'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 13, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE NAPOLEONIC WARS group.

Excellent find Elliot, I've got a copy of this book in my library and I read it some many years back but for the life of me I can't remember what I thought of it and if I enjoyed it at all. Fingers crossed you enjoy it, keep us all posted.

"The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War" - The author identified a number of differences between the operations of the French and Austrian armies:

"In tactics, too, French speed and adaptability contrasted strongly with the Austrian emphasis on stiff formality and the minutiae of the drill book. Flexibility, drive and an uncanny skill of deriving every possible advantage from the terrain were especially prevalent in the French infantry. These qualities gave Napoleon's foot soldiers a significant superiority over most of their continental foes in broken terrain or village fighting, which placed a premium on the agility, open-order tactics and individual initiative that characterised the French infantry. Off the battlefield, the French army enjoyed a well-deserved renown for its marching ability. Combining this mobility, boldness, energy and initiative with a general disregard for march formalities and an almost heedless determination to match the emperor's expectations, the French could conduct rapid, consecutive marches over long distances. Some of their German allies, notably the men of the Bavarian, Baden, Hessian and Württemberg contingents, equalled the French capacity for rapid movement. The 2nd Bavarian Division, for example, covered the more than 200 kilometres from Linz to Wagram in four days. Although Habsburg troops also managed lengthy forced marches on a few occasions, the Austrian army as a whole could not match the speed and mobility that Napoleon's legions demonstrated on a regular basis."

"The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War" - Some more issues identified with the Austrian forces leading up to the 1809 campaign:

"Many routine functions remained the sole purview of the army headquarters, slowing movement and reaction times. The greatest problem, however, was the weakness of the army's senior leadership. Conservative, hesitant and unaccustomed to thinking for themselves beyond the rigid confines of specific, written orders, the deficiencies of the senior commanders and their staffs obviated many of the advantages of the corps system, especially in fluid operational situations that demanded independence and initiative on the part of subordinate leaders. Commenting on this predicament immediately after the war, an Austrian officer observed:

I had the opportunity to notice that one of the most conspicuous differences between the French general and one of ours lies in the fact that the Austrian general is completely satisfied and content when he has exactly followed the orders he has received, can demonstrate this by sufficient evidence and can thus see proof that no blame falls on him, regardless of whether or not success was achieved. This is a result of our organisation ... The Frenchman, in contrast, is responsible to his emperor for success. He receives no other order than the military task, the objective; the means to achieve it an all other details are simply left to him.

Charles himself remarked that 'The span of command of most generals seldom exceeded that of a regimental commander."

The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War by John H. Gill

Nice quote and quite accurate; "Apart from Marlborough, no Englishman has believed that Britain could strive for the dominion of the seas by fighting on the Danube."

Scott wrote: "My book this month will be Christopher Duffy's analysis of the battle of Austerlitz:
Austerlitz 1805"

I hope you enjoy it Scott, keep us all posted.

"The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War" - From the chapter dealing with the opposing armies and some issues with the Austrian army that were identified by FM Archduke Charles and his remedies :

"Charles was especially concerned with the quality of the army's leadership. Acutely aware of the limitations of the monarchy's generals, he introduced doctrinal publications and a military journal to raise their level of professionalism and overcome the deeply entrenched conservatism of the institutional culture and the 'marked lack of intellectual activity' that characterised the officer cops. Junior to mid-grade leaders were to be edified by detailed tactical examples in the eight-part Contributions to Practical Instruction in the Field while Charles's own Fundamentals of the Higher Art of War for the Generals of the Austrian Army was to enhance operational competence among the army's senior commanders. He was particularly interested in countering the mobility and energy of the French armies as well as their 'dispersed style of fighting'. These publications, he hoped, would instruct 'the thinking officer' to enhance technical competence and inject a more independent, offensive spirt among his subordinates. To promote the study of military history and generally broaden the outlook of the officer corps, Charles also founded the Austrian Military Journal as 'the intellectual centre' of the army, a professional periodical that continues in print to this day. As most of these publications first appeared in 1808, however, there was hardly time to instil the sort of transformative change Charles sought before the new war with France began."

The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War by John H. Gill

They seemed not to have learned anything from their own history eh!

John Gill's commentary on Austria's war plans for the 1809 campaign as drafted by Johann Philipp, count von Stadion, the Foreign Minister and leader of the war party:

"Despite their seeming specificity, the 'war aims' described by the Stadions were open-ended, imprecise and incomplete, a list of unconstrained desires rather than a studied, well-crafted attempt to develop realistically achievable objectives. Grandiose in the extreme, this desired end-state hardly constituted a solid basis for military planning. The foreign minister's concept, for example, called for the invading Austrian forces to simultaneously disperse and concentrate: disperse to lend support to the German uprisings the younger Stadion assumed would ignite as soon as Habsburg troops crossed the border and concentrate to achieve the crucial initial victories upon which the entire vision of an offensive war was predicated. Similarly, the goal of conquering Italy diverted at least one full army corps from the principle theatre of war in Germany. Stadion's wishful thinking and his facile assumptions about military affairs - Napoleon's ability to respond as well as Austria's own offensive potential - thus left Charles in a nearly impossible strategic situation, forcing him to prepare plans for a conflict with uncertain objectives and no clear terminus. As a result, notes eminent Austrian historian Manfried Rauchensteiner, 'The prelude to the military events of 1809 is characterised by unparalleled confusion' because 'The mutual interaction of politics and military strategy was grossly inadequate.' Bitter interpersonal rivalries and power plays within Charles's personal staff were an additional hindrance to coherent planning and the arch-duke himself did little to bridge the gap between political goals and military action. He handed his chief of staff, General-Major (GM) Anton Mayer von Heldenfeld, some initial guidance on 25 December, but this was so lacking in political context and military substance that Mayer immediately complained he was being asked to draft a plan, like a blind man speaking of colours'."

I'm going to be reading John Gill's latest book which cover the battle of Znaim and the end of the 1809 War against Austria.

The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War by John H. Gill

The February theme read page is now open and ready for discussion/comment. The theme is on any Napoleonic battle or campaign of your choice and the book/s can include novels:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The February 2021 theme read is any book or books of your choice, including novels, that covers a Napoleonic battle or campaign.

It will remain open for quite a while so take your time :)

Here is the thread covering books on Napoleon's campaign, there are a few on the Peninsula War:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Its a great book highlighting a shameful period in French history.

The Terror: The Merciless War for Freedom in Revolutionary France by David Andress

Hi Elsie and welcome to the group, we recently finished a theme read on the Spanish theatre. I'm still to finish Sir Charles Oman's series of books on the Peninsular War.

An excellent choice Scott! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Just a 'heads-up' that the first theme read for 2021 is set to begin in February. The theme being any book or books of your choice, which can include a novel, that covers a battle or campaign of your choice.

My book will be a new account of the Battle of Znaim. What's yours?

The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War by John H. Gill

Nope, its hard to pass by a good book :)

Very nice Mike, I've got to finish Oman before I can consider starting Napier!

Sounds like something a bit different Al. Nice review!

Pretty good point Scott!