Britain and the defeat of Napoleon

• Strategy after Pitt's death:

  • Britain continued to support European coalitions against Napoleon by financing them --> the third coalition appeared to show that Austria, Prussia, Russia and Britain as a combination worked well although worryingly Russia and France came to an agreement
  • Napoleon focused on his continental victories and stopped his plan to invade Britain --> 1805-1807
  • Decimated the French Fleet at Trafalgar but they couldn't make a substantial victory on land -> resulted in the Peninsular War
  • naval blockade, long war in Spain
  • invasion of Russia orchestrated his downfall
• Naval Blockade 1806:

  • Britain continued to disrupt neutral shipping which supplied the French => under orders from Britain's Orders in Council
  • in 1806-1812 ==> Napoleon introduced the Continental System, laws which attempted to prevent any of the countries conquered by France or allied with them to trade with Britain => ambitious scheme of Economic Warfare
  • France aimed to Strangle British economic strength , to weaken the coalitions which relied on British funds to field the armies -> in order to this invade Portugal and Spain which was an outlet for British goods
  • Britain responded 1807
• Naval Blockade 1806: cont'd

  • British Orders in Council 1807

  -> these banned trade with France and allowed the searching of any vessels suspected of trading with France. Included stopping neutral ships

  -> Britain imposed blockades on any ports which followed the Continental System

  • the continental system failed => he didn't have sufficient control of the policies of other European states as Spain and Portugal continued to trade with Britain
  • 1807 orders from Britain were unpopular with the neutral nations
• The Peninsular War 1808-1814:

  • Napoleon's blockade meant that he had moved troops (20 000) into the Iberian Peninsular (Portugal and Spain) but his control was not as secure as elsewhere -> Spain didn't like him due to him imposing his brother as King
  • Spaniards rebelled against Napoleon but hundreds were shot
  • Arthur Wellesley -> Head of British Army
  • the Portuguese and Spanish army were in a poor state, the French army relied on conscription where Britain offered money
• The Peninsular War 1808-1814: cont'd 1

  • Guerrilla Units -> warfare conducted by bands of armed civilians, they harassed the French Army and the Spanish government allowed them
  • initially the Spanish + British pushed the French back = 16-19 July 25 000 French Army surrendered at the battle of Bailen
  • 30 000 British --> Marched into Spain
  • Battle of Corunna --> British Victory
  • stalemate over the next 3 years
  • British retreat => poor communication
  • scorched earth stopped the French but killed 50 000 Portuguese
  • 200 000 French dispersed over Spain
  • Napoleon -> invaded Russia
• Why could the British Troops push the French back:

  • quality of the British soldiers outclassed that of the French troops --> experienced manpower had been drained
  • long supply chains that the French army had were vulnerable -> Portuguese civilians attacked
  • the British army an its Portuguese army easily supplied by the sea
  • Wellesley was a war veteran and had experience organising military campaigns
• The Peninsular War 1808-1814: cont'd 2

  • Dalyrymple signed the Convention of Cintra -> instead of surrendering the 25 000 troop moved moved from Portugal back to France
  • 1809 -> Wellesley became the Duke of Wellington and returned to Portugal
  • 1812 -> Wellington advanced into Spain enjoying the successes in the south and taking Madrid
  • Invasion of Russia left troops weaker in Spain and Wellington took advantage of this
  • 1814 -> emerged victorious
  • 1813 -> Napoleon still fighting without 200 000 in Russia
• The Final Defeat of Napoleon:

  • 1815 -Napoleon returned
  • Crucial last battle fought in Belgium where Wellington once again led British forces
  • Wellington deployed his forces to protect Brussels -> hold his ground until Prussian forces arrived
  • Napoleon attacked and Wellington managed to hold, and Napoleon attempted to use the Imperial Guard to break through
  • the Prussian troops arrived and Napoleon was finally defeated
  • allies (58 000 combined) vs France (72 000)
• Evaluating Britain's role in Napoleons defeat:

  • contribution by British land forces was limited -> heavy losses to the French incurred fighting the Austrians and Russians. 1/2 million Frenchmen died in the Russian campaign and only 60 000 British troops were used in the Peninsular at any given time.
  • coalitions against Napoleon that Britain helped to broker were not very effective, collapsed numerous times and spent £600 million
  • British naval power was a major factor. Blockade brought hostile reactions in Europe and the USA.
  • British success in Spain -> £18 million spent in Portugal
• Evaluating Britain's role in Napoleons defeat:

  Britain emerged victorious due to the circumstances largely beyond its control, such as fighting on 2 fronts and losing to Russia.