Military History | How To Make War | Wars Around the World Rules of Use How to Behave on an Internet Forum
Napoleonic Era Discussion Board
   Return to Topic Page
Subject: battle of Jena
stratego    9/11/2004 10:31:50 PM
This battle always amazed me. The Prussians divided into a number of groups and fled. Napolean divided his army into a number of groups and pursued. Napolean was trying to reconverge on the Prussians. Ironically, however, the largest Prusssian group was engaged by a much smaller French group, but the French won! The only thing I can credit Napolean for was that his divisions moved very fast and acted with great initiative, hence creating a lot of "momentum", both in the physical and psychological sense (ala Leonhart). However, it seems likely that the French were also better company to company, man to man, etc. Anyone have any answers? Sorry for any innaccuracies. Anyone recommend a book that woudl answer this kind of question well about all of Napolean's battles?
 
Quote    Reply

Show Only Poster Name and Title     Newest to Oldest
Heorot    RE:battle of Jena   11/5/2004 2:53:10 PM
If memory serves me correctly, at this time the Prussian army was mostly Landswehr; militia in other words. Consequently they had very little training or experience. This was a medieval style of military formation, with the peasant owing his lord a set number of days a year of military service. These troops were variable in the extreme and the amount and quality of the training depended entirely on how conscientious the lord was to his military obligations.
 
Quote    Reply

Clackers       11/12/2007 1:31:26 AM
The Landwehr are a later development ... after the nobles got beaten at Jena, part of reforming the Prussian army was recruiting from the masses, a la the French ...
 
Quote    Reply



 Latest
 News
 
 Most
 Read
 
 Most
 Commented
 Hot
 Topics