Crisis On the Danube: Napoleon’s Austrian Campaign of 1809 by James R. Arnold soon to be presented for sale on the exceptional BookLovers of Bath web site!
Published: London: Arms & Armour Press, 1991, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Maps; Maps to the endpapers and blanks;
From the cover: The year 1809 witnessed a geopolitical shift in Europe. While France and Napoleons Grande Armee remained ascendant, for the first time Russia held the key to the balance of power and German nationalism became a force to contend with. In Crisis on the Danube James Arnold examines the military and diplomatic events of Napoleons pivotal Austrian Campaign that marked a turning point in European history. Using previously untapped primary sources gleaned from libraries and archives in Vienna, Paris, and London, Arnold highlights the trends which led to the destruction of Napoleons empire: betrayal by key advisors; uncompromising diplomacy foiled by this betrayal and rising German nationalism; and Napoleons growing self-delusion.
In an engaging style the author conducts us through the swirl of diplomatic intrigue that preceded the Austrian Campaign. Revealed is the complex web of alliances constructed by the devious Talleyrand, Frances Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the cunning political game he played with Austrias brilliant Count Metternich. We also see how Emperor Napoleons inability to secure Czar Alexanders support and other failed political calculations allowed the duplicity of his underlings and machinations of his enemies to draw him into the conflict with Austria.
Despite his diplomatic naiveté, Napoleon continued to show flashes of military genius, and later considered his manoeuvres at the battles of Abensberg and Eckmühl to be among his finest. Following a detailed description of the makeup and tactical objectives of the Napoleonic war machine, Arnold assesses the performance of the two armies in every major engagement in this first phase of the 1809 war, from the Austrian invasion of Bavaria to the French capture of Ratisbonne. He shows us the troop movements from the perspective of Napoleon and Archduke Charles, allowing us to witness the limited information with which they made their command decisions. And dramatic first-hand accounts vividly relate the consequences of these decisions by depicting what it was like to be under fire on a Napoleonic battlefield.
Lavishly illustrated with period portraits and maps, and supplemented with unique appendices that show how to use the information herein to conduct historical simulations and explore the battlefields today, Crisis on the Danube is destined to be a favorite among students of Napoleon, military and European history readers, and wargamers alike.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.
Red Spine Strip with Blue boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. [XIII] 286 pages. Index. Bibliography. 9¼” x 6¼”.
Of course, if you don’t like this one, may I captivate you with this splendid selection hither or maybe further, hand picked, books in my Military History catalogue?
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