General Discussions

Napoleon's invasion of Germany 1806 Jena & AUerstadt

'"The Prussian army always attacks," said Frederick the Great. In 1806, Frederick had been dead for twenty years, yet Prussia's reputation still rested on the prestige conferred by his fame. So, when Prussia declared war on Napoleon, its leaders chose an aggressive strategy. The ensuing Jena Campaign proved to be a tough fight pitting Napoleon and his veteran army against a tenacious foe. The metaphorical fog of war confused both sides, leading to miscalculation and blunder. The real fog that shrouded the battlefields on October 14 created huge tactical challenges. October Triumph relies on primary sources to give voice to the French, Saxon, and Prussian participants. Well illustrated with recent battlefield photographs, numerous maps, paintings, and drawings, it offers a fresh interpretation of one of Napoleon's foundational victories. 392 pages, 36 maps, orders of battle. This book completes the trilogy by describing the events preceding Napoleon's Eylau Campaign, covered in Arnold's Crisis in the Snows, and the events at Friedland, covered in Napoleon's Triumph.'