The worst armies in history

Originally posted by kurt The Belgian army of world war two gets my vote. They surrendered to the Germans after a day of fighting, in spite of help from both Britain and France - not that the French were particularly spectacular in that war.

Ottoman army after 1683.

Originally posted by Al Jassas It managed to crush several rebellions and put a brave but unsuccessful resistance (with some stunning victories) to the much larger Russian armies in the wars during the 19th century.

Originally posted by Al Jassas the heavy politicization of the army and lack of deplomatic skill did the army became crappy and lost miserably in the desaster of 1912. But it regained some of its honor during WWI although they could have done much better if people other than Enver and Talat led the army during the initial stages of the war.   Al-Jassas

Originally posted by kurt The Belgian army of world war two gets my vote. They surrendered to the Germans after a day of fighting, in spite of help from both Britain and France - not that the French were particularly spectacular in that war.

the Belgian Army fought until the end. just because their country was overrun didn't prevented them to continue fighting.

Originally posted by Tancr�de Austrian army between Napoleonics wars and WWI was very inefficient. They suffered many many defeats between 1792 and 1815, th worst were Rivoli 1797 Hohenlinden 1800 Ulm 1805 Auzterlitz 1805 Dresde 1813. In 1849 they needed the assistance of the Russians for crushing Hungarian rebels. In 1859 they lost against French and Sardinian. In 1866 they lost a war against Prussia only in 7 weeks ( ex disaster of sadowa ) During WWI Austro Hungarian suffered many disasters against Serbian Russian and Italian...

that is not an accurate picture. the Austrian army of the NapWars fought longer than any other army other than the French and they scored quite some victories over France, including early Revulotinary Wars in Netherlands and Germany, as well as Aspern/Essling and later descisively participated in the Leipzig campaign and almost crushed Napoleon at Arcis-sur-Aube.

in the time between NapWars and WW1, Austria
- annexed Cracow
- defeated the Piedmont-Sardinia in 1848 and putting down an Italian uprising, while at the same time defeating Hungary with help of Croatia and Russia and putting down an uprising in Bohemia.
- Austrias threat to participate in the Crimean War as Russian ally helped Russia not losing the war after already occupying the Romanian principalities.
- defeated the Italians again, on land AND sea, while at war with Prussia in 1866
- annexed Bosnia from the Ottoman Empire

in ww1, they struggled on more fronts almost from the beginning than France in the Nap, Wars or Germany in ww2 after '43 and where still sucessfull. against Serbia there was a stalemate, even though the Serbians and Monenegrin amries combined outnumbered them initially. Serbia was eventually overrun with 2 Bulgarian, oen German and one K.u.K. army though. on the Alps front there was stalemate even though the Italians outnumbered the K.u.K. armies but they were still able to hold off any Italian offensive and even conduct an initially successive offensive themselves. on the east frotn they were outnubmered (as always) and suffered initially heavy losses against Russia but were still able to overcome them adn with help of Germany fight off and eventually defeat an Romanian invasion in Transsylvania and eventually reverse the Brusilov and sucessive offensvies and take almost all of Ukraine eventually. all this fighting took its toll and resutled in the collapse of the Danube monarchy, so it had to end the war after setbacks as results of shortage, not ebcause of enemy superiority. overall, the Habsburg armies were never the best in Europe, but unlike other great powers, they also had never a bad army...


Edited by Temujin - 31-Aug-2007 at 15:41

Originally posted by Texas worst army of all times ----------- Mexican Army during Mexican/American War

Hello to you all

Originally posted by Temujin that is not an accurate picture. the Austrian army of the NapWars fought longer than any other army other than the French and they scored quite some victories over France, including early Revulotinary Wars in Netherlands and Germany, as well as Aspern/Essling and later descisively participated in the Leipzig campaign and almost crushed Napoleon at Arcis-sur-Aube.

True but austrians were members of coalition, they weren't lonely and they suffered many crushing defeats.
for one victory they suffered many defeats.

at Arcis-sur Aube they were 80 000 against 28 000...
At Aspern they were 96 000 against 28 000 the first day and 90 000 against 65 000 the second day.

in 1805 their army has been destroyed in some weeks practiccaly without fight (ulm campaign)

Originally posted by Temujin in the time between NapWars and WW1, Austria- annexed Cracow- defeated the Piedmont-Sardinia in 1848 and putting down an Italian uprising,

Yes it was but against weak armies

Originally posted by Temujin    defeated the Italians again, on land AND sea,

They won some battles but lost the war

Originally posted by Temujin while at war with Prussia in 1866-

Yas and Austria lost this war in one month...

Originally posted by Temujin annexed Bosnia from the Ottoman Empire

Yes after turkish defeat against Russia...so after the war.....

Originally posted by Temujin in ww1, they struggled on more fronts almost from the beginning than France in the Nap, Wars or Germany in ww2 after '43 and where still sucessfull.

In WWI when they were lonely Austrian practiccaly never won
they won when germans helped them and in all fronts.

Originally posted by Temujin against Serbia there was a stalemate, even though the Serbians and Monenegrin amries combined outnumbered them initially. Serbia was eventually overrun with 2 Bulgarian, oen German and one K.u.K. army though.

battle of Cer : Austrian 200 000 against 180 000 Serbian,
Austrian lost

battle of Kolubara : Austrians 280 000 against 250 000 Serbian
Austrian lost.

battle Battle of Mojkovac : Austrians 20 000 against 6 500 Montenegrins
Austrian lost

Originally posted by Temujin even conduct an initially successive offensive themselves.

at Caporetto they were helped by Germans....

Edited by Tancr�de - 31-Aug-2007 at 19:11

Originally posted by Al Jassas Hello to you all   No, most territory that the ottomans lost were in 19th century wars, the only lost the Crimea (which was more of a vassal state) and Moldova. In the 19th century they lost most of the caucasus including parts of current day eastern Turkey (Ardahan, Kars, Rize and parts of Erzurum) as well as Greece, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro which would never had gained independence if they were not invaded by Russia and independence was forced on the Turks. As for outnumbering Turks, the turks were out numbered and out gunned starting from the 1787-1794 war onwards.