From the Bookshelf of THE NAPOLEONIC WARS…

Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon, 1807-1815

Rory Muir

Start date: January 27, 2020

Finish date: February 29, 2020

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What Members Thought

Feb 24, 2020 Betsy rated it really liked it

Now that the U.S. has been in Afghanistan for nearly twenty years, perhaps it is easier for Americans to understand (on a small scale) what Europe and especially Great Britain went through, except for a short period of peace, from the French Revolution to 1815 with the downfall of Napoleon. While it is true that Britain did not field the armies that their varying allies did until 1807 with the Peninsular War, their great role at sea and as the paymaster for ultimate victory put them at the foref ...more

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Feb 26, 2020 Elliot rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, napoleonic-wars, history

Rory Muir’s Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon, 1807-1815 is the first title I’ve read from this author, but it most certainly will not be the last. I was impressed by this rigorous and comprehensive study of Great Britain’s efforts in the second half of the Napoleonic Wars. British military history of this period has already been covered closely by the likes of Oman, Fortescue, and many others. In recognition of this coverage, this book seeks to present a wider perspective of the war. Muir’s ob Rory Muir’s Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon, 1807-1815 is the first title I’ve read from this author, but it most certainly will not be the last. I was impressed by this rigorous and comprehensive study of Great Britain’s efforts in the second half of the Napoleonic Wars. British military history of this period has already been covered closely by the likes of Oman, Fortescue, and many others. In recognition of this coverage, this book seeks to present a wider perspective of the war. Muir’s objective, in his own words, is to “place the campaigns and the negotiations in the context of the wider war, showing how military, diplomatic, political and financial pressures all combined to shape the policy of the British government” (xii).

The book is organized topically rather than being in strict chronological order. Naturally, there is some chronological overlap between chapters as a result, but I thought this decision was successful. Being able to focus on one subject at a time gave Muir the space to really delve into the topic at hand, rather than having to worry about jumping around to mention some minor event merely because it came next in time. Having read a good deal on the Napoleonic Wars I didn’t have any problems with the organization, though perhaps those new to this period of history will think differently.

The narrative feels longer than its 381 pages thanks to the small font, but even so Muir doesn’t have much space to cover eight years of frantic history. Consequently, he keeps his coverage restricted to a birds-eye-view. Battles are summarized in sentences and paragraphs and are by no means the main show. Instead, the focus is on the British government at home, their strategies, and their representatives, ambassadors, dignitaries, statesmen, and generals abroad and how these men shaped Britain’s part in the war. In London, Muir provides details of the leading ministers in the successive governments during this period and their policies—information which was very useful for this American. I knew very little about the British government during this time before reading this book, and I had somehow developed a prejudice against its ability (probably from reading Wellington’s letters and the like in pure military histories). Muir convincingly argues that the government supported the war effort as well as they could. While the government and its ministers were clearly flawed, the efforts they made were greater than I had appreciated. In particular, the amount of money that was used for funding the army and navy and for providing subsidies is staggering.

Of course, much of the book revolves around the British efforts in the Peninsular War, but there were many other aspects of Britain’s fight against Napoleon, all of which are covered in varying degrees of detail. I found the chapters on Britain’s Mediterranean dealings very interesting, for instance, and there is even a chapter on the War of 1812. Much of the second half of the book is spent on the diplomatic efforts between Britain and the Continental Powers of Europe, particularly in the period after 1811.

The most important thing I gained from this book was an understanding Great Britain’s true role in the Napoleonic Wars. Except for the brief Peace of Amiens, Britain and France were at war for two decades. However, for a number of reasons, Britain’s military role was often small compared to the enormous efforts made by Austria, Prussia, and Russia time after time, as Muir eloquently states,

"Britain could not hope to defeat Napoleon, either by herself or with the aid of her Spanish, Portuguese and Sicilian allies. The war in the Peninsula and Mediterranean was a powerful diversion which absorbed Napoleon's resources and, like the economic war, made his rule unpopular, but it could not bring victory. If the Continent was to be redeemed it must be on the battlefields of Central Europe, where Napoleon had established his domination in his great campaigns of 1805, 1806, and 1807." (176)

In summary, Britain’s efforts are always placed into their proper context, which leads me into a discussion of Muir’s style and academic approach. I appreciated his completely objective perspectives, which often forced me to look at events I had read about before in new ways (e.g. the Battle of Talavera, the Vitoria Campaign, British subsidies). I should mention that the book is meticulously researched, and the notes and bibliography occupy 70 pages. Yet, the text is well-written and kept my attention throughout. I commend the author for delivering a detailed and well-researched study that is nevertheless enjoyable to read for history lover such as myself.

Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon, 1807-1815 provides what is most likely the best survey of the second half of the Napoleonic Wars, from Britain’s perspective, out there. I would recommend it to both the experienced and inexperienced reader of Napoleonic history due to its distinctive approach of analyzing Great Britain’s war efforts in a holistic sense.
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Jun 26, 2009 'Aussie Rick' rated it really liked it

Shelves: french-revolution-napoleonic

I found this book surprisingly very easy to read and it held my interest throughout. It covered most facets of Britain's role in the war against Napoleon. As the previous review mentions it looks at why the British Government carried out certain policies and the affects of those policies on it's field army under Wellington, its continental allies and the rest of the countries and people involved in the Napoleonic Wars.

This was a very interesting and enjoyable account of the war against Napoleon ...more

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Oct 06, 2017 Rob Markley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history, napoleonic

Slightly unusual decision to only focus on the winning years without the essential back ground - one would almost have expected a prequel to follow, but no. That said, one of the best overarching histories of the Napoleonic era ever. Muir notably critical of Wellington and to a lesser extent Castlereagh but does much to rehabilitate Canning and quite sympathetic to the opposition who were little more than extremist traitors.

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