How did an 18th Century army work? This book is the most important
examination of such an army yet done, written by the premier
military historian of the era. Maria Theresa had seen her
inheritance almost lost to unprovoked attacks from her neighbours.
Her army had stood by her then, and was now trying desperately to
improve, as it had to face Frederick the Great, the master-soldier
of the era. But she and her ministers soon faced the dilemma of how
to fight a war without sacrificing what they were fighting for. The
structure of the army, the life of its soldiers, its strengths and
weaknesses, the personalities that gave it such a unique character,
from top to bottom, are all considered. Not only is the Austria of
Maria Theresa examined, but fascinating views appear of Prussian
opponents and French, Swedish and Russian armies. Efforts were made
to reshape the army, the state, and the world of diplomacy. Maria
Theresa wanted to be a mother to her army, to serve it as
faithfully as it served her. This is a study of what problems they
faced. The army and its needs affected all around it. Conscription,
taxation, constitutional change, bureaucracy, logistics, all of
these dominated countries that never witnessed a campaign. To most
of the inhabitants of Central Europe the army was the state, and
their lives cannot be understood without examining it. Conscription
tells us much about the homelands of the soldiers - the languages
they spoke, the professions they served, their willingness to serve
what to many was an alien monarch. The army provides an important
view of 18th Century Bohemia, Hungary, Croatia, Lombardy, Belgium
and Austria. Even the distant Irish played an important role in
this army. But this is no dry commentary. The 18th Century is
brought to life not only in the words of Christopher Duffy, but
also of the perceptive diplomat Kaunitz, experienced generals like
Daun and Loudon, Prussian spies and foreign attaches, a cynical
Belgian prince and a young Italian officer, and many others. Their
first-hand accounts explain the successes and failures of Austria
at war. The battles and campaigns of the Seven Years War cannot be
understood without knowledge of the instruments necessary to
conduct such a war. Every serious military historian should read
this book.
General
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