Peninsular War

Question 1

What caused Napoleon to invade Portugal and with what force/when?

Answer 1

• They had refused to take part in the continental blockade
• Sent an army to capture all the ports and succeeded on the 30th of November 1807

Question 2

Why was the invasion of Portugal futile?

Answer 2

• Started the Peninsular war in which Napoleon lost half of the soldiers he sent to fight
• Failed to enforce the continental blockade - British exports coming in to Portugal doubled in value between 1808-9

Question 3

Why was Napoleon’s usurping of the Spanish throne detrimental?

Answer 3

• 1808
• Spanish hated his brother so Napoleon sent Marshal Murat and an army to impose French rule
• Revolt took place there on the 2nd and 3rd of May 1808 which led to Murat’s execution of 100 Spaniards
• Goya painted it and roused patriotic anger against the French

Question 4

What resistance was put up against the French?

Answer 4

• Clergy and Nobles set up Juntas to train Guerrillas to fight the French
• In July 1808 a small and inexperienced French army was defeated by Spanish troops at Baylen
• From this victory and a request for aid Britain sent an expeditionary force which landed in August 1808 and reclaimed Portugal
• Napoleon assumed personal control in Autumn 1808 with a 270,000 strong army, driving away much British control

Question 5

How was the Peninsular war fought and what impact did Sir Wellesley have?

Answer 5

• Brutally fought with atrocities committed on both sides - corpses hung from trees and mutilated to send messages
• In 1812 there were between 33,000 and 50,000 guerrilla fighters who were able to pick off and tie down much larger forces
• Sir Wellesley arrived in 1808 and brought around 35,000 men who instantly adopted guerrilla warfare / any territory that had to be given up had the scorched earth policy applied
• Forces were well supplied from the British Navy and caused havoc in the supply lines of Napoleon

Question 6

What were the main events of the Peninsular war?

Answer 6

• Napoleon left in very late 1808 after Austria’s mobilisation
• 1809 the British reclaimed Portugal but did not want to advance further after the July 1808 battle of Talavera
• 1810 Massena launched an invasion of Portugal but Wellington fortified in Lisbon, suffering his enemy 25,000 casualties. Retreated in 1811 to the 353,000 troops in Spain who had little control due to territory battles and guerrillas
• After the invasion of Russia in 1812, Wellington captured more of Spain before his eventual liberation of it in 1814

Question 6

Why did Napoleon lose the Peninsular war?

Answer 6

• French supply lines were lengthy, guerrilla forces were constantly disrupting and the land could not be lived off of
• Napoleon did not change his tactics to counter guerrilla warfare
• Britain’s support of Portugal and Spain
• Napoleon’s decision to leave took away unity from armies and caused disintegration
• Royal Navy was easily able to manoeuvre and support supply lines
• Wellington was an excellent commander

Question 7

What were the consequences of losing the Peninsular War?

Answer 7

• Called the Spanish Ulcer as it gradually eroded the army, morale and economy of France
• Eased pressure off the British from the continental blockade, boosting British exports by 10 million in 2 years
• Other countries’ efforts were renewed after the failures within Spain
• Large numbers of Spanish people were inspired to rebel against French rule
• Napoleon’s inability to resolve the situation cast doubts on his military and political judgement

Question 8

How much money was wasted on the campaign?

Answer 8

3 billion francs causing more taxes