- Paperback: 574 pages
- Publisher: Greenhill Books; illustrated edition edition (15 Sep 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1853676632
- ISBN-13: 978-1853676635
- Product Dimensions: 21.2 x 13.8 x 5.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 765,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Synopsis
The 1807 - 14 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Arising from Napoleon's strategic requirement that he impose his rule over Portugal and Spain, it evolved into a constant drain on his resources. Sir Charles Oman's seven-volume history of the campaign is an unrivalled and essential work. His extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese and British participants' accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history.. The definitive history of the Peninsular War by one of the greatest 20th-century historians. Comprehensive maps, orders of battle and lists of strengths and casualties VOLUME SEVEN: AUGUST 1813 TO APRIL 14, 1814: THE CAPTURE OF ST SEBASTIAN, WELLINGTON's INVASION OF FRANCE, BATTLES OF THE NIVELLE, THE NIVE, ORTHEZ AND TOULOUSE Sir Charles Oman's classic 7-volume History of the Peninsular War is one of the most important histories of the period ever written.The work of a brilliant historian and writer, it presents a large amount of detailed and valuable information in a very readable style. Between August 1813 and the end of hostilities in April 1814, Napoleon's forces were finally expelled from the Iberian Peninsula. Wellington's army invaded southern France, only halting its operations when news was received of Napoleon's abdication. The events covered in this volume include the British siege and capture of St. Sebastian; the final campaigning in eastern Spain; Wellington's invasion of France; and the last actions of the war in the Battle of Toulouse and the French sortie from Bayonne. A chapter on the place of the Peninsular War in history concludes Oman's monumental work.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Professor Charles Oman was invited by King MAnuel II to come to Portugal in 1907 and actively research the Peninsular war, namely in the Portuguese Archives and battlefields.
It was a very brilliant idea to invite him to come and study as a preparation for the first bicentennial of the Peninsular War. AS coupled with researcdh in British Archives, the magnificent outcome was Prof. Oman's masterpiece in 8 volumes that still stands as the most comprehensive history of 7 years of warfare that brought the Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish allies from Roliça and Vimeiro, in 1808 in Portugal to the conquest of Toulouse in France in April, 10, 1814.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As with some of the later volumes there are some more spelling and chronological errors in this volume too however its length was more in keeping with the series. The subject matter is a little less glamourous than in previous volumes and again the narrative became bogged down in interminable detail such as topography. Overall an excellent volume in which to wrap up a masterful study of one of the greatest struggles in British history.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
The End of a Long War
9 April 2005
Format:Hardcover
This is the conclusion of Charles Oman's definitive study of the Peninsular War. In it, the Duke of Wellington, at the head of an Anglo-Portuguese-Spanish Army, crosses the French border as part of a larger Allied coalition effort to close out Napoleon's reign as Emperor of France. Wellington's campaign is paced by a series of on-again, off-again negotiations between Napoleon and the Allied coalition. A series of victories by Wellington's army over the forces of French Marshal Soult are therefore never quite decisive. Wellington's army faced formidable challenges fighting on the offensive inside France on difficult terrain amid a nominally hostile population. Wellington's task is made infinitely easier by Marshal Soult's seeming inability to manage his army in close combat. Soult is also plagued by the slow wasting of what had once been a veteran army, as enthusiasm for Napoleon dwindles in France.
Oman's mastery of his subject and his prose is complete. The narrative flows smoothly. His retelling of the second siege of San Sabastian is remarkably vivid, capturing both the heroism and the horror of the final storm of that fortress. His account of the multi-day Battle of the Nive is clear and easy to follow, while highlighting the remarkable tenacity of the British and Portuguese infantry battalions who withstood a series of French counterattacks at unequal odds. Oman's trace of the series of combats across southern France is clearer than any recent study.
The primary focus of this book is the confrontation between Wellington's army and the principal French army under Marshal Soult, but Oman does not neglect the campaign in Catalonia or the political background to the last nine months of the Peninsular War. There is a nice concluding essay about the fates of the more prominent generals after the war, as well as an acknowledgement of the messy end of the conflict in Spain.
In Volume VII, Oman implicitly assumes that readers are already familiar with the history of the Peninsular War up to through the fall of 1813 and the Battle of the Pyrenees . Oman wastes no time recapping the story nor does he reintroduce personalities from earlier volumes. There is just a slight sense that Oman was pushing to complete a project that had already taken nearly thirty years.
This volume and series are highly recommended to dedicated readers of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume the wrong place to start.
Oman's mastery of his subject and his prose is complete. The narrative flows smoothly. His retelling of the second siege of San Sabastian is remarkably vivid, capturing both the heroism and the horror of the final storm of that fortress. His account of the multi-day Battle of the Nive is clear and easy to follow, while highlighting the remarkable tenacity of the British and Portuguese infantry battalions who withstood a series of French counterattacks at unequal odds. Oman's trace of the series of combats across southern France is clearer than any recent study.
The primary focus of this book is the confrontation between Wellington's army and the principal French army under Marshal Soult, but Oman does not neglect the campaign in Catalonia or the political background to the last nine months of the Peninsular War. There is a nice concluding essay about the fates of the more prominent generals after the war, as well as an acknowledgement of the messy end of the conflict in Spain.
In Volume VII, Oman implicitly assumes that readers are already familiar with the history of the Peninsular War up to through the fall of 1813 and the Battle of the Pyrenees . Oman wastes no time recapping the story nor does he reintroduce personalities from earlier volumes. There is just a slight sense that Oman was pushing to complete a project that had already taken nearly thirty years.
This volume and series are highly recommended to dedicated readers of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume the wrong place to start.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The Complete Story
24 May 2005
Format:Hardcover
Sir Charles Oman's comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.
The Conclusion of the Peninsular War
4 Oct 2005
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the wonderfully affordable paperback version of Volume VII of Charles Oman's definitive study of the Peninsular War. In it, the Duke of Wellington, at the head of an Anglo-Portuguese-Spanish Army, crosses the French border as part of a larger Allied coalition campaign to end Napoleon's reign as Empereor of France. Wellington's campaign is paced by the on-again, off-again negotiations between Napoleon and the Coalition. A series of victories by Wellington's Army over the forces of French Marshal Soult are therefore never quite decisive. Wellington's Army, in addition, faced formidable challenges conducting an offensive inside France over difficult terrain and against a nominally hostile population. However, Wellington's task is made easier by Marshal Soult's seeming inability to manage his army in close combat, and by the slow wasting of what had once been a veteran French Army, as enthusiasm for Napoleon begins to dwindle.
Oman's mastery of his subject and of his prose is complete. The narrative flows smoothly. His retelling of the second siege of San Sebastian is remarkably vivid, capturing both the heroism and the horror of the final Allied storming of that fortress. His account of the confusing multi-day Battle of the Nive is clear and easy to follow. Oman highlights the remarkable tenacity of British and Portuguese infantry battalions that withstood a series of French counterattacks at unequal odds. Oman's narrative of the campaign across southern France is clearer than any other studies this reader is familiar with.
The primary focus of this book is the confrontation between Wellington's Army and the French Army under Marshal Soult. However, Oman does not neglect the campaign in Catalonia or the political background to the last nine months of the Peninsular War. Oman includes a nice concluding essay about the fates of the more prominent generals after the war, as well as an acknowledgement of the messy end of the conflict in Spain.
In this volume, the last of seven, Oman assumes that readers are already familiar with the history of the Peninsular War up through the fall of 1813 and the Battle of the Pyrenees. Oman does not recap the story, nor does he reintroduce personalities from earlier volumes. There is just a slight sense that Oman was pushing to finish a project that had already taken nearly thirty years.
This volume and series are highly recommended to dedicated readers of the Peninsular War and the Napoleonic era. The casual reader without background in the conflict may find this volume the wrong place to start.
Oman's mastery of his subject and of his prose is complete. The narrative flows smoothly. His retelling of the second siege of San Sebastian is remarkably vivid, capturing both the heroism and the horror of the final Allied storming of that fortress. His account of the confusing multi-day Battle of the Nive is clear and easy to follow. Oman highlights the remarkable tenacity of British and Portuguese infantry battalions that withstood a series of French counterattacks at unequal odds. Oman's narrative of the campaign across southern France is clearer than any other studies this reader is familiar with.
The primary focus of this book is the confrontation between Wellington's Army and the French Army under Marshal Soult. However, Oman does not neglect the campaign in Catalonia or the political background to the last nine months of the Peninsular War. Oman includes a nice concluding essay about the fates of the more prominent generals after the war, as well as an acknowledgement of the messy end of the conflict in Spain.
In this volume, the last of seven, Oman assumes that readers are already familiar with the history of the Peninsular War up through the fall of 1813 and the Battle of the Pyrenees. Oman does not recap the story, nor does he reintroduce personalities from earlier volumes. There is just a slight sense that Oman was pushing to finish a project that had already taken nearly thirty years.
This volume and series are highly recommended to dedicated readers of the Peninsular War and the Napoleonic era. The casual reader without background in the conflict may find this volume the wrong place to start.
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