NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812 - PART THREE
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NAPOLEON’S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812 – PART THREE In 1809 England, the only power still at war with France, formed the Fifth Coalition, with Austria returning to the fray. Although war in Spain went on, in the Wagram campaign in July 1809 Austria was once again defeated by France and the Fifth Coalition came to an end. As far as Russia was concerned she possessed huge quantities of raw materials but having little manufacturing capability still desperately needed trade with Britain. Henceforth that would have to be conducted clandestinely. Anglo Russian trade was only slightly less after 1807 than it was before it, as gradually more and more Russian ports were opened to British ships, albeit many of them flying the flag of the neutral United States of America. In the summer of 1811 alone 150 British ships under various flags docked in Russian ports, in the Black Sea, in the Baltic and even as far north as Archangel and as far east as Vladivostok. None of this could be entirely hidden from Napoleon, who became increasingly irritated at this flagrant breaching of his Continental System.
NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812 - PART THREE
NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812 - PART…
NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812 - PART THREE
NAPOLEON’S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812 – PART THREE In 1809 England, the only power still at war with France, formed the Fifth Coalition, with Austria returning to the fray. Although war in Spain went on, in the Wagram campaign in July 1809 Austria was once again defeated by France and the Fifth Coalition came to an end. As far as Russia was concerned she possessed huge quantities of raw materials but having little manufacturing capability still desperately needed trade with Britain. Henceforth that would have to be conducted clandestinely. Anglo Russian trade was only slightly less after 1807 than it was before it, as gradually more and more Russian ports were opened to British ships, albeit many of them flying the flag of the neutral United States of America. In the summer of 1811 alone 150 British ships under various flags docked in Russian ports, in the Black Sea, in the Baltic and even as far north as Archangel and as far east as Vladivostok. None of this could be entirely hidden from Napoleon, who became increasingly irritated at this flagrant breaching of his Continental System.