Battle of Leuthen

Context

Wars of Silesia

The 18th century was marked by 2 great competitions: the France against the England and the Prussia against the Austria. The conflict between Austria and Prussia finds its origin in 1740 when Frederic II of Prussia benefits from the weakness of the Austrian army to seize the Silesia, province corresponding about to the current south of Poland, after the Bataille of Mollwitz. Wanting to benefit from this different, France enters in war to the side of Prussia to regain its European prevalence. But the intervention of Hungary and England will thwart the French plans (Bataille of Dettingen). In July 1743, Prussia signs a peace treaty with Austria guaranteeing Silesia and the Saxony to him. This peace will not last: in 1745, frightened by Austrian rise to power, Frederic II decides to declare the war in Austria and invades the Bohemia. This attack makes it possible France to take again the hand in Holland (Bataille of Fontenoy) but Prussia is driven back thereafter of Bohemia. However, thanks to the victories of Hohenfriedberg and Soor, Frederic can sign a peace once again favorable guaranteeing to him the possession of Silesia (December 1745).

The seven year old war

In 1756, a major reversal intervenes: France is combined with Austria. Conscious that its position is more than precarious, Frederick decides to take the initiative and invades Saxony then Bohemia in September 1756. Frederic has an asset in his sleeve: the support of England. Indeed, this one would see of very an good eye France empêtrée in a European war, which would enable him to have the freehands overseas to take possession of the French colonies. For the Prussians, the war starts with difficulty: June 18th 1757, an Austrian army ordered by Daun demolishes the troops of Frederic to the Bataille of Kolin. The most pressing threat becomes the free-imperial army then coming from the west, that Frederic will crush at the time of the Bataille of Rossbach, on November 5th 1757. This removed threat, it turns once again to the Austrian army which is invading Silesia. Ghost with forced march of Saxony, it sinks towards the army ordered by the prince Charles of Lorraine and the marshal Daun.

Battle plan

The army of Frederic is thin since it counts only 36.000 homes. The moral one is however very high after the victory of Rossbach. Frederic does not wish to wait to attack because it is afraid which the Austrians benefit from the winter to affirm their influence on Silesia and which they are ready at spring to carry the war in the Brandebourg. Opposite, Charles of Lorraine can count on an army of 65.000 men but without heavy artillery, left with the camp of Breslau (certain officers, of which Daum, are in favor to await the combat instead of going to its meeting). The army of Frederic progresses of west in is along the road which goes from Neumarkt to Breslau and the Austrian army in the opposite direction. December 5th in the morning, the area is covered with snow is of fog. The 2 armies are distant only of a few kilometers but it is difficult to distinguish the positions of the ones and others. The first skirmishes take place around the village of Borne between the avant-gardes of the 2 armies. The Austrians are pushed back of this village and Charles, informs imminence of the combat puts his army in position of combat. The Austrian deployment is made perpendicular to the road on a face of approximately 6 kilometers and being pressed on the village of Nippern in north to the village of Sagschutz in the south. The largest village of the area, Leuthen, is roughly in the center of the device of the Austrians. Charles of Lorraine does not have a particular battle plan if it is not that to await the Prussians then to beat them while profiting from the advantage of the defensive position.

Unfolding

Pretense

On his side, Frederic arrives on the battle field and then decides to circumvent the Austrian army by the south and to attack his left side while benefitting from the greatest maneuverability of his army. He first of all launches some troops of cavalry and infantry towards north along the road to make diversion and give the impression of a central attack. The Austrian army reacts as envisaged and Charles of Lorraine will dismantle his left side by sending the cavalry of Daun towards his right side in reinforcement.

The operation

The remainder of the Prussian army, benefitting from the relief and the fog, moves towards the south in 2 parallel columns. About midday, the Prussian army carries out a quarter of turn on the left and is found in battle order on 2 lines on the side of the Austrian left side. The Austrian army does not have reacts and lost already the battle, remains to be seen which will be the extent of the defeat.

The attack

The troops of the general Wedell are in charge of the first attack. It attacks towards Sagschutz with the cavalry of Ziethen which demolishes the unfavourable cavalry. The attack violent, is supported by artillery and the Austrian line starts to beat a retreat towards Leuthen. At this time, Charles of Lorraine understands that it was Bern and tries to reform a line of combat while making swivel the unutilised troops of his right side. But skilful qualities of the Austrian army are not those of the Prussians and confusion settles. It is 15:30, the Austrian army east is after a fashion restored around Leuthen in the hope to stop the progression of the opposing army. The combat in Leuthen are wild but the Prussians take the top. The army of Charles of Lorraine east still in order but backward flow more and more.

Continuation and end

The Austrian cavalry then tries a last load on the left side of the Prussians. She sees herself accommodated by artillery and the infantry of Retzow like by a against-load of Driesen. Pushed back violently, the Austrian army ends up breaking under the general attack of the Prussian troops.

Assessment

The battle of Leuthen is a great victory for Frederic and allows him éradiquer the Austrian threat and to make sure definitively of the control of the Silesia. This battle is often regarded as more the good example of the military engineering of Fédéric with the implementation of one of its favorite strategy: the order obliques. For as much, the war is not finished because Russia and Sweden enter then concerned and attack Prussia. The Swedish army will be overcome but the Russian army will inflict 2 defeats with Frederic (with the Bataille of Zorndorf and the Bataille of Kunersdorf). The indecision of Russian and especially the death of Elisabeth, tsar of Russia in January 1762 will put a term at the Guerre Seven Year old. Prussia will then sign the Traité of Hubertusburg on February 15th 1763 which enables him to take control the control of Silesia but not of Saxony.

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