10-27-2006, 08:22 PM
Quote:What technological advances made it possible for Napoleon to move 500,000 men, that Xerxes did not have access to?
The major differences were those that allowed Napoleon to spread out his 500,000 men over a front hundreds of miles wide. The flank armies were considerable distances from the main axis of advance to Moscow. Napoleon's main army operated as corps d'armees, which allowed them to be spread up to a day's march apart. This required roads (although the Russian ones were appalling, I doubt they were worse than ones at the edge of the Persian empire), and bureaucracy enough to operate a staff system, and maps. Writen orders in multiple copies could be distributed to various sub-commander, all with reference to uniformly printed maps, and using the samy military vernacular and terminology. Without these measures, total chaos would ensue unless an army kept to one road - which brings the supply problems we have been discussing. Also, the French armies travelled pretty light by pre-industrial standards, even though there were extra items taken on the Russian campaign (i.e. carts for gathering provisions, etc.) and they kept moving to avoid starvation.
One of the main reasons the French losses were so high was that the retreat went across the same route as the advance - and the land was stripped bare; so starvation ensued.
Felix Wang
