However, returning to your comment about why you're writing in English instead of French, it's Nelson that deserves the credit. (Although, maybe we Americans should thank Wolfe and Amherst.) Even had Kutzov and "General Winter" not chewed up the Grande Armee, Nelson, at the Nile as well as at Trafalgar, ensured that Napoleon's conquests could never extend beyond the European mainland. Although Bony's "Continental System" hurt England comercially, it also hurt Europe, and England still had access to the rest of the world.
The most amazing thing about Kutuzov was his political achievement.
It is always difficult for generals to convince their civilian masters to adopt unpopular strategies, but Kutuzov persuaded the Czar and virtually the entire civilian population of Moscow to burn their own homes and flee the city.
Doubtful he would have had the logistics to support that army for any length of time.
ReplyDeleteThat's why the Russsiain strategy was so effective:that army had to live off of the land.
However, returning to your comment about why you're writing in English instead of French, it's Nelson that deserves the credit. (Although, maybe we Americans should thank Wolfe and Amherst.) Even had Kutzov and "General Winter" not chewed up the Grande Armee, Nelson, at the Nile as well as at Trafalgar, ensured that Napoleon's conquests could never extend beyond the European mainland. Although Bony's "Continental System" hurt England comercially, it also hurt Europe, and England still had access to the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe most amazing thing about Kutuzov was his political achievement.
ReplyDeleteIt is always difficult for generals to convince their civilian masters to adopt unpopular strategies, but Kutuzov persuaded the Czar and virtually the entire civilian population of Moscow to burn their own homes and flee the city.
Now THAT was salesmanship.