How Did Napoleon Bonaparte Use Spanish Resistance

Napoleon and the Spanish Resistance Throughout time, the military has been considered one of the key features in a civilization. It has been considered the heart and soul of many countries and empires and has been the center of many cultures. Throughout history we have seen many military leaders and military powers. We have seen military techniques and technology change as we progress. Our schools are filled with legends of great war heroes and hard-fought battles. One such hero is Napoleon Bonaparte, perhaps one of the greatest generals who ever lived. In his adventures and conquest, as general of the French army, he warred against many lands. These included Spain, in which Napoleon met a strong resistance. The Spaniards were using a new …show more content…
Each battle would usually consist of a significant number of soldiers going straight towards each other until they forced the other to retreat. Guerilla warfare on the other hand doesn't rely on this premise. In order to successfully defeat your opponent using guerilla tactics, you must rely instead on a series of smaller confrontations (Free Dictionary). By using these "hit-and-run" strategies, guerilla fighters can quickly tire they're opponents and not lose as many men. Another difference, is that guerilla war relies heavily on ambush. Ambush is when the ambushing force uses concealment to attack an enemy that passes its position. (Free Dictionary) Most guerillas will camouflage themselves in thick forests or hide on hilltops. Some guerillas will even use crowds to conceal themselves, called urban guerillas. Urban guerillas have to rely heavily on support from the citizens. Guerilla warfare basically relies on one standard. The element of surprise. Often, guerillas will not be in uniform and carry just a concealed weapon. By doing this it helps the guerillas startle the enemy and catch them off guard, giving them the clear cut advantage. Also, the enemy is always in a state of fear, never knowing when or where these guerillas could pop out and attack. They are constantly on …show more content…
Napoleon's once unequaled army was now diminishing. After defeats in Spain and misfortune in Russia, countries began to realize that Napoleon's "invincible" reputation was tainted. For the first time people saw that this "unstoppable" general could, in fact, be stopped. Momentum and hope were gained by all of Napoleon's enemies. In 1813, Napoleon was in his German campaign. However, because of the Peninsular war, he was unable to send troops causing them to be 200,000 troops short. This created even more casualties and death for Napoleon, as he could just stand and watch his empire fall. Even more enemies were gathering against Napoleon, sensing his newfound weakness. Austria, Britain, Russia, Prussia and Sweden all joined forces to fight against Napoleon. Napoleon's forces were now by far outnumbered by this new alliance and he was barely holding on. Eventually, the allies would attack Paris and take the city. When Napoleon returned and heard of the defeat he knew it was the end. Finally realizing that his unstoppable armies had been stopped for good he abdicated on April 11th, 1814. The Peninsular War has helped diminish Napoleon's armies and expose his weaknesses. His enemies had finally caught on and in the end it was the great Napoleon who finally gave