Battle of Austerlitz

About

The Battle of Austerlitz, fought on December 2, 1805, was a pivotal engagement in the Napoleonic Wars. It took place near the town of Austerlitz (now Slavkov u Brna) in Moravia, Czech Republic. Napoleon's French army, numbering about 68,000 troops, faced an Austro-Russian coalition of nearly 90,000 soldiers under General Mikhail Kutuzov. The battle is renowned for Napoleon's tactical genius, as he deliberately weakened his right flank to lure the allies into attacking, while secretly concentrating his forces to strike at the enemy's center. The French victory was decisive, with the allies suffering heavy casualties: approximately 15,000 killed or wounded and 11,000 captured. In contrast, French losses were around 9,000. The battle led to the Treaty of Pressburg, forcing Austria to make peace with France. It marked the end of the Third Coalition and cemented Napoleon's military reputation. The battle's strategic brilliance and its impact on European politics make it one of the most studied military engagements in history.