Comments on: Napoleon's Total War http://www.historynet.com/napoleons-total-war.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=napoleons-total-war From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:24:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: David Menaza http://www.historynet.com/napoleons-total-war.htm#comment-640555 David Menaza Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:58:28 +0000 #comment-640555 Very well-balanced article indeed. Though focusing in Spanish guerrillas the author pays due respect to Wellington´s armies. As a Spaniard, I can tell that our "official" version is that Spain virtually liberated herself, or at least, this is what we are told in schools... In the other hand, any anglosaxon account of the Peninsular War (we call it War of Independence) seems to consider this theater of war as wholly British affair in a blanket land, a little like the North African campaigns of WWII. Well those bonny Britons sacked Badajoz, supposedly an allied town. The civil population suffered mightly in 1808-1814. Probably this was the bloodiest war in Spanish soil, with even more casualties than later 1936-1939 Civil War, when Spain had more than doubled its population. Very well-balanced article indeed. Though focusing in Spanish guerrillas the author pays due respect to Wellington´s armies. As a Spaniard, I can tell that our "official" version is that Spain virtually liberated herself, or at least, this is what we are told in schools…

In the other hand, any anglosaxon account of the Peninsular War (we call it War of Independence) seems to consider this theater of war as wholly British affair in a blanket land, a little like the North African campaigns of WWII. Well those bonny Britons sacked Badajoz, supposedly an allied town. The civil population suffered mightly in 1808-1814. Probably this was the bloodiest war in Spanish soil, with even more casualties than later 1936-1939 Civil War, when Spain had more than doubled its population.

]]> By: lafayette912 http://www.historynet.com/napoleons-total-war.htm#comment-273706 lafayette912 Sun, 09 May 2010 17:26:59 +0000 #comment-273706 It is indeed a very well written article. But I am suspicious of the classical claim of "the first Total War", apparently we have forgotten the Thirty Years Wars, The Seven Years Wars, were the "aristocratic rituals" took second place to scourging the enemy territory as Turenne did in Alce Lorraine. More so In my view the only major in innovation, was to take back the major figure of the warrior king, kinda like Alexander, and Julius Caesar, (I must admit Pionnered by Frederick I, but honestly he never intended to "unite all of europe"!) It is indeed a very well written article. But I am suspicious of the classical claim of "the first Total War", apparently we have forgotten the Thirty Years Wars, The Seven Years Wars, were the "aristocratic rituals" took second place to scourging the enemy territory as Turenne did in Alce Lorraine. More so In my view the only major in innovation, was to take back the major figure of the warrior king, kinda like Alexander, and Julius Caesar, (I must admit Pionnered by Frederick I, but honestly he never intended to "unite all of europe"!)

]]> By: ashley http://www.historynet.com/napoleons-total-war.htm#comment-144967 ashley Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:13:25 +0000 #comment-144967 What an excellent well written article. I guess I better subscribe to Military History!! One question, the author makes out that it was "the first total war...The armies tended to avoid large-scale battle" Please can you expand on this? as surely in the past other large scale battles were fought? Was therefore the Napoleonic era the beginning of large scale battles? What an excellent well written article. I guess I better subscribe to Military History!!

One question, the author makes out that it was "the first total war…The armies tended to avoid large-scale battle"

Please can you expand on this? as surely in the past other large scale battles were fought?

Was therefore the Napoleonic era the beginning of large scale battles?

]]> By: Bobby http://www.historynet.com/napoleons-total-war.htm#comment-85816 Bobby Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:55:04 +0000 #comment-85816 This is one of the best accounts of the War of Independence that I have read online. It is very well written and clearly captures the desperation on both sides of the conflict. This is one of the best accounts of the War of Independence that I have read online. It is very well written and clearly captures the desperation on both sides of the conflict.

]]>