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Wars of Napoleon > Final Exam > Flashcards

Final Exam Flashcards

1
Q

Venetian Phase

A

Castiglione Offensive
Bassano Offensive
Arcole Offensive

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2
Q

“Quadrilateral”

A
  • The “Quadrilateral” of Fortresses
    ○ Peschiera
    ○ Verona
    ○ Legnano
    ○ Mantua
    * between the Mincio, the Po, and the Adige Rivers
    • The fortresses commanded transportation hubs
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3
Q

Castiglione Offensive

A
  • Wurmser Commander, “relieve Mantua”
  • 3 Austrian columns, non-supporting
  • 28 July 1796 start
  • By 30 July French center broken, Napoleon lifts siege of Mantua
  • Battle of Castliglione 5 August 1796 ends offensive
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4
Q

Battle of Castiglione

A
  • 5 August 1796
  • 21k French, 25k Austrian
  • Orders Massena and Augereau to fix Austrians
  • Battle starts with French center retreating, Austrians pursue, Fiorella advances on Wurmser’s left and rear but too early
  • Joubert failed to pin Austrian right
  • not battle of annhilation due to French mistakes, but French victory, ends Castiglione Offensive
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5
Q

Bassano Offensive

A
  • “relieve Mantua”
  • Austrian offensive planed east of Lake Garda
  • Offensive begins with both armies advancing
  • Battle of Roveretto 4 September 1796
  • French enter Trento, Napoleon chases Wursmer following Austrian route along river valley
  • Lead French divisions march 60 miles in 2 days
  • Battle of Primolano 7 September 1796
  • Battle of Bassano 8 September 1796
  • Wurmser retreat to Mantua
  • Battle of La Favorita 15 September 1796
  • Austrians trapped in Mantua, French army in poor shape
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6
Q

Battle of Roveretto

A
  • 4 September 1796
  • dawn assault
  • Massena pursuit, Austrians broke
  • Austrians take position at Calliano and retire
  • Massena continues, forms large columns, smash through Austrians
  • Mass: 23k French against 13k Austrians
  • causes Davidovic to retreat
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7
Q

Battle of Primolano

A
  • 7 September 1796
  • French pursuit of Wurmser along Adige River Valley
  • Austrian rear guard broken
  • Forces Wurmser into Battle of Bassano
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8
Q

Battle of Bassano

A
  • 8 September 1796
  • Austrians spread out and seperated by the river
  • Austrians driven back on both sides of river
  • Austrians lose 3,600 mena d 45 cannon vs. 400 French
  • Wursmer’s army is shattered
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9
Q

Battle of La Favorita

A
  • 15 September 1796
  • fought in the suburbs outside Mantua
  • Austrians are driven back into Mantua
  • marks the end of the Bassano offensive
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10
Q

Arcole Offensive

A
  • Main Austrians effort coming from east
  • 2 November 1796 Alvinczy begins advance along with Davidovich
  • Massena can’t hold Brenta and Vaubois can’t hold ground
  • Second Battle of Bassano 6 November 1796
  • Battle of Calliano 6-7 November 1796
  • dual defeats meant Napoleon faced disaster
  • Napoleon takes central position
  • Battle of Caldiero 12 November 1796
  • French withdraw night of 14/15 November 1796, goal was to cross the Adige and swing north
  • Battle of Arcole 15-17 November 1796
  • 1796 ends with French holding same positions
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11
Q

Second Battle of Bassano

A
  • 6 November 1796
  • 6 November Napoleon assembles Massena, Augereau, and reserve
  • Attacks Alvincy
  • Austrians outnumber the French
  • French are rejected
  • French lose 3,500, Alvinzy loses 2,800
  • French defeat
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12
Q

Battle of Calliano

A
  • 6-7 November 1796
  • Vaubois stops push from Davidovich
  • Makes mistake, disperses units
  • Austrians attack at dawn on the 7th, French army flees
  • French morale hit rock bottom, in total rout
  • Napoleon’s northern flank collasped
  • Two pincers closing in on Verona
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13
Q

Battle of Caldiero

A
  • 12 November 1796
  • Simple attack plan
  • violent wind and hail impeded musket fire, hand to hand combat
  • French assault driven back
  • minor French defeat
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14
Q

Battle of Arcole

A
  • 15-17 November 1796
  • Despite Napoleon falling in the river, French take the bridge at Arcole on 15th, then retreat due to Daivovich’s pursuit of Joubert
  • On the 16th, French attempt pin cer movement but fail to take the bridge
  • On the 17th, Massena marches through swamp to get to Arcole, french take the village and crush the Austrians
  • Austrians retreat
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15
Q

Austrian Phase

A
  • French government finally acknowledge Napoleon’s success in Italy, make Italy the main theatre
  • Emperor Francis II orders his brother Archduke Charles to take command
  • Napoleon wants to launch offensive before Austrians can produce combat power
  • February 1797 Mantua surrenders, frees up French combat power
  • March 1797 Napoleon invades Austria
  • French pursue retreating Austrians, cross the Piave on 12 March, the Tagliamento 16 March
  • Battle of Valvasone 16 March 1797
  • Austrians keep retreating
  • 21-22 March advance French guard fights over Tarvisio and takes it
  • French continue pursuit, Charles issues retreat to Klagenfurt, then to St. Viet
  • French suffer from exhaustion, rumors of Austrian reinforcements, strategic consumption, reached culminating point
  • French take Klagenfurt and St. Veit on 31 March
  • Napoleon collects every soldier he could, disregards LOCs, marches on Vienna
  • 7 April Armistice of Leoben
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16
Q

Battle of Valvasone

A
  • 16 March 1797
  • small battle
  • empty victory for French because main body of Austrians had retreated the night before
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17
Q

Conclusion and Analysis end of Venetian Phase

A
  • We saw Napoleon employ the tactics and strategy as a student
    • What was particularly valuable is what he learned of Bourcet
    • Creating the mini-armies, the divisions
    • Having the divisions swarm along different roads so they can achieve mass and surprise
    • Especially mutual support
    • Austrians do march in mutual columns, but they can’t support eachother
    • Napoleon showed mastery of the operational level of war
    • He also borrowed from Guibert on light logistics, speed and organization
    • Napoleon consistently appointed the best and most capable subordinates
    • Napoleon showed flexibility, energy, audacity
    • The full range of military talents were on display
    • Relentless pressure on the Austrians
      lucidity
      Napoleon mistakes:
    • He doesn’t maintain a large enough central reserve, he continues to make this mistake until 1805
      ○ And then he creates arguably the best reserve history has ever seen
      He was let down by Augereau in the Rivoli campaign
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18
Q

Preliminary Peace of Leoben

A
  • 18 April 1797
  • The Peace of Leoben reflected typical 18th century diplomacy
  • No losers among the great powers
  • Both sides got something out of it so their war efforts were not in vain
  • It was decided that peace would be made at the expense of a 3rd party, and that party was the neutral Republic of Venice
  • Negotiated by Napoleon as a general even though he didn’t have the authority to
  • Terms:
    1) Belgium belongs to France
    2) France will receive all of northern Italy up to Adige River
    3) France would acquire 2/3rds of all German territory on the left bank of the Rhine
    4) Austria would receive Venetia and its territories of Dalmatia and Istria
    French would take Ionian Islands off of Greece to serve as naval bases
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19
Q

Treaty of Campo Formio

A
  • 17 October 1797
    Negotiated by Napoleon
    Ends of the War of the First Coalition
  • Few more stipulations to Peace of Leoben were added, Austria recognized:
    1) Cisalpine and Ligurian Republics recognized
    2) Loss of Belgium to France
    3) Agree that France would annex 2/3rds of the land on the left bank of the Rhine
    4) Ends the war of the first coalition
    • Even though the peace treaty between Austria and France reflected 18th century norms and diplomacy, it was still an imperialistic peace because the way France emerged from the war itself
    • France emerged from the treaty as the most dominant power in Europe
    • No longer a balance of power
    • French encroached on traditional spheres of influences that belonged to the Austrians, Prussians, and Russians
      ○ Most of the world believed that Austria would sooner or later fight to regain its traditional spheres of influence
  • it was believed that it was a peace that would inevitably lead to another war
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20
Q

Egyptian Campaign

A
  • Depart 19 May 1798
  • attempt to strike at British, establish FOB for India, breadbasket after loss of Canada, canal
  • also get rid of Napoleon
  • arrives 1 July 1798
  • take Alexandria, march through desert
  • Battle of the Pyramids 21 July 1798
  • Battle of Aboukir Bay 1 August 1798
  • Second Coalition Forms
  • Napoleon returns 9 November 1799
  • French operations continue until 1801
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21
Q

Battle of the Pyramids

A
  • 21 July 1798
  • 10,000 Mamluks brought knives to a gun fight
  • Napoleon formed troops into giant squares
  • Mamluks made repeated charges and were decimated
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22
Q

Battle of Aboukir Bay

A
  • 1 August 1798
  • Admiral Nelson
  • French anchored their ships as close as to the shore as possible to protect one side
  • British managed to get on both sides
  • Destroyed Napoleon’s fleet, stranded in Egypt
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23
Q

War of the Second Coalition

A
  • Coalition Forms August 1798
  • Russia, Naples, Ottoman, Britain, Austria
  • First Battle of Zurch 4-7 June 1799
  • Battle of Novi 15 August 1799
  • Allied friction over war aims, stop working together
  • Anglo-Russian focus on Switzlerland to invade France, French strike first
  • Second Battle of Zurich 25 September 1799
  • Battle of St. Gotthard Pass 4 October 1799
  • 11 November Napoleon Emperor
  • Second Italian Campaign
  • Armistice of Allesandria 15 June 1800
  • Convention of Parsdorf 15 July 1800
  • Battle of Hohenlinden 3 December 1800 (Moreau defeats Archduke John)
  • Treaty of Lunéville 9 February 1801
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24
Q

First Battle of Zurich

A
  • 4-7 June 1799
  • Massena stops Austrian advance, but is forced to evacuate the city
  • He still maintained enough of a presence outside of the city to prevent the Allies from advancing
  • Massena is containing Archduke Charles, but is barely hanging on
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25
Q

Battle of Novi

A
  • 15 August 1799
  • Army commanded by Joubert was pummeled by Suvorov’s army
  • Austro-Russians broke through French center
  • Joubert was killed
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26
Q

Second Battle of Zurich

A
  • 25 September 1799
  • French Offensive
  • Massena mauls Korsakov’s army before Suvorov’s army could arrive
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27
Q

Battle of St. Gotthard Pass

A
  • 4 October 1799
  • Massena jumps on Suvorov as the Russians are moving through St. Gotthard Pass
  • Russians are forced to conduct retreat high in the mountains, a lot of Russians died in mountains
  • Practically destroyed Suvorov’s army
  • The Russians were not happy
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28
Q

Second Italian Campaign

A
  • Napoleon forms the Army of the Reserves with permanent divisions, each with own staff and 3 branches
  • Melas starts offensive on 6 April 1800
  • Genoa besieged, Napoleon orders Massena to hold until 4 June
  • Napoleon has to decide: continue to Germany or Italy to save Massena
  • can’t give Moreau credit, goes to Italy
  • rather than relieve Genoa, Napoleon opts to unite on the plains of Lombardy on Austrian LOC
  • advanced starts 15 May, reaches Fortress of Bard, blocked until 22 May
  • Napoleon decides to ignore Genoa, evenlop Austrians by marching on Milan, reach it 2 June
  • Massena’s troops starving meanwhile, surrenders 5 June
  • Napoleon learns of surrender via intercepted courier, divided forces to block Austrian escape from Alessandria
  • Battle of Montebello 9 June 1800
  • Napoleon splits combat power further to find Melas
  • Battle of Marengo 14 June 1800
  • Austrian army crippled
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29
Q

Battle of Montebello

A
  • 9 June 1800
  • Austrian MTC (18,000) to Lannes (10,000)
  • Lannes attacks anyway, Austrians stat to wear down French
  • saved by Victor’s division arrival around 1pm
  • French victory, crushed Austrian Morale, froze Melas for 5 days
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30
Q

Battle of Marengo

A
  • 14 June 1800
  • Austrians launch surprise attack in morning
  • French outnumbered, are driven back
  • Napoleon is 12 miles away sleeping in a farm house
  • arrives at 11, to gain time he throws in the only reserve he has, counterattacks Austrian left
  • gains time, reinforcements arrive and stabilize
  • Austrians cease operations thinking battle is over
  • Napoleon holds council of war, decides on attack
  • Austrians lose 9,500 vs. French 6,500
  • French victory, cripples Austrian army
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31
Q

Second Italian Campaign Analysis

A
  • Napoleon made a huge cardinal sin:
  • He dispersed his forces in face of the enemy
  • Even at this stage of his career, he is already starting to have contempt for the enemy
  • Significance of the battle of Marengo/campaign is more political than anything else
    1. Had he been defeated, his government would have been overthrown
    1. The victory secures Napoleon’s government back in Paris
    • Campaign shows positive:
      1) Great organizational skills of him and his staff to create the crossing of the Alps
      2) The Army of the Reserve
      i. Next step in the evolution of operational war
      Campaign showed the value of these mini armies
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32
Q

Treaty of Lunéville

A
  • 9 February 1801
  • Ends the War of the Second Coalition
  • Austrians agree to:
    1) Recognize the loss of all Italian possessions except Venice. Venice was reduced in size with more territory going to the Cisalpine Republic
    2) Acknolwedge French control of the left bank of the Rhine
    3) Recognize the Kingdom of Eturia (Tuscany)
    4) Recognize the Batavian, Helvetic, Cisalpine, Ligurian Republics
    5) A general restructuring of the German states
    “The Third Germany”
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33
Q

Treaty of Amiens

A
  • 27 March 1802
  • Napoleon opens negotiations to strengthen his finances and rebuild the French navy
  • Had lost the newest and biggest ships of the line at the Battle of the Nile
  • The British had domestic turmoil
  • Unrest in Ireland
  • Cost of the war is starting to cause an economic crisis
  • British have no allies left
    ○ British agree to generous terms:
    1) The British agreed to withdraw from Malta and Elba
    2) Recognized France’s new frontier
    3) Recognized France’s sister republics
  • In return:
    1) The British gets Trinidad, Tobago, and Ceylon
    2) The French agree to withdraw their troops from its sister republics and respect the independence of its sister republics
  • No trade agreement, only the promise of one in the future
  • France emerged as the most powerful state in Europe
34
Q

Imperial Recess

A
  • 1803 meeting at Regensburg
  • fulfilled the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville for a general organization of Germany
  • Francis II agreed, thought he would get something
  • Consolidation of the smaller German states
  • Austria sacrifices small German states and German princes
  • France replaces Austria as the major power of influence in Germany
  • All by Napoleon’s design so he could harness the manpower and resources of Third Germany
  • Napoleon effectively dismantles the Holy Roman Empire
  • The medium sized German states, especially Baden/Wuternberg/Bavaria, made huge gains and established close ties with Napoleon
35
Q

Grand Armée

A
  • The Army of England is changed to the Grand Armée
  • Boulogne Encampment
  • Between 1803 and 1805, the army went through nonstop training
  • became one of the best if not best armies ever in European history
  • had more flexibility and more mobility than any other army in Europe because of the corps system
  • corps=2-4 IN DIVs+CAV DIV or BDE+ART Reserve+CDR, general staff, support personnel
  • The concept of the mini-army is fully achieved
  • The army corps was designed to be able to hold its ground for 24 hours against a conventional neighboring army, buying time for supporting corps to arrives
  • The Corps system allows part of army to be destroyed, but the army itself still survives
  • Never invades England, leaves Blouogne 27 August 1805 to march to the Rhine
36
Q

Marshal of the Empire

A
  • when Napoleon craeted the empire, he reinstituted the rank of marshal
  • were the very best of the generals
  • civillian rank
  • each had own coat of arms
  • given special etiquette
  • were to be eliete of new nobility created by Napoleon
  • excellent tacticians, few understood the operational or strategic level of war
  • inability to operate independently, sets in about 1808 onward
  • 14 initial active marshals, 4 honorary
  • 6 created later
37
Q

Convention of St. Petersburg

A
  • signed 11 April 1805
  • initially signed between Britain and Russia
  • The war aims roughly matched France’s natural frontiers minus low countries
  • Called for an independent Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, and Sardinia
  • Followed British national security policy
  • The British promised to pay the Russians 30 million pounds for every 100,000 Russians that they could put in the field
  • Austria initially doesn’t sign initially, but does in July 1805 after Napoleon crowns himself king of Kingdom of Italy and annexes genoa and Parma
38
Q

War of the Third Coalition

A
  • Two theatres: Italian and German
  • Grand Armée moves out 27 August 1805 to Germany
  • Austrians send best army to Italy 94k, Napoleon economy of force with Massena and 40k
  • Ulm Campaign
  • Battle of Trafalgar 21 October 1805
  • failed pursuit of Russians after Ulm, let down by Lannes and Murat
  • Battle of Austerlitz 2 December 1805
  • Treaty of Pressburg 30 December 1805
39
Q

Ulm Campaign

A
  • Grand Armée moves out 27 August 1805 to Germany
  • Grand Armée incredible speed, by 25 September bulk had crossed Rhine
  • strategic envelopment of Mack, surprised
  • minor engagements 11-14 OCT/Austrian break out
  • 15 OCT bombardment of Ulm
  • 20 OCT Mack surrenders
  • Surprise, Speed, Manuever, Mass
40
Q

Battle of Trafalgar

A
  • 21 October 1805
  • off Cape of Trafalgar
  • 27 British ships of line vs. 33 Franco-Spanish
  • overwhelming British victory
  • French seapower is broken for good, French navy is crippled
  • makes invasion of england impossible for another 20 years
  • British control the seas until WW2
  • forces Napoleon to find a different way to defeat the British, Continental System
41
Q

Battle of Austerlitz

A
  • 2 December 1805
  • deception in days leading up to battle: Napoleon feigned weakness, offered truce multiple times, withdrew from Pratzen Heights, strips right flank
  • Hid bulk of army in the valley west of Pratzen heights
  • Tsar Alexander overrides Kutuzov, attacks
  • 1 December Allies occupy Pratzen heights
  • 2 December focus attack on French right, French hold, Allies strip center to reinforce attack
  • Napoleon pounches, orders attack on Allied center, cuts line in half
  • encircles attacking Russians
  • 27,000 Austro-Russian casualties vs. 8,400 French
  • Austria drops out of the war the next day
42
Q

Battle of Austerlitz Commentary

A
  • Napoleon’s most brilliant battle
  • It was prefaced with deception that lulled his enemy into a false sense of confidence
  • Not only did he get the allies to attack him, but he got them to attack in the way he wanted/needed
  • He orchestrated every mistake they made and then he exploited every mistake they made
  • His personal supervision assured the exact timing that led to the achievement of mass
  • This campaign is what convinced Europe that there was a new Frederick the Great, that Napoleon was the man
  • Austerlitz was the dawn of a new era of warfare and the French would dominate this new era while Napoleon was their leader
43
Q

Treaty of Pressburg

A
  • 30 December 1805
  • Ended War of the Third Coalition
  • Marks a turn/change in treaty away from 18th century
  • Napoleon punishes/makes it painful to start a war with France
  • Takes back what he had previously given to Austria in previous treaties
  • Austria loses one-sixth of its territory of 3 million people
  • Austria cedes:
  • Venetia, Dalmatia, and Istria Kingdom of Italy
  • Tyrol and Trentino to Bavaria
  • Various other territory to Baden and Württemberg
  • Austria must recognize Napoleon as King of Italy
  • Austria must pay France a 40 million franc indemnity
44
Q

War of Third Coalition Analysis

A
  • historians debate on where Napoleon might have gone too far/lost perspective
  • One school of thought says this is where he went too far with what he did to the Austrians with the Treaty of Pressburg and made peace impossible
  • This is where Napoleon began to believe in his own invincibility and his contempt for his enemy came even worse
  • Dr. Leggiere thinks this came after the Fourth Coalition
  • Without a doubt, the French emerge once again as the most powerful state in Europe
45
Q

War of the Fourth Coalition

A
  • Treaty of Potsdam 3 November 1805
  • Treaty of Schönbrunn 15 December 1805
  • Treaty of Paris January-March 1806
  • 7 August 1806 Prussia decides to go to war
  • Napoleon’s encroachments in Germany with Confederation of the Rhine, humiliation of Prussia
  • Prussia marches on Saxony September 1806
  • Fourth Coalition formed October 1806 (Britain, Prussia, Russia, Sweden)
  • Frederick William III sends Nap. ultimatum based on Convention of St. Petersburg
  • Prussian forces split into 3 armies, French advance in massive Battalion Carre
  • Battle of Saalfeld 10 October 1806
  • Battles of Jena and Auerstedt 14 October 1806
  • Pursuit/Prussians Finished
  • Pultusk Campaign
  • Winter quarters/spreads out forces
  • Eylau Campaign
  • Friedland Campaign
  • Franco-Russian Treaty of Tilsit 7 July 1807
  • Franco-Prussian Treaty of Tilsit 7 July 1807
46
Q

Treaty of Potsdam

A
  • 3 November 1805
    ○ If Napoleon doesn’t agree to the terms of the Convention of St. Petersburg, then Prussia would join the Third Coalition and commit an army of 180,000 men
    ○ Complete French withdrawl from Italy and Switzlerland
    ○ Seperation of the French and Italian crowns
    ○ Evacuation of French forces from Germany, Holland, and Naples
    ○ Ultimatum that gave Napoleon four weeks to retreat behind natural frontiers of Rhine and Alps
    If Napoleon refused, Prussians would enter war with 180,000 men
  • but then Austerlitz
47
Q

Treaty of Schönbrunn

A
  • 15 December 1805
  • Napoleon forces treaty on Prussians because he knew about Treaty of Potsdam
  • Prussia made unequal ally/satellite of France
  • Prussians lose Kleve, Neufchatel, Wesel, Ansbach
  • Prussians get Hannover
  • Frederick William III refuses to sign because of the British
  • sends Haugwitz back to Paris, leads to Treaty of Paris
48
Q

Treaty of Paris

A
  • January-March 1806
  • Follow up to Treaty of Schönbrunn
  • forces Franco-Prussian alliance
  • closes German ports to British shipping, economic warfare
  • forces Prussians to immediately occupy Hannover
  • sign or war
  • ratified March 1806
49
Q

Problems with Prussian Army Fourth Coalition

A
  • last time action was 1795 and that was only a portion of the army
  • Most of the army’s experience had come from occupation duty in Poland
  • institutional inertia prevented reform
  • The officer corps was fossilized
  • Most of the senior level officers had been junior officers during the wars of Frederick the Great
  • They believed the way Frederick the Great did it was the way the army should still operate
  • Almost 200,000 are held back in garrisons
  • Disorderly and incomplete mobilization due to multiple mobilizations and demobilizations
50
Q

Battle of Saalfeld

A
  • 10 October 1806
  • minor action
  • Louis Ferdinand, nephew/heir of Frederick the Great dies in rearguard cavalry action
  • Huge psycological impact on the Prussians
51
Q

Battle of Jena

A
  • 14 October 1806
  • Napoleon thought he was facing the main Prussian army
  • he concentrated his combat power here
  • begins with furious skirmisher fire, demoralizes Prussians
  • Napoleon was going to enevelop, but then Ney arrived and did Ney things
  • Murat’s cavalry attack breaks Prussians
  • 25,000 killed, another 50,000 flee
52
Q

Battle of Auerstedt

A
  • 14 October 1806
  • Simulteanously fought with Jena
  • French outnumbered against main body of Prussian army
  • Prussians attack piecemeal, Davout holds despite Bernadotte doing Bernadotte things
  • Prussians retreat
  • Napoleon refeuses to acklowedge that Davout defeated the main Prussian army
53
Q

Berlin Decree/Continental System

A
  • 21 November 1806
  • economic warfare to defeat the British
  • closed off French and French allies port to British shipping
  • British goods found were to be confiscated
  • British subjects arrested
  • escalating proclamations between British and French
  • British pursued dual policy in response:
  • strangle French maritime trade/wage war in secondary theatres
  • serve as the paymaster of Europe
54
Q

Pultusk Campaign

A
  • December 1806
  • attempted manuever on the rear
  • 26 December 1806 Lannes attacks the Russians and is unable to break through
  • 26 December 1806 Davout unable to break Russians at Golymin
  • Winter quarters/spreads out forces
55
Q

Eylau Campaign

A
  • Bennigsen launches surprise offensive in freezing weather
  • objective is to attack isolated French corps
  • Napoleon attempts maneuever on the rear but courier intercepted
  • Russians retreat, Napoleon pursues
  • Battle of Eylau 7-8 February 1807
56
Q

Battle of Eylau

A
  • 7-8 February 1807
  • bitter cold
  • Napoleon launches attack after Russians launch a surprise attack and capture French baggage
  • fighting inconclusive after first day
  • French continue attack the next day
  • weather impedes French attack, destruction of VII corps creates gap in French lines
  • Murat launches massive cavalry charge to buy time, costly
  • Napoleon fails to commit the imperial guard for fear of Prussians
  • Russians withdraw overnight after fighting dies down
  • massive casualties on both sides
  • Marks a turning point in the history of the Grand Armée
  • Napoleon turns to allies to replace troops, decline in quality
57
Q

Friedland Campaign

A
  • Napoleon recovers after Eylau
  • reinforces army
  • Russians launch an offensive in early June
  • Battle of Friedland 14 June 1807
58
Q

Battle of Friedland

A
  • Battle of Friedland 14 June 1807
  • Russians encounter French at Friedland
  • Bennigsen makes mistake and places Russian army against the Alle River
  • Lannes starts to be driven back, Napoleon arrives and attacks Russian left
  • became a slaughter, Russians driven into Friedland
  • Russians surrounded by French, river, burning village
  • Russian army broke
  • crippled Russian army
  • Russian Tsar Alexander requests armistice
59
Q

Franco-Russian Treaty of Tilsit

A

Ended War of the Fourth Coalition
* 7 July 1807
*Nappy would convince the Ottomans to make peace with Russia (Never followed thru)
*Nappy told Alexander that if the Ottomans refused to end the war France would ally with Russia and partition the Balkans between them.
*Tsar Gave Nappy a free hand in Europe
*Tsar Recognized French control of Italy, Germany, and the Low countries
*Tsar Agreed to Nappy’s plan to reconstitute Poland out of Prussian Poland
*Tsar agreed to French occupation of Ioanian Islands
*Tsar agreed to join the continental system and force Sweden, Denmark, and Austria to do the same.
*Tsar agreed to declare war on Great Britain (was a byproduct of joining the Continental System)
*Tsar agreed to discuss sending a Russian army to India.

60
Q

Franco-Prussian Treaty of Tilsit

A

Ended War of the Fourth Coalition
* 7 July 1807
*Prussia reduced to a third-rate power
*9.7 million inhabitants reduced to 4.9 million
*5,500 square miles reduced to 2,900
*New Prussian Poland given to Grand Duchy of Warsaw
*All territory west of the Elbe River given to the Kingdom of Westphalia (under Napoleon’s youngest brother Jerome)
*French Troops would occupy Prussia and Prussia would pay the cost of occupation estimated at 240 million francs
*Berlin to pay an indemnity of 216 million francs
*Prussia must join the Continental System

61
Q

Treaty of Fountainbleau

A
  • 27 October 1807
  • reinforces Franco-Spanish alliance
  • Spain provides corps of their best troops for Napoleon to use
  • are hostages
  • Spanish promises aid in invasion of Portugal
  • Spain agreed to the Portugal invasion
  • Portugal to be partitioned
62
Q

Reasons Austria Opts for War Fifth Coalition

A

1) French defeats in Iberia shattered image of French invicibility
2) Francis feared Napoleon was attempting to destroy the Hapsburg Empire
3) Austrian ambassador to France, Metternich, believed French were tired of war
4) Charles had reorganized the army
5) Avenge humiliation of past defeats
6) Appeal to German nationalism
7) Revolt in the Tyrol against Bavarian rule provided hope for a general uprising

63
Q

War of the Fifth Coalition

A
  • Austria, Britain
  • Lack of manpower, new class of mostly German troops
  • Ratisbon Campaign
  • French take Vienna 14 May 1809
  • Battle of Aspern-Essling 21 May 1809
  • Recock
  • Battle of Wagram 5-6 July 1809
  • Battle of Znaim 9-11 July 1809
  • Armistice of Znaim 12 July 1809
  • Treaty of Schonbrunn 14 October 1809
64
Q

Ratisbon Campaign

A
  • 9 April 1809 Archduke Charles attacks Davout who barely escapes disaster
  • 10 April 1809 Austria moves into Bavaria
  • Occupies Munich
  • Napoleon sends orders from Paris, out of sync, marshals think Berthier is an idiot
  • Berthier spreads out army across 80 mile front
  • Napoleon arrives, reorganizes, plans double envelopment
  • 20 April Napoleon attacks Abensberg, smashes through Austrians
  • 21 April French fight and win at Landshut
  • Napoleon thinks he has defeated main Austrian army, mistaken
  • Battle of Eggmuhl 22 April 1809
  • rest can’t pursue, not Grand Armée
  • 23 April 1809 Napoleon wounded, French take all day to take Rattisbon
65
Q

Battle of Eggmuhl

A
  • 22 April 1809
  • Charles attacks outnumbered Davout
  • Austrians nearly breaks Davout until reinforcements arrive in the afternoon on the Austrian left, Davout orders fixing advance
  • more reinforcements arrive, both Austrian flanks crushed
  • Charles simply gives up and retreats
66
Q

Battle of Aspern-Essling

A
  • 21-22 May 1809
  • single bridges to and from Lobau island
  • French cross, Austrians break bridge early on the 21st
  • Austrians attack afternoon 21st
  • Austrian timing off, French stabilize
  • bridge rebuilt, reinforcements
  • French attack on 22nd
  • French attack stalled, bridge broken again
  • Austrian counterattack
  • Lannes cannon ball to the legs, first marshal killed
  • French retreat, French army could have been destroyed
  • Recock
67
Q

Reasons for Aspern-Essling Defeat

A
  • Reasons for this defeat:
  • Poor recon
  • Poor planning
  • Fighting a battle without adequate resources
  • Disrespect of the opponent
  • Napoleon’s general staff didn’t provide the proper knowledge of the current of the river
  • The river is in flood so the current is much swifter than normal
68
Q

Battle of Wagram

A
  • 5-6 July 1809
  • 13 bridges, can have deception and diviersion
  • French cross night of 4 July
  • main French body goes east and wheels north, fools Charles
  • fighting on the 5th
  • Charles attack morning of the 6th, breaks Beradotte’s corps, Bernadotte sent home in disgrace
  • Napoleon makes risky move, orders Massena to retreat to bolster French left
  • Davout bends Austrian left
  • Napoleon commits regular reserve, huge mixed order attack
  • penetrated Austrian center, Charles orders retreat
69
Q

Battle of Wagram Analysis

A
  • complex tactical battle
  • not a decisive victory, Austrian army not destroyed
  • fundamental change in warfare, no more decisive one day battles
  • Napoleon played up as huge victory
  • Charles rallies army at Nzaim
70
Q

Battle of Znaim

A
  • 9-11 July 1809
  • Marmont engages Austrians, Massena reinforces
  • fighting resumes morning of the 10th
  • Continues on the 11th
  • 12 July, Archduke Charles asks for an armistice
  • Armistice of Znaim 12 July 1812
71
Q

Treaty of Schonbrunn

A

Ended War of the Fifth Coalition
* 14 OCT 1809
*Austria had to cede Salzburg to Bavaria
*Austria had to cede more Illyrian territory to France
*Austria had to cede Austrian Poland to the Grand Duchy of Warsaw
*Austria had to cede Tarnopol to Russia (as a thanks for sending troops to the Austrians border, though the war ended without them doing anything… they had a secret agreement with the Austrians not to actually fight them)
*Austria had to pay an indemnity of 75 million Francs
*Overall, these terms caused Austria to lose 3.5 million inhabitants and all remaining coastline.

72
Q

War of the Fifth Coalition Analysis

A
  • Good:
    § Napoleon demonstrated versatility in dealing with critical situation
    § Rose to the occasion during the Rattesban Campaign and the Battle of Wagrams
    § Lesser commanders would have broken under similar pressure and responsibility
    * Bad:
    § His arrangements for the campaign were deficient
    § Exposed the army to disaster and destruction
    § Only the heroic efforts of his officers and his soldiers reversed the mistakes that he made
    * Mistakes:
    § Underestimating the competency, abilities, and courage of his enemy
    § Hasty arrangements to cross the Danube led to his first defeat at Aspern-Essling
    § What we see in general:
    □ Certain carelessness
    □ Inflexibility
    □ Lack of imagination
    □ Imprecision
    * We don’t see any of this in any of his previous campaigns
    * Army was very different
    § Multinational army
    § Placed limitations on Napoleon’s strategic and operational thinking
    * Tactically, he starts to rely more and more on massive artillery batteries
    * And massive columns of infantry
    * What was left of the Grand Armée of 1805 was in Spain
  • Napoleon was working with non-French troops and many of whom were raw recruit
73
Q

Russian Campaign

A
  • preparations made by France/Russia beginning in 1810
  • Russia ends war with Ottomans with Treaty of Bucharest 28 May 1812
  • 29 May 1812 Tsar Alexander opens ports, follows with peace with Britain
  • Napoleon attempted compromise, Tsar ultimatum: Prussia to pre 1806, get out of Eastern Europe, surrender Grand Duch of Warsaw
  • Main Russian army under Barclay de Tolly, other under Bagration
  • French army 520,000 infantry, 80,000 cavalry, huge supporting depots, 24 days worth of consumables
  • 23 June 1812 invasion begins
  • Russian summer kills horses/slows advance, Russians efficieneitly withdraw
  • Napoleon reaches Vilna 13 July 1812, mistakenly waits for 2 and a half weeks to recreate Lithuiana
  • Battle of Mohilev 23 July 1812, French victory
  • 28 July 1812 Napoleon reaches Vitebsk, waits 10 days, PROBLEMS
  • Battle of Krasnoi 14 August 1812
  • Battle of Smolensk 16 August 1812
  • failed French pursuit despite opportunity
  • French advance 24 August 1812
  • Kutozov assumes command 29 August 1812
  • Battle of Borodino 7 September 1812
  • French enter Moscow 15 September 1812
  • Russians won’t make peace
  • 16 September 1812 governor of Moscow fires city
  • French wait one month
  • Retreat
74
Q

Russian Campaign Facts against Myths.

A

1) Napoleon had no intention of marching on Moscow
2) French did not starve because Napoleon didn’t plan for logistics
3) The Russian winter did not defeat the French
4) The Russians did not have a scorched Earth campaign

75
Q

Russian Campaign Reasons for War

A

*France upset over Russia breaking away from the Continental System
*Russia upset over Napoleon’s creation of Grand Duchy of Warsaw, worried he may take their slice of Poland to add to it.
*Russia upset over French treatment of related Germanic princes aka Oldenburg
*Nappy was pissy because he had to settle for an Austrian wife and couldn’t wife up the Tsar’s sister
*Russia was upset over France’s ongoing good relations with the Ottomans, worried France and Ottomans would block Balkan expansion
*Duplicity of Talleyrand
*Russia’s farcical support of France in War of 5th Coalition
*DEC 1811 Tsar started taxing French luxury goods.
*Tsar concluded a British victory was preferable to a French one

76
Q

Problems facing Napoleon July 1812

A
  • Estimated 100,00 stragglers were wandering behind the front of the army
  • Marshal Ney’s corps alone lost 72,000 to desertion
  • More and more were lost to strategic consumption
  • Thousands of horses were still dying because of the heat
  • a lot of his German troops were going insane and committing suicide
77
Q

Battle of Krasnoi

A
  • 14 August 1812
  • first real battle of the campaign
  • Murat launches 40 cavalry charges, repulsed
  • Russians retreat after Ney’s corps arrived
78
Q

Battle of Smolensk

A
  • 16-18 August 1812
  • tremendous bombardment
  • Imperials have to storm the wallas
  • 17 August take the suburbs
  • 18 August Napoleon orders second attack, but Russians had retreated
79
Q

Battle of Borodino

A
  • 7 September 1812
  • Russians preparing position for days
  • 125,000 troops and 640 guns
  • French begin with massive bombardment, but 3 batteries incorrectly laid in
  • Key positions were Raevski Dedoubt and the Bagration Fletches
  • Napoleon had to commit regualr reserve after only three hours
  • Napoleon’s subordinate executed incorrectly, but Napoleon was sick
  • Napoleon failed to commit the imperial guard
  • Sets up 400 gun massive battery to blask the redoubt, French take it in the afternoon
  • failed Russian counterattack
  • Staggering losses on both sides
  • Russians retreat to Moscow, French incurred inrreplacable losses
80
Q

Russian Campaign Aftermath

A
  • The Russian campaign didn’t end Napoleon as emperor
  • But it was the first domino that started the collapse
  • 300,000 men died
  • 100,000 taken prisoner and most of them died
  • Another 100,000 deserted and most of them died
  • Almost 200,000 horses were lost
  • Of the 600,000 men that crossed the Russian frontier, only 100,00 came back
  • Of them, 20,000 were Prussians and 40,000 were Austrians
  • Napoleon destroyed the nucleus of his officer corps
  • Those who survived were never the same
  • The campaign was a monumental disaster for Napoleon
  • In its aftermath, Prussia finally declared war in march 1813 and formed the Sixth Coalition
81
Q

Princples of War

A

1) Objective: direct every operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable objective
2) Offensive: seize, retain, and exploit the initiative
3) Mass: concentrate combat power at the decisive time and place
4) Economy of Force: allot minimum essential combat power to a secondary effort
5) Maneuver: place the enemy at a disadvantage through flexible application of combat power
6) Unity of Command: for every objective, ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander
7) Surprise: strike the enemy at a time and/or place and in a manner for which he is unprepared
8) Simplicity: prepare clear uncomplicated plans, and clear orders to ensure thorough understanding
9) Security: never allow the enemy to gain an unexpected advantage by obtaining critical information that is important to your operations

Wars of Napoleon (2 decks)

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