Ejércitos de las Guerras Napoleónicas: Una Historia Ilustrada

by Chris McNab, Antonio Rincón Córcoles (Translator)

Las ansias conquistadoras de Napoleón hicieron que sus ejércitos entablaran dos décadas de guerras prácticamente contra Austria, Prusia, Rusia, Inglaterra, España, Portugal... este libro ofrece un análisis pormenorizado sobre la organización de todos esos ejércitos y de su adversario francés, algo que no soloda a conocer el armamento, uniformes, estrategias, etc., sino que es un documento histórico de cuanto aconteció desde la Revolución Francesa en 1789 hasta la derrota de Napoleón en Waterloo en 1815.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, European History, Military History

432 pages, Hardcover

First published June 23, 2009

About the author

Dr Chris McNab has written over a hundred books in a career spanning over two decades. He is a historian with a specialisation in military history.

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is no doubt that the Napoleonic armies of the first decade of the 19th century rocked the military world. French victories at Austerlitz in 1805 and Jena and Auerstädt in 1806 proved that tactically and strategically Napoleon had revolutionized the way of war." pg 26

This was a clear and very informative guide to the armies of the Napoleonic era. It was a fast read that was clear, concise, and unbiased the entire way through. The opening chapter gave overview of the military during this era and followed with a chronological overview from 1789 to 1815 in outline format. Throughout the entire book is beautifully detailed and full-page artwork showing uniforms, uniform accouterments, weapons systems,

Eah chapter was devoted to an in-depth overview of the military of a particular nation: France, Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, and smaller armies (Denmark, Sweden, Hanover, The Low Countries, Italy, Sicily and Sardinia, Poland, Balkans, German Allies, and the United States). An overview with illustrations analyzed the infantry, artillery, and calvary. Chris McNab compiled a vast subject of information covering matters of structure, organization, command-and-control, tactics, uniforms, equipment and kits, and so on.

Overall this was a great look into the various armies of the Napoleonic era. I would highly recommend this to serious Napoleon history aficionados! Thanks!

[Yelda Basar Moers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for research for my historical novel Esma, which is set in the early 19th century Ottoman Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. This is an excellent book for an account of the military and men who fought during the Napoleonic era. It is so clearly written, so easy to digest, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone interested in the wars at this time. I found it highly engaging and comprehensive as both a research source and as literature to read for pleasure! The pictures were also perfectly complementary and wonderful.

[Heinz Reinhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regrettably, I cannot give this one high marks. Despite some very well done pieces of artwork, and some detailed information, it's really only for a beginner into the Armies and arms of the Napoleonic era.
The section on the French and the British, perhaps a little understandable considering this was written for an English speaking audience, seemed to outweigh the attention given to the Russians, Austrians, Prussians, Spanish and Portuguese, and the Allied armies of the time period (in fact, the various Allied armies, amongst them the Polish, Italians, Dutch, Belgians, Saxons, Bavarians, Swedes, etc... received quite short shrift).
For someone who is just dipping their toes into the time period, this is a worthy title, but for someone more versed in the study of armies, arms, and the man will find this a very superficial study.

[Panu-Petteri Väänänen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading this book was at times as interesting as reading a shopping list I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do. It dryly lists the armies of the period, their organization, equipment and uniforms. I think it's really not meant to be read as an ordinary book but rather to be used as a reference material for various interested parties like miniature painters, re-enactors etc. Or if you would like to impress someone by letting them know how many sous-lieutenants an 1806 french light infantry company had. The answer is 'nobody cares but you'.

[Giovanni Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto interessante, non ci sono note o bibliografia ma mi pare sostanzialmente preciso nel suo descrivere le varie armate protagoniste delle guerre napoleoniche

[Henry Davis IV · Rating 5 out of 5]

This decently sized book of 425 pages, not including the index, is really a compendium of Osprey Publishing titles dealing with Soldiers' uniforms, equipment, organization, and some tactics from the Napoleonic Wars. While the "donor" books to this work probably average 35 pages like most titles in Osprey's Man-of-War series, the size of this one allowed the editor, Chris McNab, to really mine the best content out of numerous smaller books. This work not only provides the best macro overview of Napoleonic Soldiers I have ever read, but from an aesthetic standpoint continues Osprey's tradition of using detailed, cited research to produce truly beautiful color plates throughout this book. As each country's forces were analyzed, the authors included a great deal of information and color graphics of key material and not just Soldier's uniforms. To my great delight, this frequently ended up being descriptions and illustrations of a belligerent's Field Artillery pieces, accoutrements, and "systems" or doctrine in modern parlance. I highly recommend this book for any serious student of 19th Military History, students of military history in general, and especially for any Napoleonic War aficionados out there. This is truly a great read that is just packed with beautiful illustrations and great information.

[Saavedrios · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buena ilustracion de lo que fueron las guerras napoleonicas, se queda un poco corto tal vez en el aspecto social, puesto que entra en el tema de la "leve en massee" pero no prosigue con sus efectos en la sociedad francesa, pero aun asi muy contento con la ilustracion de los cambios que trajo en alemania y prusia el modelo militar frances.

[Rob Markley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A conglomeration of miscellaneous osprey material - was all over the place with no consistency of detail and often very dry list like to read. Pretty pictures don't make a book - but it at least did have many pretty pictures

[Mike Glaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, solid review of the armies taking part in the Napoleonic wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Great reference resource.