Battle of Austerlitz in the Napoleonic Wars

Battle of Austerlitz in the Napoleonic Wars The Battle of Austerlitz was fought December 2, 1805, and was the deciding engagement of the War of the Third Coalition (1805) during the Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815). Having crushed an Austrian army at Ulm earlier that fall, Napoleon drove east and captured Vienna. Eager for battle, he pursued the Austrians northeast from their capital. Reinforced by the Russians, the Austrians gave battle near Austerlitz in early December. The resulting battle is often considered Napoleons finest victory and saw the combined Austro-Russian army driven from the field. In the wake of the battle, the Austrian Empire signed the Treaty of Pressburg and left the conflict. Armies Commanders France Napoleon65,000 to 75,000 men Russia Austria Tsar Alexander IEmperor Francis II73,000 to 85,000 men A New War Though fighting in Europe had ended with the Treaty of Amiens in March 1802, many of the signatories remained unhappy with its terms. Increasing tensions saw Britain declare war on France on May 18, 1803. This saw Napoleon revive plans for a cross-channel invasion and he began concentrating forces around Boulogne. Following the French execution of  Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien, in March 1804, many of the powers in Europe became increasingly concerned over French intentions. Later that year, Sweden signed an agreement with Britain opening the door to what would become the Third Coalition. Mounting a relentless diplomatic campaign, Prime Minister William Pitt concluded an alliance with Russia in early 1805. This came about despite British concern over Russias growing influence in the Baltic. A few months later, Britain and Russia were joined by Austria, which having been twice defeated by the French in recent years, sought to exact revenge. Napoleon Responds With threats emerging from Russia and Austria, Napoleon abandoned his ambitions to invade Britain during the summer of 1805  and turned to deal with these new adversaries. Moving with speed and efficiency, 200,000 French troops departed their camps near Boulogne and began crossing the Rhine along a 160-mile front on September 25. Responding to the threat, Austrian General Karl Mack concentrated his army at the fortress of Ulm in Bavaria. Conducting a brilliant campaign of maneuver, Napoleon swung north and descended on the Austrian rear. After winning a series of battles, Napoleon captured Mack and 23,000 men at Ulm on October 20. Though the victory was dampened by Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelsons triumph at Trafalgar the next day, the Ulm Campaign effectively opened the way to Vienna which fell to French forces in November. To the northeast, a Russian field army under General Mikhail Illarionovich Golenischev-Kutusov had gathered and absorbed many of the remaining Austrian units. Moving towards the enemy, Napoleon sought to bring them to battle before his lines of communication were severed or Prussia entered the conflict. Allied Plans On December 1, the Russian and Austrian leadership met to decide their next move. While Tsar Alexander I wished to attack the French, Austrian Emperor Francis II and Kutuzov preferred to take a more defensive approach. Under pressure from their senior commanders, it was finally decided that an attack would be made against the French right (southern) flank which would open a path to Vienna. Moving forward, they adopted a plan devised by Austrian Chief of Staff Franz von Weyrother which called for four columns to assault the French right. The Allied plan played directly into Napoleons hands. Anticipating that they would strike at his right, he thinned it to make it more alluring. Believing that this assault would weaken the Allied center, he planned on a massive counterattack in this area to shatter their lines, while Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davouts III Corps came up from Vienna to support the right. Positioning Marshal Jean Lanness V Corps near Santon Hill at the northern end of the line, Napoleon placed General Claude Legrands men at the southern end, with Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soults IV Corps in the center. Fighting Begins Around 8:00 AM on December 2, the first Allied columns began hitting the French right near the village of Telnitz. Taking the village, they threw the French back across Goldbach Stream. Regrouping, the French effort was reinvigorated by the arrival of Davouts corps. Moving to the attack, they recaptured Telnitz but were driven out by Allied cavalry. Further Allied attacks from the village were halted by French artillery. Slightly to the north, the next Allied column hit Sokolnitz and was repulsed by its defenders. Bringing in artillery, General Count Louis de Langà ©ron commenced a bombardment and his men succeeded in taking the village, while a third column assaulted the towns castle. Storming forward, the French managed to retake to the village but soon lost it again. Fighting around Sokolnitz continued to rage throughout the day. One Sharp Blow Around 8:45 AM, believing that the Allied center had been sufficiently weakened, Napoleon summoned Soult to discuss an attack on the enemy lines atop Pratzen Heights. Stating that One sharp blow and the war is over, he ordered the assault to move forward at 9:00 AM. Advancing through the morning fog, General Louis de Saint-Hilaires division attacked up the heights. Reinforced with elements from their second and fourth columns, the Allies met the French assault and mounted a fierce defense.  This initial French effort was thrown back after bitter fighting. Charging again, Saint-Hilaires men finally succeeded in capturing the heights at bayonet point. Fighting in the Center To their north, General Dominique Vandammes advanced his division against Starà © Vinohrady (Old Vineyards). Employing a variety of infantry tactics, the division shattered the defenders and claimed the area. Moving his command post to St. Anthonys Chapel on the Pratzen Heights, Napoleon ordered Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadottes I Corps into the battle on Vandammes left. As the battle raged, the Allies decided to strike Vandammes position with the Russian Imperial Guards cavalry. Storming forward, they had some success before Napoleon committed his own Heavy Guards cavalry to the fray. As the horsemen battled, General Jean-Baptiste Drouets division deployed on the flank of the fighting. In addition to providing refuge for the French cavalry, fire from his men and the Guards horse artillery forced the Russians to retreat from the area. In the North At the northern end of the battlefield, fighting began as Prince Liechtenstein led Allied cavalry against General Franà §ois Kellermanns light cavalry. Under heavy pressure, Kellermann fell back behind General  Marie-Franà §ois Auguste de Caffarellis division of Lannes corps which blocked the Austrian advance. After the arrival of two additional mounted divisions allowed the French to finish off the cavalry, Lannes moved forward against Prince Pyotr Bagrations Russian infantry. After engaging in a hard fight, Lannes forced the Russians to retreat from the battlefield. Completing the Triumph To complete the victory, Napoleon turned south where fighting was still raging around Telnitz and Sokolnitz. In an effort to drive the enemy from the field, he directed Saint-Hilaires division and part of Davouts corps to launch a two-pronged attack on Sokolnitz. Enveloping the Allied position, the assault crushed the defenders and forced them to retreat. As their lines began to collapse all along the front, Allied troops started to flee the field. In an attempt to slow the French pursuit General Michael von Kienmayer directed some of his cavalry to form a rearguard.  Mounting a desperate defense, they helped cover the Allied withdrawal. Aftermath One of Napoleons greatest victories, Austerlitz effectively ended the War of the Third Coalition. Two days later, with their territory overrun and their armies destroyed, Austria made peace through the Treaty of Pressburg. In addition to territorial concessions, the Austrians were required to pay a war indemnity of 40 million francs. The remains of the Russian army withdrew east, while Napoleons forces went into camp in southern Germany. Having taken much of Germany, Napoleon abolished the Holy Roman Empire and established the Confederation of the Rhine as a buffer state between France and Prussia. French losses at Austerlitz numbered 1,305 killed, 6,940 wounded, and 573 captured. Allied casualties were massive and included 15,000 killed and wounded, as well as 12,000 captured.

The Ransom of Atahualpa

The Ransom of Atahualpa On November 16, 1532, Atahualpa, Lord of the Inca Empire, agreed to meet with a handful of bedraggled foreigners who had intruded upon his realm. These foreigners were some 160 Spanish conquistadors under the command of Francisco Pizarro and they treacherously attacked and captured the young Inca Emperor. Atahualpa offered to bring his captors a fortune in ransom and he did so: the amount of treasure was staggering. The Spanish, nervous about reports of Inca generals in the area, executed Atahualpa anyway in 1533. Atahualpa and Pizarro Francisco Pizarro and his band of Spaniards had been exploring the western coast of South America for two years: they were following reports of a powerful, wealthy empire high in the frosty Andes Mountains. They moved inland and made their way to the town of Cajamarca in November of 1532. They were fortunate: Atahualpa, Emperor of the Inca was there. He had just defeated his brother Huscar in a civil war over who would rule the kingdom. When a band of 160 foreigners showed up on his doorstep, Atahualpa was not afraid: he was surrounded by an army of thousands of men, most of them war veterans, who were fiercely loyal to him. The Battle of Cajamarca The Spanish conquistadors were aware of Atahualpas massive army - just as they were aware of the massive quantities of gold and silver carried by Atahualpa and the Inca nobles. In Mexico, Hernn Cortes had found riches by capturing Aztec Emperor Montezuma: Pizarro decided to try the same tactic. He hid his cavalrymen and artillerymen around the square in Cajamarca. Pizarro sent Father Vicente de Valverde to meet the Inca: the friar showed the Inca a breviary. The Inca glanced through it and, unimpressed, threw it down. The Spanish used this supposed sacrilege as an excuse to attack. Suddenly the square was filled with heavily armed Spaniards on foot and horseback, massacring native nobility and warriors to the thunder of cannon fire. Atahualpa Captive Atahualpa was captured and thousands of his men were murdered. Among the dead were civilians, soldiers and important members of the Inca aristocracy. The Spanish, practically invulnerable in their heavy steel armor, did not suffer a single casualty. The horsemen proved particularly effective, running down terrified natives as they fled the carnage. Atahualpa was placed under heavy guard in the Temple of the Sun, where he finally met Pizarro. The Emperor was allowed to speak with some of his subjects, but every word was translated for the Spanish by a native interpreter. Atahualpa’s Ransom It didn’t take long for Atahualpa to realize that the Spanish were there for gold and silver: the Spanish had wasted no time in looting corpses and the temples of Cajamarca. Atahualpa was made to understand that he would be freed if he paid enough. He offered to fill a room with gold and then twice over with silver. The room was 22 feet long by 17 feet wide (6.7 meters by 5.17 meters) and the Emperor offered to fill it to a height of about 8 feet (2.45m). The Spanish were stunned and quickly accepted the offer, even instructing a notary to make it official. Atahualpa sent out word to bring gold and silver to Cajamarca and before long, native porters were bringing a fortune to the town from all corners of the empire and laying it at the feet of the invaders. The Empire in Turmoil Meanwhile, the Inca Empire was thrown into turmoil by the capture of their Emperor. To the Inca, the Emperor was semi-divine and no one dared risk an attack to rescue him. Atahualpa had recently defeated his brother, Huscar, in a civil war over the throne. Huascar was alive but captive: Atahualpa feared he would escape and rise again because Atahualpa was a prisoner, so he ordered Huascars death. Atahualpa had three massive armies in the field under his top generals: Quisquis, Chalcuchima and Rumià ±ahui. These generals were aware that Atahualpa had been captured and decided against an attack. Chalcuchima was eventually tricked and captured by Hernando Pizarro, whereas the other two generals would fight against the Spanish in the months that followed. The Death of Atahualpa In early 1533, rumors began flying around the Spanish camp about Rumià ±ahui, greatest of the Inca generals. None of the Spaniards knew exactly where Rumià ±ahui was and they greatly feared the massive army he led. According to the rumors, Rumià ±ahui had decided to free the Inca and was moving into position to attack. Pizarro sent out riders in every direction. These men found no sign of a large army, but still the rumors persisted. Panicked, the Spanish decided that Atahualpa had become a liability. They hastily tried him for treason – for allegedly telling Rumià ±ahui to rebel – and found him guilty. Atahualpa, last free Emperor of the Inca, was executed by garrote on July 26, 1533. The Inca’s Treasure Atahualpa had kept his promise and filled the room with gold and silver. The treasure brought to Cajamarca was staggering. Priceless works of art in gold, silver and ceramic were brought, along with tons of precious metals in jewelry and temple decorations. Greedy Spaniards smashed priceless objects to pieces so that the room would fill up more slowly. All of this treasure was melted down, forged into 22 karat gold and counted. Atahualpa’s ransom added up to over 13,000 pounds of gold and twice that much silver. After the â€Å"royal fifth† was taken out (the King of Spain imposed a 20% tax on conquest loot), this treasure was divided up among the original 160 men according to a complicated arrangement involving footmen, horsemen and officers. The lowliest of the soldiers received 45 pounds of gold and 90 pounds of silver: at today’s rate the gold alone is worth over a half million dollars. Francisco Pizarro received roughly 14 times the amount of a common soldie r, plus substantial â€Å"gifts† such as Atahualpa’s throne, which was made of 15 karat gold and weighed 183 pounds. The Lost Gold of Atahualpa Legend has it that the Spanish conquistadors did not get their greedy hands on all of Atahualpa’s ransom. Some people believe, based on somewhat sketchy historical documents, that a group of natives was on its way to Cajamarca with a load of Inca gold and silver for Atahualpa’s ransom when they received word that the Emperor had been murdered. The Inca general in charge of transporting the treasure decided to hide it and left it in an unmarked cave in the mountains. Supposedly it was found 50 years later by a Spaniard named Valverde, but then was lost again until an adventurer named Barth Blake found it in 1886: he later died suspiciously. No one has seen it since. Is there a lost Inca treasure in the Andes, the final installment of Atahualpa’s Ransom? Source    Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).

Activity Based Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Activity Based Costing - Essay Example Conventional costing methods have caused problems in their implementation in most companies. This is because of the constant change in technological advancement which requires the use of modern methods of costing. The use of the ABC system creates difficulties in the separation and allocation of some overhead costs on a product unit. For instance, the Chief Executive Officer’s salary does not provide the management with the appropriate reports on costs. The ABC method allocates business cost on a proportionate basis to products or based on assumptions (Lawrence, 2004). This makes inaccurate reports on costs to be generated to the management. Some of the traditional methods of costing ensure accuracy of information which can lead to a competitive advantage. ABC is a costly method as compared to the traditional methods, but it is the most efficient. In planning implementation of ABC method, it is important to identify key purposes of the information that the method will provide. A well designed ABC method can form the basis of improved budgeting and capacity of resource planning (Lawrence, 2004). Organizations need to understand their cost structures and have a cost management system that supports the understanding. Effective management of both ABC and the conventional methods may have greater profitability to the