Chapter 3: Napoleon’s Military Success 1799-1807 Flashcards
Overview of Military Situation: end of 2nd, start of 3rd coalition
Counsul led his forces into Italy, and the Austrians were defeated at the Battle of Marengo, 14 June 1800 = restored gains of Bonaparte’s Italian campaign = second coalition broke up and signed a separate piece from its paymaster Britain in 1802. BUT FIGHTING RENEWED because regime relied on military success / Napoleon’s ambition / territorial gains by France unacceptable in long term = WAR OF THE THIRD COALITION…
- Napoleon lead forces from Bologna to the Danube, where he outmanoeuvred the Austrians at Ulm.
- Marched East in winter, and at Austerlitz in December 1805 he achieved his most significant, and highly praised victory, defeating Russian & Austrian forces.
- He ended Vienna, faced forces of Prussia and French forces were victorious at two battles (Jena & Auerstädt) and entered Berlin = influence as far as Poland
- Campaign continued into 1807 = Russia persuaded to end war after Friesland = met Tsar Alexander I at Tilsit = ambitious agreement to split world = only England stopped full domination of Western Europe (BUT Continental System!)
Reasons for Military Success
-Concept of sustained offensive to achieve a rapid and decisive result = reputation of military greatness (he admitted element of LUCK tho)
- Strategy = aimed to force his enemies to overextend their lines by dividing his forces & use of ‘central position’ and the ‘envelopment’ tehcnique (tempting enemy to attack, smaller, vulnerable forces while main army would attack enemy from rear = no retreat)
- Army is not burdened by slow-moving supply trains = self-contained Army corps = flexible
- ‘Man management’ = Excellence of morale and loyalty by the French troops = needed a great trust in their commander with ‘envelopment’ technique = Touring the tents of his soldiers before the battle, recognising veterans, offering inspiring orders of the day, being seen in his drab coat = ‘soldier’s soldier’
Limitations
- Napoleon made no efforts to establish a staff college so medical facilities were basic and minor injuries or dysentery could incapacitate thousands.
- Napoleon was not an original military thinker - ‘mixed arms’ corps used in Revolution = strategy devised by others (like Frederick the great)
- Victories relied heavily on errors of others = little corporation between members of the coalition: Austrians 1805 expected French 80 day journey over Alps with 70,000 men at Danube BUT Napoleon took 13 days with 190,000 men - Austrian 60k troops too little
- Napoleon made serious mistakes and had to be rescued by others: Marengo in Italy 1800 nearly defeated by Austrians & saved by Desaix (can be seen as tribute to his leadership that he was saved by subordinates?)
War of the Third Coalition
