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Description
On 2 December 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte achieved what is seen as his greatest military victory as he defeated the combined armies of Austria and Russia.

Prelude:
In 1805, the newly self crowned emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte sought to invade Britain. But his plans were canceled after the empires of Austria and Russia Allied with Britain in a coalition with the goal to destroy napoleon. So in august Napoleon turned his armies away from the English channel and marched into the heart of Europe to deal with this new threat. in an amazing feat his armies marched with such speed they crossed the Danube in only 6 weeks, catching the coalition forces off guard and their forces scattered. Napoleon and his army achieved several swift victories against the Austrians and in november napoleon's army marched into Vienna. In just 2 months napoleon had marched his armies from the English channel to the heart of Europe, defeated the bulk of the Austrian army and sized Vienna. But the Russians had now arrived in Austria and linked up with the remains of the Austrian army and intended to crush napoleon with cheer numbers. But napoleon had a plan, lure the Austrians and Russians into a trap and a battle fought on his conditions. he chose an area near the village of Austerlitz, the battlefield was dominated by a height which most military strategists agrees are vital to hold in a battle, but Napoleon gave up the heights in the days before the battle. allowing the Russians to occupy it, and bellow the heights only a thin line of troops covered his flank. The Austrians were led by their emperor Francis II and the Russians were commanded by their emperor, Tsar Alexander I. The young tsar was eager and impulsive, lacking the military skills of napoleon which Napoleon would use to the fullest, Napoleon was luring the Russians into a trap.

Battle:
Napoleon's army was greatly outnumbered. 65000 frenchmen of La grand arme was facing 95000 Russian and Austrian troops. But napoleon intended to lure the Russians and Austrians into a trap. By leaving his strategic position of the heights and having a weak flank bellow it, he was sure the young and eager Tsar would attack just there. Which is exactly what happened, ignoring his military advisers, the Tsar ordered his soldiers to march off the heights and attack napoleon's flank, Unaware that napoleon had secretly reinforced it with 2 full divisions, secretly redeployed from Vienna, he had set up a trap and the Russians walked right into it. The attackers were stopped dead in their tracks and the french troops at the flanks, though still outnumbered held on. napoleon now went forward with the second part of his trap, With most of the focus on the flank the heights had been left with fewer defenders, Napoleon ordered 17000 men to march forward and retake them, Napoleon had the weather on his side, A well timed fog was covering the battlefield, so the Russians on the heights were taken completely by surprise when the french attacked and after some fierce fighting the french captured the heights, cutting the coalition army in 2. After taking the heights napoleon's army went through the cap and attacked the Coalition forces from behind totally Once again taking the Russians and Austrians by surprise and quickly broke them. In a few hours Napoleon had gone from the underdog to dominating the battlefield. the battle raged on for a few more hours with fierce and heroic fighting on both sides, but at 5 a clock the fighting stopped and napoleon stood as victor of the battle.

Aftermath:
Napoleon had completely crushed the Austrian and Russian armies, With the cost of 9000 french losses, The coalition suffered 16000 losses and 20000 captured. In 1 day napoleon had defeated the combined forces of Austria and Russia led by 2 emperors. After the battle the Austrian Emperor sued for peace while the Russians retreated back towards Russia. Shortly after the victory, peace was signed between France and Austria, the terms was harsh as the Austrians had to give up A lot of territory to France and it's Italian and German puppet kingdoms, but was at least allowed to keep it's army, not leaving Austria totally defenseless.

Austerlitz was and is still one of Napoleon's greatest victories in his career.
One interesting fact about austerlitz is that napoleon semi predicted his later downfall by aledgadly saying after the battle that he could keep going the way he did for another 7 years or so, 7 years later he was defeated in russia.

Description
On 2 December 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte achieved what is seen as his greatest military victory as he defeated the combined armies of Austria and Russia.

Prelude:
In 1805, the newly self crowned emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte sought to invade Britain. But his plans were canceled after the empires of Austria and Russia Allied with Britain in a coalition with the goal to destroy napoleon. So in august Napoleon turned his armies away from the English channel and marched into the heart of Europe to deal with this new threat. in an amazing feat his armies marched with such speed they crossed the Danube in only 6 weeks, catching the coalition forces off guard and their forces scattered. Napoleon and his army achieved several swift victories against the Austrians and in november napoleon's army marched into Vienna. In just 2 months napoleon had marched his armies from the English channel to the heart of Europe, defeated the bulk of the Austrian army and sized Vienna. But the Russians had now arrived in Austria and linked up with the remains of the Austrian army and intended to crush napoleon with cheer numbers. But napoleon had a plan, lure the Austrians and Russians into a trap and a battle fought on his conditions. he chose an area near the village of Austerlitz, the battlefield was dominated by a height which most military strategists agrees are vital to hold in a battle, but Napoleon gave up the heights in the days before the battle. allowing the Russians to occupy it, and bellow the heights only a thin line of troops covered his flank. The Austrians were led by their emperor Francis II and the Russians were commanded by their emperor, Tsar Alexander I. The young tsar was eager and impulsive, lacking the military skills of napoleon which Napoleon would use to the fullest, Napoleon was luring the Russians into a trap.

Battle:
Napoleon's army was greatly outnumbered. 65000 frenchmen of La grand arme was facing 95000 Russian and Austrian troops. But napoleon intended to lure the Russians and Austrians into a trap. By leaving his strategic position of the heights and having a weak flank bellow it, he was sure the young and eager Tsar would attack just there. Which is exactly what happened, ignoring his military advisers, the Tsar ordered his soldiers to march off the heights and attack napoleon's flank, Unaware that napoleon had secretly reinforced it with 2 full divisions, secretly redeployed from Vienna, he had set up a trap and the Russians walked right into it. The attackers were stopped dead in their tracks and the french troops at the flanks, though still outnumbered held on. napoleon now went forward with the second part of his trap, With most of the focus on the flank the heights had been left with fewer defenders, Napoleon ordered 17000 men to march forward and retake them, Napoleon had the weather on his side, A well timed fog was covering the battlefield, so the Russians on the heights were taken completely by surprise when the french attacked and after some fierce fighting the french captured the heights, cutting the coalition army in 2. After taking the heights napoleon's army went through the cap and attacked the Coalition forces from behind totally Once again taking the Russians and Austrians by surprise and quickly broke them. In a few hours Napoleon had gone from the underdog to dominating the battlefield. the battle raged on for a few more hours with fierce and heroic fighting on both sides, but at 5 a clock the fighting stopped and napoleon stood as victor of the battle.

Aftermath:
Napoleon had completely crushed the Austrian and Russian armies, With the cost of 9000 french losses, The coalition suffered 16000 losses and 20000 captured. In 1 day napoleon had defeated the combined forces of Austria and Russia led by 2 emperors. After the battle the Austrian Emperor sued for peace while the Russians retreated back towards Russia. Shortly after the victory, peace was signed between France and Austria, the terms was harsh as the Austrians had to give up A lot of territory to France and it's Italian and German puppet kingdoms, but was at least allowed to keep it's army, not leaving Austria totally defenseless.

Austerlitz was and is still one of Napoleon's greatest victories in his career.
One interesting fact about austerlitz is that napoleon semi predicted his later downfall by aledgadly saying after the battle that he could keep going the way he did for another 7 years or so, 7 years later he was defeated in russia.