Wars and ConflictsΒ permalink
Napoleon's Greatest Victory?
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Message 1.Β
Posted by LaPlume (U2645152) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
I notice on the 'This Week In History' list there is no mention that today - 2nd December - is also the 200th anniversery of the Battle of Austerlitz. This battle is sometimes known as the Battle of the Three Emperors - as Napoleon, Tsar Alexander I and Kaiser Franz I of Austria were all present on the field of battle. Napoleon considered this was his greatest battle and there is no doubt that the defeat of the joint Russian/Austrian army was crushing, and brought the campaign of 1805 to a close.
There is a large scale re-enactment of the battle on Sat 3rd December on the site of the original conflict, a few miles east of the Czech city of Brno which is being broadcast live on Czech satellite television and also available via the internet. There are also new books available to coincide with the 200th - I recomend 'Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Eagles of Europe'. The 2nd of December is also the 201st anniversary of Napoleon's coronation as Emperor of the French.
So 2nd December is a day to be remembered. -
Message 2
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
It is a typical Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ attitude when it come sto the Nap Wars that they forget everything beyond Trafalgar, Spain and Waterloo. I have written to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News about the feed available fo Saturday's event and to Timewatch, pointing out that moving colour pics are avaiable to avoid another prog about Hitler. I see The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ History mag is flogging Rome - as if anyone is really interested!
If you are not familiar with the campaign, read Ian Castle's book: Austerlitz: Napoleon & the Eagles of Europe for a very easy to read work on the while campaign, including how Ulm was really achieved (Nap's espionage service). For a very detailed and rather harder read on the battle itself, there is also Robert Goetz: 1805: Austerlitz: Nap & the Destruction of the 3rd Coalition. That tends to focus on the Russian material for the first time in English with some Austrian material and enough French material to make it understandable. Both are recommended. -
Message 3
Posted by LaPlume (U2645152) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
DaveMBA is right when he says that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ have generally not noted this important 200th anniversary - but I should say that although Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ History Magazine does feature 'Rome' on the front cover of the December issue, it does also carry an article on the Battle of Austerlitz, so he shouldn't be too hard them!!
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Message 4
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
Having been asked if I wanted to write it (I passed it on the author!), I was aware of that. However, a cover would have be nicer as the sight of "Rome" may well put buyers off.
I see the best the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ can do for a TV highlight is a repeat of a prog about the Nazis and the Final Solution - maybe it is time for a little more imaginative approach? -
Message 5
Posted by Hasse (U1882612) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
Dave
For once do we agree about the Napoleonic wars
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Hasse -
Message 6
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
I had considered working on the Allied staff as I know a few of them, but as it is minus 2 out there today and only slightly better amidst rain showers, I will wait for the warm days of summer 2009!
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Message 7
Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
Speaking of anniversaries - I can't wait till 2006, as the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ will then be unable to make any more documentaries about the "60th anniversary" of something or other that happened in World War 2.
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Message 8
Posted by PaulRyckier (U1753522) on Friday, 2nd December 2005
Re:Message 7.
Gaiseric,
but then we have the sixtieth anniversary of the UN...(prolonged laugh).
During years there was a program on the French-German TV channel: "Histoires Parallèles" (parallel histories?). Each week they had an important subject of the week of fifty years ago. And it started if I recall it well from 1939 till the beginning of the fifties and with experts of the concerned matters. Only finished some years ago. It was with a French historian Marc Ferro and of course from the French point of view with courtesies to the Germans (read French-German TV channel...), but IMO also honest towards the British and Americans. I watched it with intervals in the ten years and I have to say even from my "Belgian" point of view it was very good.
Perhaps that would be an idea for the Beeb? Each week... starting with the American revolution and with intervals of one month...in four years they would cover more than two hunderd years...and with French, British and American experts?...(big smile).
Kind regards. -
Message 9
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Saturday, 3rd December 2005
No chance - having forgotten that yesterday was the 200th anniversary of Austerlitz, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News site is today just trying to link it with Choirac's problems in the Paris suburbs. Strangely, the Birmingham trial and Liverpool murder did not affect the Trafalgar ceremonies. I am sure that it must be Adolf's 116th birthday next year.
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Message 10
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Sunday, 4th December 2005
I see the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has managed to put up 5th Dec 1812 as the date Nap left his army in Russia, ending his domination of Europe apparently!
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Message 11
Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Sunday, 4th December 2005
All of this reminds me of the "pub landlord" Al Murray's question - "Why do the French have an Arc de Triomphe when they've never won anything!?"
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Message 12
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Sunday, 4th December 2005
It's all part of the propaganda - as it includes a few victories, which were actually defeats!
Anyway, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has finally got its act together a bit and included a few pics of Saturday's reenactment in the news:
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Message 13
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Tuesday, 6th December 2005
The History Channel is doing a series on reenactment orgs starting this week - who knows? that other refuge of Adolf progs, Timewatch, might take the concept up. I liked the Austrian Uhlans.
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Message 14
Posted by DaveMBA (U1360771) on Friday, 9th December 2005
Two hours of video at
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Message 15
Posted by Mark (U2073932) on Sunday, 11th December 2005
Including the Battle of Fuented De Onouro on 1811. Which Wellington won, even though he should have lost it.
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