Napoleonic campaigns.
Book Synopsis Napoleon's Grande Armée by : Charles River Editors
Download or read book Napoleon's Grande Armée written by Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2019-10-28 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading Nearly 50 years after Napoleon met his Waterloo, generals across the West continued to study his tactics and engage their armies the same way armies fought during the Napoleonic Era. Despite advances in military technology and the advent of railroads for transportation, all of which made defensive warfare more effective, acclaimed military geniuses like Robert E. Lee used flank attacks and infantry charges against superior numbers in an effort to win decisive victories, and it would not be until World War I that concepts of modern warfare made the Napoleonic Era of the early 19th century outdated. For those questioning why generals continued using tactics from the Napoleonic Era even as technology changed the battlefield, the Battle of Austerlitz may provide the best answer. Napoleon is regarded as one of history's greatest generals, and Austerlitz was his greatest victory. In 1805, Britain, Austria, and Russia allied together to form the Third Coalition against the French, and the Third Coalition's forces consisted of armies from Austria and Russia, with Britain providing naval support as well as its financial powers. Napoleon had already defeated and mostly destroyed an Austrian army in October at Ulm before it could link up with the Russians, setting the stage for the Battle of Austerlitz to be the culmination of the war against the Third Coalition as a whole in early December. Despite the smashing victory at Ulm, Napoleon's French army would still be well outnumbered at Austerlitz by a joint Russo-Austrian army in a battle that would also come to be known as the Battle of Three Emperors. Napoleon's enemies would famously say he was worth 50,000 men in the field, but the simple truth is he wasn't able to dominate Europe on his own. In fact, the subordinates and soldiers underneath him participated in several of history's most famous battles and charted the course of Napoleon's rise and fall. The French army which became known as the Grande Armée existed for just 10 years, from 1805 - 1815, and the question of what it was about this army that allowed it to win so many notable victories and to survive defeats which would have destroyed lesser armies has fascinated historians and writers ever since. After all, in terms of equipment, weapons, and battlefield tactics, there was little to distinguish the Grande Armée from other European armies in the early 1800s, but in battles such as Austerlitz (1805), Jena-Auerstedt (1806) and Wagram (1809) it won stunning victories, often against numerically superior enemies. No single factor can account for these victories, which could be attributed to a combination of high morale, a truly egalitarian approach to promotion from the ranks, a radical army organization, and the inspired leadership of Napoleon, all of which combined to make the Grande Armée virtually unbeatable for the first few years of its existence. As noteworthy as those battles all were, Waterloo is the most famous battle in modern history if not all of history, and appropriately so. Gathering an army of 100,000 men, Napoleon marched into what is now Belgium, intent on driving his force between the advancing British army under the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian forces under Marshal Blucher. It was the kind of daring strategy that only Napoleon could pull off, as he had at places like Jena and Austerlitz. At Waterloo, however, it would end disastrously, as Napoleon's armies were unable to dislodge Wellington and unable to keep the Prussians from linking up with the British. The battle would end with the French suffering nearly 60% casualties, the end of Napoleon's reign, and the restructuring of the European map. Simply put, the next 200 years of European history can be traced back to the result of the battle that day in 1815.
Book Synopsis Military Career of Napoleon the Great by : Montgomery B. Gibbs
Download or read book Military Career of Napoleon the Great written by Montgomery B. Gibbs and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2022-11-21 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This incredible history gives new insight into the life of Napoleon by thoroughly describing his campaigns. Contents include: Boyhood Days and Early Career Bonaparte's Campaign in Italy, 1796-7 Expedition to Egypt Passage of the Alps and Battle of Marengo Ulm and Austerlitz The Battle of Jena The Battle of Eylau Friedland and Peace of Tilsit War with Spain War with Austria. 1809 The Battle of Wagram Campaign of Russia The Campaign of 1813 The Invasion of France Exile to Elba The Hundred Days. Waterloo Conclusion
Book Synopsis The Napoleonic Wars by : Alexander Mikaberidze
Download or read book The Napoleonic Wars written by Alexander Mikaberidze and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-01-13 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Austerlitz, Wagram, Borodino, Trafalgar, Leipzig, Waterloo: these are the places most closely associated with the era of the Napoleonic Wars. But how did this period of nearly continuous conflict affect the world beyond Europe? The immensity of the fighting waged by France against England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia, and the immediate consequences of the tremors that spread throughout the world. In this ambitious and far-ranging work, Alexander Mikaberidze argues that the Napoleonic Wars can only be fully understood in an international perspective. France struggled for dominance not only on the plains of Europe but also in the Americas, West and South Africa, Ottoman Empire, Iran, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Taking specific regions in turn, Mikaberidze discusses major political-military events around the world and situates geopolitical decision-making within its long- and short-term contexts. From the British expeditions to Argentina and South Africa to the Franco-Russian maneuvering in the Ottoman Empire, the effects of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars would shape international affairs well into the next century. In Egypt, the wars led to the rise of Mehmed Ali and the emergence of a powerful state; in North America, the period transformed and enlarged the newly established United States; and in South America, the Spanish colonial empire witnessed the start of national-liberation movements that ultimately ended imperial control. Skillfully narrated and deeply researched, here at last is the global history of the period, one that expands our view of the Napoleonic Wars and their role in laying the foundations of the modern world.
Book Synopsis Masters of the Battlefield by : Paul K. Davis
Download or read book Masters of the Battlefield written by Paul K. Davis and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-09 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The personality of a general is indispensable," Napoleon once said. "He is the head, he is the all, of an army." In Masters of the Battlefield, Paul K. Davis offers vivid portraits of fifteen legendary military leaders whose brilliance on and off the battlefield embody this maxim. Hailing from the earliest days of Greek warfare to France at the turn of the nineteenth century, these men stand out for their tactical abilities--generals who made a difference in combat, grasping the way an enemy would think or move and reacting not just to ensure victory, but do so in the face of superior forces. Among the leaders discussed in this encompassing work of military history are Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Belisarius, Chinggis Khan, Oda Nobunaga, the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Davis briefly explores the biography of each commander, considering how his upbringing, early experiences, and social and cultural background might have translated into his leadership abilities. Relying on vast research, Davis describes the nature of armies and warfare of the time, from the phalanx battle of Ancient Greece to the artillery-heavy Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus. He also examines the course of the wars in which each general fought as a background to the particular battles that best illustrates their abilities, and discusses each battle in detail, aided extensively by detailed battlefield maps. Davis concludes each section with an analysis of the tactical skills and principles at which each general excelled. In analyzing these remarkable leaders, Davis offers a picture of warfare throughout history, and shows this history to be directed--and oftentimes wholly decided--by the abilities of a single man. Masters of the Battlefield tells the stories of men who defined eras, reshaped nations, and who, through the introduction of new weapons and tactics, revolutionized the nature of warfare.
Book Synopsis Masters of the Battlefield by : Paul Davis
Download or read book Masters of the Battlefield written by Paul Davis and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2013-07-25 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A catalogue of history's greatest military leaders - from the Classical Age to the Napoleonic Era - and what drove them to victory.
Book Synopsis Wellington's Lieutenants by : Alexander Innes Shand
Download or read book Wellington's Lieutenants written by Alexander Innes Shand and published by . This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The men who stood beside the Great Duke The Duke of Wellington was indisputably one of the most able military commanders in British history. He was not only a powerful intellect, but also a man of substantial character. In a time of aristocrats, Wellington was an autocrat able to manage powerful men by force of his still greater will and presence; with success came their inevitable respect. To Wellington, delegation failed to come easily and he clearly doubted the wisdom of it as a policy. He insisted on a knowledge of all things that might concern him and was prepared to issue directives on all matters. It is then, unsurprising that he eclipsed his immediate subordinates, senior figures and highly respected commanders in their own right, who were often given little latitude, and were regularly not fully briefed as to Wellington's strategy and grand tactics; for example, at Waterloo, amid flying shot, the duke terrified his staff by appearing to be the only person in possession of the plan of battle. All this, however, does nothing to diminish the clear contribution many of those closest to the Great Duke made towards the success of his campaigns. While having lessons to learn from Wellington they were more than capable military men-if not actually possessed of quite the same degree of military 'genius' as their commander in chief. This book chronicles eight of Wellington's lieutenants as they fought for him in the Peninsula and at Waterloo. Lord 'Daddy' Hill earned his nickname because of his extraordinary concern for the wellbeing of his soldiers; he was Wellington's most trusted general and was, unusually, given independent command by Wellington. The fiery Craufurd, leader of the Light Division, could always be depended upon to take the fight to the enemy-sometimes whether it was prudent to do so or not. Picton, the hard swearing Welshman was never easy to company but was an essential commander on the field of conflict. Accounts of the campaigns and actions of these notable soldiers are joined in this riveting book by those of Beresford, Lynedoch, Hopetoun, Anglesey and Combermere. Available in softcover and hardcover with dustjacket.
Book Synopsis The History and Legacy of the Greatest Battles of the Napoleonic Wars by : Charles River Editors
Download or read book The History and Legacy of the Greatest Battles of the Napoleonic Wars written by Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-11-11 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the battles *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Over the course of its history, England has engaged in an uncountable number of battles, but a select few have been celebrated like the Battle of Trafalgar, one of the most important naval battles in history. Before the battle, Napoleon still harbored dreams of sailing an invasion force across the English Channel and subduing England, but that would be dashed on October 21, 1805 by a British fleet that was outnumbered and outgunned. The impact of Trafalgar cannot be overstated, as it literally set the stage for the rest of the Napoleonic Era. Unable to invade England, Napoleon was limited to conducting war on the European continent, and while he spent the better part of a decade frustrating the British and their allies, he was eventually undone at Leipzig and then Waterloo nearly a decade after Nelson's victory at Trafalgar. For those questioning why generals continued using tactics from the Napoleonic Era even as technology changed the battlefield, the Battle of Austerlitz may provide the best answer. Napoleon is regarded as one of history's greatest generals, and Austerlitz was his greatest victory. In 1805, Britain, Austria, and Russia allied together to form the Third Coalition against the French, and the Third Coalition's forces consisted of armies from Austria and Russia, with Britain providing naval support as well as its financial powers. The Battle of Austerlitz was a tactical masterpiece that saw Napoleon actually invite an attack on his army by the bigger Coalition army, and over the course of about 9 hours, the French successfully defended their right flank while counterattacking in the center and splitting the Russo-Austrian army in two, allowing the French to hit the flank of the advancing left wing of the enemy. The result was a decisive victory that virtually annihilated the Third Coalition's army and made Napoleon the master of the European continent. By 1812, he had succeeded in subduing most of his enemies - though in Spain, the British continued to be a perpetual thorn in his flank that drained the Empire of money and troops - but his relationship with Russia, never more than one of mutual suspicion at best, had now grown downright hostile. On July 23rd, 1812, he launched his army across the border, despite the protestations of many of his Marshals. The Russian Campaign had begun, and it would turn out to be Napoleon's biggest blunder. Russia's great strategic depth already had a habit of swallowing armies, a fact many would-be conquerors learned the hard way. Napoleon, exceptional though he was in so many regards, proved that even military genius can do little in the face of the Russian winter and the resilience of its people. By the time the Grande Armee had reached the Berezina, it had been decimated: of the over 450,000 fighting men that had invaded Russia that autumn, less than 40,000 remained. These factors set the stage for the second setback, which essentially sealed the fate of Napoleon's empire. The four-day Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, romantically but accurately dubbed the "Battle of the Nations," proved the decisive encounter of the War of the Sixth Coalition and essentially determined the course the Napoleonic Wars took from that moment forward. Waterloo is the most famous battle in modern history if not all of history, and appropriately so. Gathering an army of 100,000 men, Napoleon marched into what is now Belgium, intent on driving his force between the advancing British army under the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian forces under Marshal Blucher. It was the kind of daring strategy that only Napoleon could pull off, as he had at places like Jena and Austerlitz. At Waterloo, however, it would end disastrously, as Napoleon's armies were unable to dislodge the British or Prussians, leading to defeat.
Author :Christopher Richard Gabel Publisher :US Army Combined Arms Center ISBN 13 :9780985587970 Total Pages :205 pages Book Rating :4.5/5 (879 download)
Book Synopsis Great Commanders by : Christopher Richard Gabel
Download or read book Great Commanders written by Christopher Richard Gabel and published by US Army Combined Arms Center. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This volume is not a study of the 'greatest' commanders; rather, it is an examination of commanders who should be considered great. The seven leaders examined, in various domains of ground, sea, and air, each in their own way successfully addressed the challenges of military endeavor in their time and changed the world in which they lived"--Foreword.
