Fighting for Napoleon in Austria; Poland; Spain and the Alps Thomas Robert Bugeaud was the impoverished son of an aristocratic family which had narrowly escaped the guillotine of the Revolution. Necessity; rather than conviction; forced him reluctantly into the ranks of the Imperial Guard Grenadiers; where his position as a Velite put him on the fast track to higher rank. Bugeaud provides an interesting view of Napoleon's preparations for the invasion of Britain and recounts his experiences afloat in naval actions in the Channel. After Austerlitz and promotion he joins the Line Infantry as an officer. Poland and Pultusk brought battle and wounds. A transfer to Spain with the 116th Infantry flung Bugeaud headlong into the uprising of 1808 in Madrid and the bloody capture of Saragossa; followed by a war to the death with guerrillas until the retreat to France. The First Restoration brought colonelcy in the Bourbon army; but the 100 Days called Bugeaud back to the tricolour for fighting in the Alpine Campaign. From private to colonel in Napoleon's army-the early career of a man who would win his baton in the sands of North Africa.
#1379380 in Books Osprey Publishing 2006-10-31 2006-10-31Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .38 x .18 x 7.26l; .70 #File Name: 184603018896 pages9781846030185
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Gamechanger...By HMS WarspiteIn February 1945; the Allies armies in the West were preparing their final assault on the Third Reich. Montgomery's 21st Army Group was expected to lead the way. The battered German Army planned to make its stand behind the major obstacle of the Rhine River; after blowing all the bridges. However; an opportunistic offensive by Bradley's 12 Army Group put U.S. soldiers suddenly on the west Bank of the Rhine River; in position to seize an intact bridge at Ramagen..."Ramagen 1945" is an Osprey Campaign Series book; authored by veteran historian Steven Zaloga; with illustrations by Peter Dennis. It captures the undoubted drama of the moment; as command confusion on the German side allowed Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division to seize the intact Ramagen bridge. The U.S. Army alertly poured troops and tanks over the river while fighting off German counterattacks and air raids. The seizure of the bridge changed Allied plans; enabling a game-changing encirclement of German Army Group B on the east side of the Rhine.This Osprey book opens with an introduction to the strategic situation in early 1945; followed by a comparison of the opposing sides and their commanders and respective plans. The heart of the narrative is the exciting seizure of the Ramagen Bridge and the fighting that followed. The text is very nicely supported by a fascinating collection of photographs; maps; diagrams; and modern illustrations. It is a very highly readable introduction into one of the decisive campaigns of the Second World War in Europe.8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. small battle - big resultBy Gary E. BinderMany WW2 history buffs are familiar with how the US 9th Armored Division found an undestroyed bridge over the Rhine River; staged a daring attack and how the last physical barrier into the heart of Hitler's Germany was crossed. Mr. Zaloga looks not only at the actions around the small town of Remagen itself; but how this event changed Allied strategy in the final weeks of the war. For the history trivia fan there is good information presented about the terrain around Remagen; about the various units from both sides that were involved in the fighting and about the efforts to protect the bridgehead. By grabbing a foothold on the far side and steadily building up and widening it; the Americans were able to coordinate with the large British crossing operation later and create a huge encirclement of the major German forces protecting their industrial heart. To quote a tag line from a 1969 movie "the Germans lost a bridge; thirty days later they lost a war". Very readable and organized text with good illustrations. An excellent addition to your collection.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent study of the Battle of RemagenBy James D. CrabtreeIn March 1945 the U.S. Army; through an almost comical set of circumstances; managed to get to one of the Rhine bridges before the Germans could destroy it. The fight to take control of it and defend it against everything the Germans could throw at it (jet bombers; frogmen; SS V-2s; etc.) is a testament to the American fighting man. Mr. Zaloga has done an excellent job of telling the story and setting the circumstances. The photos; maps and other illustrations make this a great introduction to this closing chapter of WWII in Europe.
