Napoleonic Wars Flashcards
(40 cards)
Strengths of Napoleon In terms of generalship (5)
-Big impact on the morale of his men
-Was on the battle field with his men
-Was leader of army and nation ~ this meant he could make all decisions + devote all of France’s resources to the war effort
-As a general he had effective campaigns and successfully applied military theories
-Had a huge disposable army which he controlled effectively
Some ideas he used were mixed order and the corps system but what was this?
Mixed order - combination of both line and column formation (useful against enemy infantry) designed to provide a blend of fire power and shock effect
Corps system - French army was organised into self-sufficient combined arms units containing - infantry, cavalry, artillery, support services
What was the Continental system?
Napoleons trade blockade designed to prevent European countries from trading with Britain
Why was the continental system so hard to enforce in Russia?
Russians borders were so large it was easy for smugglers to get by
Why did the continental system fail in Russia economically?
Damaged Russia’s economy more than Britain’s by limiting key exports
What action did Russia take against the continental system and how did this effect napoleon?
By 1810 Russia ignored it and began trading with Britain again which led to the invasion of Russia in 1812 which was a disaster for napoleon
How did napoleon use speed to a strategic and tactical advantage?
Moved his troops rapidly by cavalry to outmanoeuvre his enemy in order to surprise them
What was napoleons core military strategy (central position)
Divided enemies with rapid concentration of force
What benefit did outflanking give to napoleon?
Forced enemy into a weak position through movement as opposed to instant direct attack
What was the general quality of napoleons soldiers?
Mixed as some were highly skilled however so,e weren’t due to differentiation of training
How did the quality of soldiers change during his reign?
Early armies saw high morale and had higher levels of training however post 1812 armies saw lower morale and training levels due to mass conscription
In what ways did napoleonic warfare resemble total warfare?
Mobilised entire population - nation at arms
Whole economy and state intervention involvement
Mass conscription and economic blockades
Why was napoleonic warfare not total war by modern standards?
Civilians not targeted as a tactical strategy and industrial production was not in full force
Why was industrialisation limited in Napoleonic warfare
Mass production was still in its early stages however uniform production and gunpowder manufacturing improved logistics
How did napoleon manage battle field communications?
Used messengers and written orders however vulnerable to interception and delays
What transport supported napoleon
Foot marches, horses - napoleons army often relied on living off the land to avoid slow supply lines
What weapons were used during napoleon?
Muskets, cannons
How did napoleon develop the use of artillery?
Masses it at critical points to break enemy lines (empowers hammer)
How did alliances shape napoleonic warfare?
Napoleon faced multiple coalitions however these often broke due to defeats
How did he corps system improve battle field coordination
Rapid movement and concentration of forces
How did napoleon organise the state to support war
Centralised, administration, improved taxation, state run conscription, nationalistic propaganda
How did napoleon use public opinion to support war
Controlled press, promoted nationalism, portrayed victories as French superiority
What system to napoleon use to build his armies
Levee en masse and conscription which mobilised thousands of men
