Bøger om Napoleonic Empire

In this “engrossing,” (The New Yorker) vivid, and intensively researched volume, esteemed Napoleon scholar David Chandler outlines the military strategy that led the famous French emperor to his greatest victories—and to his ultimate downfall.Napoleonic war was nothing if not complex—an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of moves and intentions, which by themselves went a long way towards baffling and dazing his conventionally minded opponents into that state of disconcerting moral disequilibrium which so often resulted in their catastrophic defeat. The Campaigns of Napoleon is a masterful analysis and insightful critique of Napoleon's art of war as he himself developed and perfected it in the major military campaigns of his career. Napoleon disavowed any suggestion that he worked from formula (“Je n'ai jamais eu un plan d'opérations”), but military historian David Chandler demonstrates this was at best only a half-truth. To be sure, every operation Napoleon conducted contained unique improvisatory features. But there were from the first to the last certain basic principles of strategic maneuver and battlefield planning that he almost invariably put into practice. To clarify these underlying methods, as well as the style of Napoleon's fabulous intellect, Chandler examines in detail each campaign mounted and personally conducted by Napoleon, analyzing the strategies employed, revealing wherever possible the probable sources of his subject's military ideas. “Writing clearly and vividly, [Chandler] turns dozens of persons besides Napoleon from mere wooden soldiers into three- dimensional characters” (The Boston Globe) and this definitive work is “a fine book for the historian, the student, and the intelligent reader” (The New York Review of Books).

Let the Men Cross tells the story of the battle that Wellington's biographer Elizabeth Longford called 'Wellington's greatest adventure'. Sir Arthur Wellesley, soon to be Lord Wellington, took a combined army to Portugal's second city, fighting an offensive battle on the slopes of Grijo before maneuvering into the great trading city of Porto. The city was then liberated in a daring amphibious crossing, in wine barges, right under the eyes of the French forces.In the Spring of 1809, the fate of Portugal, and therefore of the Peninsular War, hung in the balance. France occupied most of Portugal and Spain, with only a few areas holding out. Sir Arthur Wellesley returned to command the Anglo-Portuguese field army, with large forces arrayed against him. One such large corps was commanded by Maréchal Jean-de-Dieu Soult, who had captured Porto and was busy ransacking what had once flourished as one of Europe's greatest wine trading centers.Wellesley took the initiative, marching his army north towards Porto, encountering a French vanguard holding the heights of Grijo. In the reverse to his reputation of holding the high ground, his forces attacked up these slopes over a two-day combat. Grijo allowed Wellesley's troops to enter the southern parts of Porto, near the wine trading quaysides. Soult had ordered all boats to be destroyed to prevent any crossing and felt falsely confident on the north bank.Wellesley sent out an exploring officer, an early intelligence expert, who found a priest, a barber, and wine barges. Together, they piloted the vessels to Wellesley's position. The British troops nearest, led by the 3rd Regiment of Foot, 'The Buffs', climbed into the wine barges and crossed the mighty Douro River to liberate the city, where they faced multiple French counter-attacks.Porto was one of the most daring offensive actions the soon-to-be Lord Wellington undertook. This risk enabled the liberation of Porto for relatively light British casualties, but one that showed a daring operation, the likes of which are rarely seen in the Napoleonic era.

Details Russia's 1812 defense against Napoleon, covering key figures, battles, and operational details, enhanced with maps and critiques.The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 is the only publicly available translation into English of Bogdanovich's official history of the Russian forces' involvement in the fight against Napoleon and his allies in Russia in 1812. This translation also includes extracts from Ivan Liprandi's critique of Bogdanovich's work.Volume 2 of The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 covers Kutuzov's appointment as Field Marshal, details of the opolchenie (militia) and donations made in 1812, the meeting in Abo between Tsar Alexander I and the Crown Prince of Sweden (Jean- Baptiste Jules Bernadotte), and the situation in enemy occupied territory. Highly detailed descriptions of operations are included, from before the Battle of Borodino to the camp at Tarutino, as well as operations on the flanks by Wittgenstein and Admiral Chichagov. Outstanding feats were performed not only by prominent personalities but also by others who participated in this war. The composition of the forces are shown as clearly as possible, as are force numbers, casualties on each side, and so on. The maps attached to this work were drafted in such a way that they might serve to explain entire phases of the war. The battle plans show the locations of dominant terrain according to detailed state surveys, while villages, forests and roads have been copied from previously published plans.

Publishing for the first time in English, this volume includes details of actions and exploits by Russian soldiers almost unknown outside of Russia.The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 is the only publicly available translation into English of Bogdanovich's official history of the Russian forces' involvement in the fight against Napoleon and his allies in Russia in 1812. This translation also includes extracts from Ivan Liprandi's critique of Bogdanovich's work.Volume 1 of The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 includes the causes of the war and an account of the operational planning by Russian forces for their retreat from the borders into the Empire, dispelling the myth of the non-existence of any premeditated plan. The logistics of the forces on both sides are examined, along with highly detailed descriptions of the operations from Russia's western borders to beyond Smolensk and operations on the northern and southern flanks. Outstanding feats were performed not only by prominent personalities but also by others who participated in this war. The composition of the forces are shown as clearly as possible, as are force numbers, casualties on each side, and so on. The maps attached to this work were drafted in such a way that they might serve to explain entire phases of the war. The battle plans show the locations of dominant terrain according to detailed state surveys, while villages, forests and roads have been copied from previously published plans.

Examines Wellington's campaign of 1811 in the Peninsular War.

A register of memorials to British and Allied soldiers who served in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo.