Home Forums Horse and Musket General Horse and Musket Military Machismo and French defeat in 1870

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  • #139337
    Avatar photovtsaogames
    Participant

    A blog post about my current thoughts on the defeat of the French Imperial Army in 1870 are here.

    It's never too late to have a happy childhood

    #139338
    Avatar photoTony S
    Participant

    As Bradley said, “Amateurs strategy. Professionals talk logistics”.

    Interesting observations. I just finished reading Fermer’s “France at Bay” which is a history of the Republican phase of the war. It certainly would support your viewpoint, although the quality of French leadership continued to be absymal.

    #139359
    Avatar photovtsaogames
    Participant

    Napoleon III and Bazaine set a very low bar for leadership. But I think Faidherbe and Chanzy were a cut above the other Republican commanders, who were a cut above the Imperial generals. Makes me wonder what Chanzy could have done with an army of trained troops.

    It's never too late to have a happy childhood

    #139360
    Avatar photoTony S
    Participant

    If I recall correctly, Chanzy was the only French commander that Moltke actually praised.

    As for trained troops, I rather like the story of a National Guard unit that heard a single shot, which may have been from a Prussian rifle, or perhaps simply an ill trained recruit dropping his own piece. They panicked, fired off all their ammunition and then left their trench to go back home to Paris as they had no more rounds.

    #139410
    Avatar photoAlan Millicheap
    Participant

    Thanks for an interesting read

    #139411
    Avatar photoChris Pringle
    Participant

    Very nice, Vincent. I’ve added some thoughts of my own in the blog comments section.

    I’m with you in being a fan of Chanzy. He must have been a remarkable leader of men to hold his army together for all those weeks of fighting withdrawal through the snow.

    Chris

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