Happy Monday folks. This week's big question:
What, in your opinion, was the most significant campaign to take place between 1791 and 1815?
It's always interesting to see how people argue these.
I'm going to go for an obvious one: Russia 1812. Destroys the Grand Armee, shatters much of Napoleon's authority in Europe.
Much though I am a devotee of the Peninsular War, I think you'd be hard pressed to make the case that any of those campaigns tipped the balance, important though they were.
I go for 1813, that put together an alliance which for once was hell bent to finish off the warmonger Nabulieone.
Although many will tire of the deluge of books and hype, but for me it’s still the 100 days. It was both decisive and conclusive. After all, no matter how good the heats, it’s a final that counts, surely?
The Grande Armee that Napoleon took to Russia was wrecked by the campaign, but the constant drain on French resources in Spain was worse.
Eugene rallied the survivors and built up an effective army before Napoleon arrived with a new army. However, there were at least 125,000 veterans in Spain and Berthier and others urged Napoleon to withdraw at least half of them and send them east in early 1813. He refused, and that is one of his worst decisions. That many veteran troops combined with Eugene's army could have halted the Russians and the Prussians, and then with the arrival of Napoleon's new army that could have been devisive and kept Austria out of the war.
The Spanish situation could be solved later.
The Jena Campaign. It was the only example during the period of a unrelenting pursuit that destroyed the Prussian army after the battles of Saalfeld, Jena, and Auerstadt. The only portion of the Prussian army that survived were the few units in East Prussia. And it was done in three weeks. Further, the Prussian state was destroyed for good measure.
Egypt, had military, political and cultural significance.
Leipzig 1813 of course
Russia is the obvious one but besides that. The Flanders 1793-95 campaign Italy 1796/97 Ireland 1798 Rising Hohenlinden 1801 Jena/Auderstadt 1806 Friedland 1807 Wagram 1809