Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Napoleon and Federick the Great

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Belisarius View Drop Down
Chieftain
Chieftain

Suspended

Joined: 09-Dec-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1296
  Quote Belisarius Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Napoleon and Federick the Great
    Posted: 28-Dec-2004 at 22:08

Everyone knows Napoleon. However, not many know that Napoleon in some ways idolized Federick the Great of Prussia.

Though I am familiar with Napoleon and his battles, I am not familiar with Federick's tactics. Who was the more capable general, fellow forum goers?

Back to Top
TheOrcRemix View Drop Down
Consul
Consul
Avatar

Joined: 28-Dec-2004
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 369
  Quote TheOrcRemix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-Dec-2004 at 22:18
I believe Nepoleon was a more capable gerneral becuase he motivated people that no general could ever do.
True peace is not the absence of tension, but the presence of justice.
Sir Francis Drake is the REAL Pirate of the Caribbean
Back to Top
J.M.Finegold View Drop Down
Baron
Baron


Joined: 11-Dec-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 457
  Quote J.M.Finegold Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2004 at 11:32
I'll still go with Napoleon, although Frederich the Great was another genius of warfare - however, he also suffered a lot of defeats.  His true genius lay in the fact that he was able to pick up moral after each defeat and then inflict a defeat on his enemies with a vengeance (Rossbach anyone?).
Back to Top
Temujin View Drop Down
King
King
Avatar
Sirdar Bahadur

Joined: 02-Aug-2004
Location: Eurasia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5221
  Quote Temujin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2004 at 14:16

of course I have to go with Napoleon, but they're almost on the same level, military wise. It was Frederick who had the habit of dressing in a grey coat, later copied by Napoleon and Hitler. Napoleon also visited the tomb of Frederick after the capture of Berlin, like Hitler visited the tomb of Napoleon after the capture of Paris.

Back to Top
Belisarius View Drop Down
Chieftain
Chieftain

Suspended

Joined: 09-Dec-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1296
  Quote Belisarius Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Jan-2005 at 11:41

Originally posted by DuxPimpJuice

I'll still go with Napoleon, although Frederich the Great was another genius of warfare - however, he also suffered a lot of defeats.  His true genius lay in the fact that he was able to pick up moral after each defeat and then inflict a defeat on his enemies with a vengeance (Rossbach anyone?).

From what I've heard, Frederick was always horribly outnumbered when going into his battles. Napoleon had the most populous country in Europe behind him.

Back to Top
Genghis View Drop Down
Caliph
Caliph
Avatar

Joined: 02-Aug-2004
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2656
  Quote Genghis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Jan-2005 at 12:39
Keep in mind that Napoleon's Empire was lost and that he died in exile on a deserted island and that Frederick kept his conquests (Silesia) and died warm in his bed, the leader of a much strengthened power.
Member of IAEA
Back to Top
J.M.Finegold View Drop Down
Baron
Baron


Joined: 11-Dec-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 457
  Quote J.M.Finegold Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Jan-2005 at 12:50
Napoleon was also outnumbered in most numbers (although not horribly)... but Napoleon conquered more...and ... I win..no you can't persuade me different... 
Back to Top
Tobodai View Drop Down
Tsar
Tsar
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 03-Aug-2004
Location: Antarctica
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4310
  Quote Tobodai Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Jan-2005 at 15:52

Originally posted by Genghis

Keep in mind that Napoleon's Empire was lost and that he died in exile on a deserted island and that Frederick kept his conquests (Silesia) and died warm in his bed, the leader of a much strengthened power.

 

yes I think that is most important, whatever the battles, Frederick won his wars, Napoleon lost.

"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
Back to Top
J.M.Finegold View Drop Down
Baron
Baron


Joined: 11-Dec-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 457
  Quote J.M.Finegold Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Jan-2005 at 16:39
But, the question wasn't who was the better administrator, or better politician.  The question was who was the most capable general.  And Napoleon shows a much better understanding of tactics and strategy than Frederick the Great.  Much of Frederick's victories came after years and years of his own battlefield failures, and he was very lucky the Russians decided to end the war, because had the Russians continued with the invasion of Russia it was very possible that Prussia would have fallen.
Back to Top
Temujin View Drop Down
King
King
Avatar
Sirdar Bahadur

Joined: 02-Aug-2004
Location: Eurasia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5221
  Quote Temujin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Jan-2005 at 14:55
yes, Frederick was able to keep Silesia due to sheer luck. Russia dropped out becasue the new Czar was pro-Prussian and the French got badly mauled int ehir colonies by the English and on the continent by Fredericks army, so the war got too expenisve for them and they dropped out. the Austrians were elft alone and dropped out of the war. but militarily, at the end of the 3rd Silesian war (7 years war), Frederick was at the verge of total defeat, like Napoleon in 1814.
Back to Top
TheDiplomat View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 09-Aug-2004
Location: Turkey
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1988
  Quote TheDiplomat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Feb-2005 at 02:39

Frederick The Great once remarked ''Diplomacy without force is like music without instruments.''

He was the biggest German hero for Hitler in the German History.

ARDA:The best Turkish diplomat ever!

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.078 seconds.