Challenges to the Empire: the continental blockade; the Peninsular War; the Austrian campaign; the Russian campaign; the war of the Fourth Coalition
Napoleon's Empire faced a series of military and economic crises that steadily drained French power. Each challenge — from a trade war with Britain to catastrophic campaigns in Spain and Russia — exposed fatal weaknesses in his strategy.
Real World
Napoleon's 1812 Russian campaign — 600,000 men entered Russia, fewer than 100,000 returned — remains history's most cited example of overextension; military planners from Hitler in 1941 to modern strategists still use it as a case study in logistical failure.
Exam Focus
Prioritise the interconnection of challenges — the Continental System worsened relations with Russia, which directly caused the 1812 invasion — to access the higher analysis marks.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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