Napoleon Bonaparte The Conquest of Europe (1805 - 1812): Life History

Napoleon Bonaparte   The Conquest of Europe: part 2 : (1805 - 1812): Life History  

Napoleon Bonaparte  

Napoleon Bonaparte, France and its Spanish ally are at war againstthe United Kingdom.Napolen Bonaparte Great Army or the so-called Grande Armée, is gathered along the Channel coast, ready to invade the island. To this end, Napoleon Bonaparte  asks the French Mediterranean fleet to head for the Caribbean to lure the powerful Royal Navy. They must then rush back to the English Channelto facilitate a military landing. But upon their return, the plan fails. The French fleet is spotted and attacked alongthe Spanish coast, forcing its retreat to Cadiz. But Napoleon Bonaparte , the recently named french Emperor and the King of Italy, has already changed his plan since the United Kingdom convinced Russia and Austria to form a new anti-French coalition. The British would finance the war. Austria sends an army to Italy and a second to Bavaria, where the Russian army would join. Napoleon Bonaparte  then sends his Great Army at fullspeed to Bavaria in order to arrive before the Russians. He organises a diversion by sending an armycorps into the Black Forest, where the Austrians wait, ready to fight, while the main battalion of the army gets around them in the north. The Austrian army discovers, too late, thatthey are surrounded. Five days later, 25,000 soldiers surrenderwithout a fight. Meanwhile, Napoleon Bonaparte  orders his fleet, stillblocked in Cadiz, to join the Mediterranean. The French and Spanish fleets try to end the British blockade, but are destroyed by the fleet of Admiral Nelson, who dies during the battle. With this victory, the United Kingdom reaffirmsits maritime supremacy. In Austria, the Russian army retreats towardsthe northeast to await reinforcements, paving the way for the French to Vienna. Meanwhile in the south, the second Austrianarmy is defeated and retreats. Napoleon Bonaparte  seizes the Austrian capital. He decides to leave a big part of his armythere and leaves with 60,000 soldiers to meet the army of Alexander I of Russia, which has received reinforcements from Francis II. As he is outnumbered, Napoleon Bonaparte  decides tostation his troops on the strategic plateau of Pratzen. He studies the field and devises a plan. On the evening of December 1st, as the Austro-Russian army approaches, he orders his troops to retreat, pretending to flee. The army of the allies jumps on the opportunityand seizes the plateau for the night. The next morning, convinced that the Frenchare retreating, 40,000 Russians charge toward the south. The outnumbered French army tries to holdthem back as best as they can. But further north, hidden behind the hills, the bulk of the French Army launches a surprise attack and takes back the plateau. The Austro-Russian army finds itself splitin two. The russians try at all costs to take back theplateau but fail. The army in the north is pushed back to theeast, while the French surround thousands of Russian soldiers in the south. Russian troops panic and surrender, or tryto escape on frozen ponds, which are targeted by French artillery fire. With the French victory complete, the Emperor  of Austria negotiates peace. He loses control over the German states, markingthe end of the Holy Roman Empire, which would gradually be replaced by the Confederationof the Rhine under Napoleon's protection. Napoleon Bonaparte  appoints his brother Joseph as theking of Naples and his other brother Louis as the king of Holland. He also begins the construction of theArc de Triomphe in Paris to celebrate future victories. Prussia dislikes French management of theGerman states, so comes together with other powers to form a fourth coalition against France. Three Prussian armies enter Saxony and anultimatum is given to the French, demanding their withdrawal to the west of the Rhine. Napoleon Bonaparte  goes to meet them with his Great Army. Initial contact is established and the Frenc himmediately get the upper hand, causing the Prussian armies to turn back to Leipzig. But the French army, which is faster, catchesup and positions itself between the two main armies. Napoleon  Bonaparte then makes an error of judgment. Thinking that the great Prussian army is in the south, he sends a small army of 25,000 men to the north. They find themselves confronted by the great Prussian army of over 60,000 men. However, despite the odds, both battles arewon by the French that day, opening the doors of Berlin to Napoleon Bonaparte . With Prussia defeated, Napoleon Bonaparte  attacks Russia. Along the way, he enters Polish territory,which was captured and shared between Russia, Prussia and Austria 10 years earlier. The French are welcomed as heroes, and thousandsof people join the ranks of the army. The Russians avoid battle and retreat to awaitreinforcements. Eventually the two armies start fighting. Two days of fierce battles ensue, causingthousands of fatalities. Both sides are tested and need time to recruitnew forces. Four months later, the Russians try to surprisethe French by launching a frontal attack. But they are repelled and chased. A second decisive battle drives the Russian army beyond the Niemen River. Exhausted by war, neither side is able togain supremacy over the other. A peace treaty is prepared. Both sides meet on a raft especially builtfor the occasion on the Niemen River, where Napoleon Bonaparte  and Tsar Alexander I negotiate. According to the terms of the treaty, Prussialoses half of its territory. Its western territories are annexed to theKingdom of Westphalia, of which Jerome Bonaparte becomes the king. In the East, the Duchy of Warsaw is created. Allied with France, this new state could actas a strategic buffer in case of future war. Russia, on the other hand, gets the authorizationto seize Finland. Finally, the two powers ally against the United Kingdom, which finds itself squeezed by French domination on the continent. Weakened by wars, the UK faces a difficulte conomic situation. And now, Napoleon Bonaparte tries to deliver a finalblow by imposing a continental blockade. No European port may accept British commercialvessels. But not everyone agrees with this policy,including Portugal, a historical ally of the British. In response, Napoleon Bonaparte  wants to invade Portugal. Its Spanish ally joins the offensive and allows French troops to cross its territory. The following month, the Franco-Spanish armyseizes Lisbon, forcing the royal family to flee to Brazil. But after this victory, new French troopsare sent to Spain. Napoleon Bonaparte  begins to show a new interest inSpain, which is no longer the great power it once was. After a coup attempt orchestrated by Ferdinandagainst his father King Charles IV, both go to Bayonne to ask Napoleon Bonaparte  to resolve the situation. Meanwhile in Madrid, people rise against the French occupiers. The revolt is violently put down. Napoleon Bonaparte  then decides to place his brotherJoseph on the throne of the country, while his brother-in law Murat gets the Kingdom of Naples. The French brutality in Madrid infuriatesthe Spanish population. Throughout the country, militias form andorganize a guerrilla warfare against the French, targeting isolated garrisons and lines ofcommunication. The French are tortured and slaughtered. In response, French armies burn to the groundvillages suspected of harboring rebels. In the years to come, France would need toconstantly strengthen its military presence to try and defeat rebel strongholds. In the south, a French army is defeated. In panic, Joseph Bonaparte flees Madrid withhis army. The news spreads throughout Europe, reinforcinganti-French sentiments. Meanwhile, a British army contingent landsin Portugal. Napoleon Bonaparte  wants to settle things himself withhis Great Army. But fearful of being outflanked in the east,he organizes a meeting with the Tsar to try and strengthen their alliance, but in vain. He still sends part of his army to the peninsulawhere the Spanish armies, divided and poorly organized, are crushed in a month. While advancing on the British army, Napoleon Bonaparte learns that Austria is ready to go to war. Leaving his army in Spain, he quickly headseastwards, where the Austrian army enters Bavaria. They hope to be joined by Prussia and theConfederation of the Rhine, driven by rising German nationalism. But it would not happen. Meanwhile, Napoleon Bonaparte  asks Russia to go to waragainst Austria, which it declines. A fifth coalition is formed, but in fact,Austria finds itself alone against Napoleon Bonaparte . Within days, the Austrian army is dividedinto two. The main body manages to flee north of theDanube, leaving Vienna defenseless. Napoleon seizes the Austrian capital for the second time, while the Austrian army positions itself north of the Danube. To complete victory, Napoleon Bonaparte  must find away to cross the river, but all bridges are destroyed. He begins building bridges and attempts tocross with his army. But a powerful Austrian offensive pushes themback to the island of Lobau. This is Napoleon’s first major defeat. He moves back to Vienna to strengthen hisarmy and organize a new offensive. In one night, he makes more than 140,000 soldierscross the Danube. After two days of fierce and bloody fighting,the Austrians retreat and ask for an armistice. As per the unfavourable peace treaty, Austria loses many of its territories and its access to the sea. Moreover, Napoleon Bonaparte  divorces Josephine, withwhom he can’t get legitimate heirs. And marries Marie-Louise, daughter of the Emperor of Austria, with whom he hopes to have a child. In France, Napoleon Bonaparte  becomes increasingly authoritarian,jailing political opponents, censoring the media, and spreading his propaganda. The economic situation of the country worsens. Wars, and especially the 300,000 soldiers stationed in Spain, are expensive and require a lot of resources. On March 20, 1811, Marie-Louise gives birthto Napoleon’s much-awaited heir. The baby receives the title of the king ofRome. In Portugal, a new British army led by Wellingtontakes over and pushes the French away. The French army requests reinforcements from Napoleon Bonaparte , but these remain unanswered as he focuses all his strength on the Duchy of Warsaw. The relationship with Russia deteriorates, causing Napoleon Bonaparte  to prepare for the invasion of the country.

Part 3

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