Napoleon’s Maxim’s Essay Example

Marshals especially, Davout “The Iron Marshal,” his forces were able to decisively defeat the combined forces of Russia and Austria. He and his men marched for two days straight to arrive almost precisely at 8 a. m. as Napoleon demanded. It was Davout and his men that served as a decoy to draw the Russians main forces away, allowing Napoleon to overwhelm the Russian and Austrian forces. The French inflicted a total of 25,000 casualties on a numerically superior enemy army while sustaining fewer than 7,000 casualties.

Napoleon was successful in the Battle of the Three Emperors largely in part to his ability to assign reliable and competent generals and because of his belief in Maxim fifty-seven. The sixtieth Maxim states, “You should by all means encourage the soldiers to continue in the service... The pay should also be increased in proportion to the years of service. There is great injustice in giving no higher pay to a veteran than to a recruit”. Napoleon understood the true power of a well-trained and properly motivated military force.

He not only made sure his troops were paid, but paid according to time in service. This seemingly simplistic idea was largely neglected before the rise of Napoleon in the nineteenth century. Although Maxim number sixty may be one of the simplest Maxims its ramifications were immense. The French army was therefore able have a high retention rate, cutting the cost of training new recruits. Also the moral and military experience veterans bring to a battlefield holds immeasurable advantages according to Napoleon himself.

Troops could march for days even weeks with practically no desertion. This was evident at the Battle of Austerlitz,

when Marshal Davout marched 6,000 men for two days and seventy miles non-stop arriving ready for battle. There was practically no recorded desertion on the two day grueling march and the troops were still able to hold strong the right flank of the French army. It was Napoleons ability to understand what motivated and propelled his troops to reach their maximum potential that time after time allowed France to rally and overcome enormous obstacles.

The ninety-fifth Maxim states, “War is composed of nothing but accidents, and, although holding to general principles, a general should never lose sight of everything to enable him to profit from these accidents; that is the mark of genius. In war there is but one favorable moment; the great art to seize it”. Although, Maxim ninety-five seems as though it is in direct contradiction to his other Maxims and military ideas. One can see on closer analysis of this Maxim that Napoleon very much lived by this idea.

Napoleon spent countless hours reviewing intelligence and developing battle strategies, however he understood that war was a giant game of chance. Even the best laid plans can prove disastrous, but it is those who can capitalize and recover from unforeseen events that will be successful. Napoleon showed repeatedly he contained this very quality. A clear example of this would be The Ulm Campaign. Napoleon would predict the movement of enemy forces wrong. “A mistake that could have cost him dearly,” according, to Connelly. Napoleon left his entire rear exposed to General Karl Mack of Austria.

Mack was unable to seize the opportunity and take advantage of his opponent’s mistake. However, Napoleon realizing his mistake corrected his

positioning and was once again victorious. Napoleon was able to be victorious at the Battle of Ulm largely in part to Maxim ninety-five. Mack’s inability to seize the moment and Napoleons ability to recognize his grave mistake and correct his error was the decisive factor in the battle. Napoleon had many Maxims that were considered vital to the success of his military campaigns, none more so than Maxims fifty-seventh, sixtieth and ninety-fifth.

These three military strategies were the life line to Napoleons success. Although some historians such as Connelly have criticized Napoleon as a general, his comments have only furthered the case of the importance of these three Maxim’s. When Connelly wrote, “The spectacular victory at Ulm was a result of both Austrian Bungling and Napoleon’s ability to scramble. He pulled it off despite gross mistakes. Again, however, we must give credit to his commanders, particularly to Ney, Lannes, and Murat and his troops who carried out his orders with alacrity”, in Blundering Glory, Connelly essentially backed up Napoleons three Maxims.

First, was to have a strong and unified command through the use of leadership in his officers. Second, the ability to produce well trained and organized troops. Last, a general’s ability to seize the moment, whether it is exploiting an opponent’s opening or realizing your mistake and correcting it before your opponentcan capitalize on your error. With these three Maxim’s Napoleon was able to utterly defeat the combined might of the Third Coalition which included England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. Bibliography Chandler, David G.. The military maxims of Napoleon.

New York: Da Capo Press, 1995. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to glory: Napoleon's military campaigns. 3rd ed. Lanham, Md.

: Rowman; Littlefield, 2006. Ellis, Geoffrey James. Napoleon. Harlow, England: Longman, 1997.

• [ 1 ]. Chandler, David G.. The military maxims of Napoleon. New York: Da Capo Press, 1995.
• [ 2 ]. Ellis, Geoffrey James. Napoleon. Harlow, England: Longman, 1997.
• [ 3 ]. Ellis, Geoffrey James. Napoleon. Harlow, England: Longman, 1997.
• [ 4 ]. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to glory: Napoleon's military campaigns. 3rd ed. Lanham, Md. Rowman& Littlefield, 2006.
• [ 5 ]. Chandler, David G.. The military maxims of Napoleon. New York: Da Capo Press, 1995.
• [ 6 ]. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to glory: Napoleon's military campaigns. 3rd ed. Lanham, Md. : Rowman; Littlefield, 2006.
• [ 7 ]. Chandler, David G.. The military maxims of Napoleon. New York: Da Capo Press, 1995.
• [ 8 ]. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to glory: Napoleon's military campaigns. 3rd ed. Lanham, Md. : Rowman& Littlefield, 2006.
• [ 9 ]. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to glory: Napoleon's military campaigns. 3rd ed. Lanham, Md. : Rowman; Littlefield, 2006.