Les Prussiens Se Sont Moqués d'Un Seul Corps Français – Jusqu'à Ce Que D...

Comments

  1. October 14, 1806. Marshal Davout marches with his III Corps. Only 26,000 men. Suddenly, in the fog near Auerstedt, he comes face to face with the entire Prussian main army. 63,000 soldiers. King Frederick William of Prussia himself. The Duke of Brunswick. The best generals in Europe. Frederick the Great's army.

    The Prussians laugh when they see this small French corps. A single corps? 26,000 men? We are three times as many. It will be over in an hour. These French revolutionaries will learn what true Prussian discipline is.

    But Davout refuses to retreat. He uses the village of Hassenhausen as a fortress. For seven hours, his soldiers hold out against waves of attacks. The Prussian cavalry charges. Repulsed. The infantry attacks. Repulsed. The Royal Guard charges. Repulsed. The Duke of Brunswick fell mortally wounded. Confusion gripped the Prussian army.

    At noon, Davout saw his opportunity. He attacked. 26,000 Frenchmen charged 63,000 exhausted Prussians. The impossible happened. The king ordered a retreat. The Prussian army fled. Davout captured 115 cannons, 3,000 prisoners, and destroyed Prussia's military reputation in a single day.

    Even Napoleon, envious, initially said that Davout "saw double" because of his glasses. But the truth was clear. The Iron Marshal had just won a battle he couldn't possibly win. A historian would later write: "At Jena, Napoleon won a battle he couldn't lose. At Auerstedt, Davout won a battle he couldn't possibly win." Prussia lost half its territory. Europe is learning that French ingenuity always beats the odds.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Art is a journey into the most unknown thing of all: oneself. No one knows their own boundaries ... I don't think I would ever take a road if I knew where it led. (Louis Kahan)
Na masute ^^ ♀♀❤️Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ❤️ ♀♀
Nina <3