On 22 May, Frederick Schneid will speak at the Fondation Napoléon in English on “The Ghost of Napoleon and the Haunting of the Italian Campaign of 1859.”
The campaign of 1859, witnessed the return of French armies to Italy. The Franco-Piedmontese alliance determined to chase the Austrians from Lombardy-Venetia, and in doing so facilitate the first phase of Italian unification. The generals on all sides developed their respective strategies as war loomed, and operations commenced. It is clear that through the planning and conduct of operations the events of Napoleon's 1796 campaign were never far from their thoughts. Indeed, Napoleon III consulted the aged Baron Antoine Jomini on matters of strategy for this new campaign. The Austrian commander, Baron Franz Gyulai, so feared a manoeuvre sur les derrières, that it blinded his reason and obscured the true nature of French-Piedmontese movements. This ultimately led to the battle of Magenta, and the Austrian loss of Lombardy. This presentation will explore the influence of 1796 on the conduct of war in 1859.
To reserve a place for this exciting event, please email Brigitte Claré or telephone the Fondation on 01 56 43 46 00.
Professor Frederick Schneid is Department Chair and Professor of History at High Point University in North Carolina. He teaches European history 1600-1945, and has published widely on the French Revolution and Napoleonic Era as well as general military history.
Address:
FONDATION NAPOLEON
7 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
75005 Paris
France
Langue(s) : English