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Original PDF Author: Austerlitz
Original link: https://pdf.defence.pk/threads/battle-report-15-ulm-austerlitz-1805.310635/post-5567784
Original date posted: April 23, 2014
AUSTERLITZ CAMPAIGN 1805 - MASTERY OF EUROPE
BACKGROUND : December 2, 1804 Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.Napoleon Bonaparte crowns himself emperor of the french-the culmination of a meteoric whirlwind rise from a mere lieutenant of artillery just 10 years ago to undisputed master of the most powerful country in europe.(contemporary)An event made possible by the effects of the french revolution.Bonaparte had used the fame and glory acquired from his famous 1796 italian campaign which had led largely to the end of the first coalition,(read below plz for better understanding)
Battle Report #12 - Napoleon's Italian Campaign 1796. | Page 2
and then clever propaganda and glamour of his 1798 egyptian campaign to present himself as a saviour to the war weary french populace tired of the constant chaos and corruption in france in the aftermath of the revolution.In 1799 with the help of the army bonaparte overthrew the the rump directory and became first consul.
Consolidating his power base with a brilliant short second campaign in italy culminating in the battle of marengo(1800) against austria he brought an end to the 2nd coalition against france.For the first time in a decade peace was achieved with all of europe-even britain.Bonaparte used this respite to build up french economic strength and reform the country. 1800-1804 is usually considered bonaparte's greatest achievement,even without any battles.He brought about the concordat with the church,implemented the Code Napoleon-a civil code still used in france with modifications and one that was eventually adopted in various parts of europe,established the national bank of europe.Increased manufacturing ability and began large scale infrastructure development.This incredible success made him immensely popular in france,which the ambitious napoleon used to become the first french emperor.This move however offended the old ruling houses of europe who considered him a parvenu upstart.
ROAD TO WAR :
BRITAIN - The general peace existing was short lived and deceptive.France had simply made too many territorial gains in the revolutionary wars,its revolutionary ideas were held also as a existential threat by the monarchies of europe.Within just 14 months of the signing of peace between france and britain in 1802 the 2 countries were again at war.Conflicting maritime and colonial interests led to the inevitable.Britain refused to evacuate malta in the mediterranean.france in return embargoed british shipping.Britain declared war and france unable attack britain directly, occupied hannover in northern germany which was a heirdom of the king of britain.The british agitated in continental europe against france,offering liberal subsidies and arms to austria,prussia and russia for a general alliance against the common gallic foe.Prime minister William Pitt was to be the architect of the third coalition.Napoleon responded by collecting a vast army nearly 200,000 strong at boulogne,directly opposite britain's heartland and awaited a favourable oppurtunity to evade the royal navy,cross the channel and invade britain.
[Francis II -Emperor of Austria]
AUSTRIA - Austria had been exhausted by the long wars with france and was still midway through recovery,and military reform.However the loss of holland and north italy to france had not been forgotten and couldn't be reconciled.The direct annexation to france of piedmont and genoa,which had been earlier puppet republics further infuriated vienna.On top of this napoleon crowning himself emperor of france and king of italy was another direct insult.With britain ready to finance a new coalition she awaited her oppurtunity to strike back at france and her new emperor.
[Alexander I of Russia]
RUSSIA - Russia and France didn't have any direct conflict of interest save for the ideological one of monarchy and revolutionary republic.Though russia participated in the 2nd coalition it later withdrew and napoleon had come to enjoy a cordial relationship with the czar paul.However on paul's assasination at a palace coup and crowning of his son,the young czar alexander things changed.Czar alexander was possesed of many qualities,but was also indecisive and vacillitating.He was surrounded by many young and reckless advisors and nobles who were contemptous of the revolutionary french.The czar himself swung from francophille to francophobe.In 1805 he was having his francophobe period.Anxious to increase russian prestige in european courts and eager to be the first to defeat the hitherto invincible corsican he resolved to lead russia's armies in person.This policy of interventionism was in accordance with catherine the great's long practiced policy of actively engaging in europe and to establish russia as one of the arbriters of europe.British financial support only served to hasten russia's entry into the new grand coalition.
PRUSSIA - That left prussia,the remaining great power of europe.Prussia's position was interesting,on one hand it was pleased to see traditional german rival austria weakened.On the other hand steady french expansion into the rhine was noted with great concern.Both sides courted the prussians.Initially prussia attempted a policy of neutrality,however as the war party gained momentum prussia's entry into the coalition was stalled by a masterly french diplomatic stroke of offering hannover.Prussia thus vacillitated.
One last spark was needed to ignite the flame of war throughout europe.In late 14th march 1804 a party of french dragoons seized the exiled french noble duke of enghien from neutral territory of baden few miles from the french border.He was brought back to france,tried for treason and executed on charges that may or may not have been true.Bonaparte had been the target of several assasination attempts that were carried out by royalists and enghien was supposedly one of the plotters(no proof).He wished to send a message.This act of seizing a nobleman from neutral territory and then executing him created outrage in the courts of europe.The third coalition was now to be a reality.
Original link: https://pdf.defence.pk/threads/battle-report-15-ulm-austerlitz-1805.310635/post-5567784
Original date posted: April 23, 2014
AUSTERLITZ CAMPAIGN 1805 - MASTERY OF EUROPE
BACKGROUND : December 2, 1804 Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.Napoleon Bonaparte crowns himself emperor of the french-the culmination of a meteoric whirlwind rise from a mere lieutenant of artillery just 10 years ago to undisputed master of the most powerful country in europe.(contemporary)An event made possible by the effects of the french revolution.Bonaparte had used the fame and glory acquired from his famous 1796 italian campaign which had led largely to the end of the first coalition,(read below plz for better understanding)
Battle Report #12 - Napoleon's Italian Campaign 1796. | Page 2
and then clever propaganda and glamour of his 1798 egyptian campaign to present himself as a saviour to the war weary french populace tired of the constant chaos and corruption in france in the aftermath of the revolution.In 1799 with the help of the army bonaparte overthrew the the rump directory and became first consul.
Consolidating his power base with a brilliant short second campaign in italy culminating in the battle of marengo(1800) against austria he brought an end to the 2nd coalition against france.For the first time in a decade peace was achieved with all of europe-even britain.Bonaparte used this respite to build up french economic strength and reform the country. 1800-1804 is usually considered bonaparte's greatest achievement,even without any battles.He brought about the concordat with the church,implemented the Code Napoleon-a civil code still used in france with modifications and one that was eventually adopted in various parts of europe,established the national bank of europe.Increased manufacturing ability and began large scale infrastructure development.This incredible success made him immensely popular in france,which the ambitious napoleon used to become the first french emperor.This move however offended the old ruling houses of europe who considered him a parvenu upstart.
ROAD TO WAR :
BRITAIN - The general peace existing was short lived and deceptive.France had simply made too many territorial gains in the revolutionary wars,its revolutionary ideas were held also as a existential threat by the monarchies of europe.Within just 14 months of the signing of peace between france and britain in 1802 the 2 countries were again at war.Conflicting maritime and colonial interests led to the inevitable.Britain refused to evacuate malta in the mediterranean.france in return embargoed british shipping.Britain declared war and france unable attack britain directly, occupied hannover in northern germany which was a heirdom of the king of britain.The british agitated in continental europe against france,offering liberal subsidies and arms to austria,prussia and russia for a general alliance against the common gallic foe.Prime minister William Pitt was to be the architect of the third coalition.Napoleon responded by collecting a vast army nearly 200,000 strong at boulogne,directly opposite britain's heartland and awaited a favourable oppurtunity to evade the royal navy,cross the channel and invade britain.
[Francis II -Emperor of Austria]
AUSTRIA - Austria had been exhausted by the long wars with france and was still midway through recovery,and military reform.However the loss of holland and north italy to france had not been forgotten and couldn't be reconciled.The direct annexation to france of piedmont and genoa,which had been earlier puppet republics further infuriated vienna.On top of this napoleon crowning himself emperor of france and king of italy was another direct insult.With britain ready to finance a new coalition she awaited her oppurtunity to strike back at france and her new emperor.
[Alexander I of Russia]
RUSSIA - Russia and France didn't have any direct conflict of interest save for the ideological one of monarchy and revolutionary republic.Though russia participated in the 2nd coalition it later withdrew and napoleon had come to enjoy a cordial relationship with the czar paul.However on paul's assasination at a palace coup and crowning of his son,the young czar alexander things changed.Czar alexander was possesed of many qualities,but was also indecisive and vacillitating.He was surrounded by many young and reckless advisors and nobles who were contemptous of the revolutionary french.The czar himself swung from francophille to francophobe.In 1805 he was having his francophobe period.Anxious to increase russian prestige in european courts and eager to be the first to defeat the hitherto invincible corsican he resolved to lead russia's armies in person.This policy of interventionism was in accordance with catherine the great's long practiced policy of actively engaging in europe and to establish russia as one of the arbriters of europe.British financial support only served to hasten russia's entry into the new grand coalition.
PRUSSIA - That left prussia,the remaining great power of europe.Prussia's position was interesting,on one hand it was pleased to see traditional german rival austria weakened.On the other hand steady french expansion into the rhine was noted with great concern.Both sides courted the prussians.Initially prussia attempted a policy of neutrality,however as the war party gained momentum prussia's entry into the coalition was stalled by a masterly french diplomatic stroke of offering hannover.Prussia thus vacillitated.
One last spark was needed to ignite the flame of war throughout europe.In late 14th march 1804 a party of french dragoons seized the exiled french noble duke of enghien from neutral territory of baden few miles from the french border.He was brought back to france,tried for treason and executed on charges that may or may not have been true.Bonaparte had been the target of several assasination attempts that were carried out by royalists and enghien was supposedly one of the plotters(no proof).He wished to send a message.This act of seizing a nobleman from neutral territory and then executing him created outrage in the courts of europe.The third coalition was now to be a reality.