14
03
2010
A History of the Peninsular War V5: October 1811 to August 31, 1812 Alencia,Cuidad Rodrigo,Badajoz,Salamanca,Madrid
Posted by: admin in Oman Books
- ISBN13: 9781853676345
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
The 1807-14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon’s strategic necessity to impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. During this period, the outcome of the war was effectively decided by Wellington’s advance from Portugal into Spain. The operations that took place at this time included the French campaigns of late 1811, the Allied offensive, and Wellington’s great victory at Salamanca. Includes comprehensive maps, orders of battle, and lists of strengths and casualties.
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Entries (RSS)
March 14th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
If you are interested in military history this series is a tremendous education while at the same time being engrossing. Done approximately 100 years after the conflict the author travels throughout the arena of the conflict trying to describe what the battlefields look like and how the campaign and battles unfolded. A must read to understand the geopolitics of the 1800′s which this conflict and the subsequent defeat of Napoleon were driven by and which shaped the next 100 years.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 14th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
This wonderfully affordable paperback edition makes available Volume V of Charles Oman’s definitive history of the Peninsular War, which covers the turning point of the war. In early 1812, Napoleon withdrew some of his Imperial troops from Spain for the ill-fated invasion of Russia. The dispersal of the remaining French forces to hold down Spanish insurgents coincided with a buildup of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, enabling Wellington to go over to the offensive with his experienced and well-trained force.
The bold seizure of the Spanish frontier fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz opended the way for Wellington’s magnificent victory of maneuver over Marshal Marmont’s French Army at Salamanca. Wellington would later overreach himself at the siege of Burgos and be forced to retrench on the Portuguese frontier over the winter of 1812-1813. However, the French had lost the initiative in the Peninsular War for good.
Oman includes a brief but fascinating account, perhaps particularly relevant for modern readers, of the challenges faced by the British Tory government in waging an expensive six year campaign to dislodge the French from the Iberian Peninsula. The British Whig Party, in opposition, decried every expense and casualty in favor of an immediate peace treaty with Napoleon. The effect of such a treaty prior to Napoleon’s defeat in Russia would have been to concede control of Continental Europe to the French Emperor. The British Ministry withstood both Whig opposition and internal Tory dissension to persevere against Napoleon and to trust Wellington to fulfill the mission of his command in Spain.
Oman’s command of his subject is masterful; his narrative is mature and confident. While the focus is on the operational level of war, Oman provides descriptive and occasionally thrilling vignettes of the critical battles. The footnotes provide much additional context which will be of interest to the serious student of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume a challenging read.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 14th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Sir Charles Oman’s comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 14th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
This affordable paperback edition of Volume V of Charles Oman’s definitive study of the Peninsular War covers the turning point of the conflict. In early 1812, Napoleon withdrew some of his Imperial troops from occupied Spain for his ill-fated invasion of Russia. The dispersal of the remaining French troops to hold down Spanish insurgents coincided with a buildup of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, enabling Wellington to go over to the offensive with an experienced and well-trained force. The bold seizure of the Spanish frontier fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz opened the way for Wellington’s magnificent victory of maneuver over Marshal Marmont’s French Army at Salamanca. Although Wellington overreached himself at the siege of Burgos and was forced to retrench on the Portuguese frontier over the winter of 1812-1813, the French had lost the initiative in the Peninsular War for good.
Oman brings out how Napoleon’s attempts to run the Peninsular War from Paris and Wellington’s superior ability to gather intelligence contributed to French defeats. Oman includes a brief but fascinating account, perhaps particularly relevant for modern readers, of the challenges faced by the British Tory government in supporting a long and expensive campaign to dislodge the French from Spain and Portugal. The Whig Party, in opposition, decried every expense and every casualty in favor of an immediate peace treaty with Napoleon. Such a treaty prior to Napoleon’s defeat in Russia would have ceded control of Continental Europe to the French Emperor. The Tory government withstood Whig opposition and internal dissension to perservere against Napoleon, trusting Wellington to fulfill the mission of his command.
Oman’s command of his subject in volume V is masterful. His narrative is mature and confident. While the focus is on the operational level of war, Oman provides descriptive and ocassionally thrilling vignettes of the critical battles. The footnotes provide much additional context.
This volume and series are highly recommended to serious students of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume a very challenging read.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 15th, 2010 at 2:15 am
Sir Charles Oman’s comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.
Rating: 5 / 5