Battle of Kunersdorf. Results of the Seven Years' War

The Battle of Kunersdorf became one of the main battles of the Seven Years' War. Despite the fact that it was decisive, the winner could not take advantage of the results of the triumph for several reasons. Thus, the results of the Seven Years' War were determined not by the Battle of Kunersdorf, but by a number of other factors. Nevertheless, this fact does not detract from the significance of this battle in the history of military art.

The causes of the Seven Years' War

The main reason for the Seven Years' War was the growing contradiction between the major European powers: Prussia and Great Britain on the one hand and the Holy Roman Empire of the Habsburgs, France, Spain and the Russian Empire on the other. A number of smaller states joined the conflict. The subject of contention was the lands in the overseas colonies, as well as the territorial dispute between the Prussian Hohenzollerns and the Austrian Habsburgs over Silesia.

Most of the great European states were dissatisfied with the rise of Prussia, which violated the existing system of geopolitical relations. At the same time, between the British crown and France there were unceasing disputes over the overseas colonies, turning into local wars. This pushed the British into an alliance with the Prussians, against which the French came out. The Russian Empress Elizabeth was also not satisfied with the strengthening of Frederick II, the King of Prussia.

The War Begins

The first fighting began Prussian troops. On their part, it was a kind of preventive strike. Frederick II - the King of Prussia - did not want to wait for his numerous enemies to gather all the forces and perform at a convenient time for them.

In August 1756, Prussian troops invaded the territory of the electorate of Saxony, which was an ally of the Austrian Habsburgs. They quickly occupied this principality. Immediately after this, the Russian and Holy Roman empires declared war on Prussia.

During the year 1757, the fighting between the Hapsburg and Prussian troops proceeded with varying success. At the same time, Sweden and Russia joined the active military operations, the commander-in-chief of which army was Field Marshal Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin. The rather effective actions of the Russian troops ended in a brilliant victory at Gross-Jägersdorf.

In 1758, the command of the Russian army was entrusted to General Fermor. Initially, under his leadership, the troops acted quite successfully. But in August, the Zorndorf battle took place, which did not bring victory to either side, but it cost enormous sacrifices.

Military operations on the eve of the Battle of Kunersdorf

In the spring of 1759, the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops was appointed general-anshef Peter Semyonovich Saltykov. He was considered a reliable and experienced commander, but until then no outstanding merit for him was not listed.

Under his leadership, the Russian army moved west toward the Oder River, intending to unite with Austrian troops. During this transition, June 23, 1759, under Palzig was defeated Prussian corps, consisting of 28,000 people. So successfully PS Saltykov began his military company. Soon, the Russian and Austrian armies united in Frankfurt-on-Oder.

At the same time, Frederick II moved towards the united forces, wishing to defeat them in a key battle and thereby secure a decisive advantage in the course of the entire war.

On August 12, the opposing armies met to try to decide the fate of the war in the battle, known as the Battle of Kunersdorf. The year 1759 was marked by this great battle.

The forces of the parties

To the place of the battle, which will later become known as the Kunersdorf battle, Prussian King Frederick II led an army of 48,000 soldiers. For the most part, they were experienced veterans who had passed through the Prussian military school, and who participated not in one battle. In addition, the Prussian army had 200 artillery pieces.

Forty-one thousand soldiers were in the Russian troops. In addition, PS Saltykov had a cavalry consisting of 5200 Kalmyk horsemen. Austrian troops led by Ernest Gideon von Lauden numbered 18,500 soldiers and riders. The Allied Army had in total 248 artillery pieces.

Location of troops before the battle

The Prussian army settled itself in a standard way. The main troops were in the center, on each side was the cavalry, and a little forward was put forward a small avant-garde.

The Russian-Austrian troops settled on three highlands. Thus, they tried to gain an advantage over the enemy. The hills were convenient for defending their positions, but for the enemy they represented a rather significant obstacle.

It was this location of the Allied forces that had a significant impact on how the battle of Kunersdorf was going on. The commander Saltykov was with the main forces in the center. The left flank of the Russian army was commanded by Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn. Since this was the weakest link in the allied forces, manned in a considerable number of recruits, Frederick II intended to inflict the brunt of his army on him.

Course of battle

The Battle of Kunersdorf began at nine o'clock in the morning, when the Prussian artillery guns opened fire on the Allied army. The direction of the fire was concentrated towards the left flank of the Russian troops, which was commanded by Prince Golitsyn. At 10 am the Russian artillery returned fire. However, its effectiveness was much less than Prussian. Another hour later, the enemy's troops inflicted a blow on the weakest left wing of the Russian troops by infantry. Before the superior number of Prussians, the unit, under the command of Prince Golitsyn, was to retreat.

In the course of further combat, the troops of Frederick II managed to capture almost all of the Russian artillery. The Prussian king had already triumphed over the victory and even sent a messenger to the capital with this news.

But the allied forces did not even think to stop resistance. Petr Semyonovich Saltykov ordered the transfer of additional forces to the height of Spitsberg, for which at that time there were the most fierce battles. To reap the allied forces, Frederick II decided to use the cavalry. But because of the hilly terrain, its effectiveness has been significantly reduced. Allied forces succeeded in discarding the Prussian offensive and throwing Frederick's army from the heights of Spitzberg.

This failure was fatal for the army of Prussia. Many of its commanders were killed, and Frederick himself miraculously escaped death. To remedy the situation, he connected his last reserve - cuirassiers. But they were swept away by the Kalmyk cavalry.

After that, the allied offensive began. The Prussian army rushed to flight, but the crush at the ferry further aggravated the situation. Frederick II had not known such a crushing defeat before. Of the 48,000 warriors, the king was able to withdraw from the battlefield only three thousand battle-worthy soldiers. Thus ended the battle of Kunersdorf.

Losses of the parties

During the battle, 6,271 people were killed from the Prussian army. 1356 soldiers were missing, although, most likely, most of them also found death. A total of 4,599 people were captured. In addition, 2,055 soldiers deserted. But the most weighty part among the Prussian losses was the wounded - 11342 people. Naturally, they could no longer be considered full-fledged combat units. The total number of losses of the Prussian army was 25623 people.

In the Allied forces, losses were no less. Thus, 7060 people were killed, of which 5614 Russians and 1,446 Austrians. There were 1150 soldiers missing, of which 703 Russians. The number of wounded with a total of more than 15,300 people. In addition, at the beginning of the battle by the Prussian troops, five thousand soldiers of the allied army were taken prisoner. The total loss was 28,512 people.

After the battle

Thus, the Prussian army suffered a severe defeat, which marked the battle of Kunersdorf. 1759 could be the time of the complete destruction of the kingdom of Prussia. Frederick II had only three thousand battle-worthy soldiers who could not give worthy resistance to the Allied army numbering tens of thousands of people. The way to Berlin for the Russian troops was opened. Even Frederick was at that time confident that his state would soon be over. This year alone, the results of the Seven Years' War could be summed up. True, then it would not have been called that way.

The Miracle of the Brandenburg House

Nevertheless, despite such bright prospects for the Allied army, the Battle of Kunersdorf could not bring a decisive turn in the course of military operations. This was due to the presence of a number of contradictions between the leadership of Russian and Austrian troops. At a time when it was necessary to organize a lightning march to Berlin, they withdrew their armies, not having reached agreement on further joint actions. Moreover, both the Russians and the Austrians blamed the other side for violating the agreements.

Such inconsistency of the allied army inspired Friedrich, who had already lost all hope for a favorable outcome for his country. In just a few days, he was able to recruit another 30,000-strong army. Now everyone was sure that the Allied forces would not be able to join Berlin without fierce resistance. Moreover, there were great doubts that the Prussian capital could be obtained at all.

In fact, due to the inconsistency of the command's actions, the Allied forces lost the huge advantage they gained after the Kunersdorf battle. This successful combination of circumstances Friedrich II christened "The Miracle of the Brandenburg House."

The further course of hostilities

Although the complete catastrophe of Prussia was avoided, further military actions in 1759 were not in its favor. The troops of Frederick II suffered one defeat after another. Prussia and England were forced to ask for peace, but Russia and Austria, hoping to finish off the rival, did not agree to the agreement.

Meanwhile, the English fleet managed to inflict a major defeat on the French in the Sea of Kiberon, and Friedrich II in 1760 defeated the Austrians at Torgau. However, this triumph was very expensive for him.

The fighting continued with varying success. But in 1761 the Austrian and Russian armies again suffered a number of crushing defeats to the Prussian state, of which few believed that it would recover.

And again Frederick II was saved by a miracle. The Russian empire made peace with him. Moreover, she entered the war on the side of the recent enemy. This was explained by the fact that Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, who always saw a threat in Prussia, was replaced by a German by birth, Peter III, literally idolized Frederick II. This led to the fact that the Prussian crown was once again saved.

End of the Seven Years' War

After that, it became clear that in the near future none of the sides of the conflict will achieve a final victory. At the same time, the human losses in all armies have reached a huge number, and the resources of the belligerent countries have been depleted. Therefore, the states participating in the war began attempts to agree among themselves.

In 1762, France and Prussia agreed on peace. And next year the war was over.

The general results of the Seven Years' War

The general results of the Seven Years' War can be characterized by the following theses:

1. No side of the conflict has reached a full victory, although the British and Prussian coalitions have achieved greater success.

2. The Seven Years' War was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 18th century.

3. Battle of Kunersdorf and other successful actions of the Russian army were leveled by the inconsistency of positions with the Austrians and the separate world of Peter III with Frederick II.

4. Britain managed to capture a significant part of the French colonies.

5. Silesia, to which the Austrian Habsburgs claimed, finally withdrew to Prussia.

Consequences of the Seven Years' War

Even after the conclusion of the peace, contradictions between the groupings of countries were not resolved, but only further heated. But the huge human losses and the economic exhaustion of the warring parties as a result of the Seven Years' War made it impossible to resume a large-scale military conflict between the coalitions of European countries right up to the end of the 18th century, when the French revolutionary and Napoleonic wars began. However, local conflicts in Europe often occurred even during this period. But the main wars for the purpose of colonial division of the world were still ahead.