Christopher Duffy (1) (1936–2022)

Taking the Age of Reason as approximately 1715-1789, Duffy seeks to portray what it was like to be a (European) soldier of the period, looking at both peacetime and wartime conditions. Most examples are from the campaigns of Frederick the Great, but the western theatre of the Seven Years War and the American Revolution* also make strong showings. The rank and file, regimental officers, and the high command all get dealt with.

A pretty good book, presuming some background knowledge but seemingly aimed at the general reader rather than the fellow expert. Citations are sparse but the bibliography is extensive, including many eighteenth century works. Unfortunately, the version I read was a carelessly done ebook (bought at Kobo), whose OCR errors and similar infelicities put a damper on my enjoyment.

* An interesting tidbit is that, apparently, French officers who fought for the American Revolution were slightly less likely to support the French one when it broke out some years later than colleagues who stayed in Europe.… (plus d'informations)

Christopher Duffy is a military historian whose writing never disappoints. His work about Suvorov’s 1799 campaign in Italy and Switzerland is a joy to read. If only the editors had been a little bit more quality-oriented regarding the spelling and the standardization of names. The focus of the book lies on Suvorov’s adventures in Northern Italy. The addition of Suvorov’s soldiers tipped the balance strongly in favor of the Austrians who, in contrast to Suvorov, did not want to risk their initial gains and very content with restoring control over their Italian territories. The Russians fought well against the French, led by quite a number of future marshals. The unsung hero of the Italian part of the campaign is Johann Gabriel Chasteler, Suvorov's chief of staff born in the Austrian Netherlands. His management skill in necessary logistics and command made his chief’s crazy ideas possible. While Suvorov force-marched his Russians against the enemy, Chasteler kept up the lines of supply and interior lines. Unfortunately for the Swiss part of the campaign, he was wounded and replaced by Franz von Weyrother who managed to have a hand in the destruction of not one but two Russian armies. Despite his failure in the Swiss campaign, he was assigned to design the order of battle at Austerlitz. His elaborate design proved to be as unsuitable for the Russian needs as the path selected across the Alps.

Suvorov went one Alpine pass too far in Switzerland: Instead of playing it safe and taking a route controlled by the Austrians, Suvorov took the direct route over the Saint Gotthard pass toward Altdorf which was defended by the French. In contrast to the mythology, the French were not present in strength and their defense was mostly accidental. The focus of French attention was in the Valais and in the Mittelland; the forces sent into the inhospitable Alpine regions served mostly as flank protection. Suvorov was defeated thus by his own (and Austrian) bad logistics and the predictably blocked exits to the Mittelland. The unnecessary necessary detour in horrible terrain, ably represented by Duffy's photographies, wrecked Suvorov’s constitution and his army. When the army finally emerged from its Alpine adventure, the Russian field artillery sent through less strenuous Austrian passes was already waiting for Suvorov. The two broken Russian armies, one wrecked by the French second battle of Zurich, the other frittered away in the Alps, were spent and returned home.

The French and Austrians learned the costly lesson of keeping military forces in Switzerland too: As the country is criss-crossed by mountains and rivers, it creates numerous mutually unsupported positions that have to be guarded by large numbers which are prone to be ambushed and defeated in detail. The lack of local agricultural resources requires costly logistics. Thus, it is cheaper for all not to invade Switzerland and acknowledge Swiss neutrality..… (plus d'informations)