The contribution is a follow-up to the author’s previous study, published in the Vojenská história magazine. It monitors the final stage of events of the largest military encounter of the Austrian Army in the 19th century – the battle at the Northern Italian town of Solferino. The study presents the politic situation at the time when the armed conflict culminated. The military actions of the Austrian Army in Northern Italy are presented clearly, accurately, at a very high professional level. The reader has a chance to get a plastic picture of the final stage of the military event, about which there was an adequate professional knowledge lacking in the current military historical literature.
Based on the literature both older and less available as well as newer and published sources, the author analyses the development of campaign of the 2nd Imperial-Royal Army in Northern Italy in 1859. Following the outline of development of the international politics following the revolution in 1848-1849 and operation of Austrian troops in the subjugated provinces of Veneto and Lombardy, the study sketches the causes and course of events leading to the alliance between France and Sardinia, which resulted, especially thanks to the diplomatic skills of the prime minister of Kingdom of Sardinia, Cavoura, to an agreement with the French Emperor Napoleon III. on the war on Austria and division of the Italian territory. The author also monitors the course of military operations, evaluates the lack of preparation and mistakes of the chief command lead by the Armourer Sergeant Gyulai, interventions of Vienna into strategic plans, differences in armament and equipment, utilisation of reserves, as well as in the battle tactics of French and Austrian troops. A special attention is paid to the comparison of different figures by different authors, concerning e.g. the participation in battle, casualties, etc. In detail, the author analyses the course of Battle of Montebello, Palestro, Melegnano, but especially of Magenta where the Austrian brigades, divisions and regiments met on the battlefield, with manpower approximately of 56,000, with troops of the French Emperor of approximately 44,000 men, suffering a defeat leading to total retreat of the 2nd Austrian Army. This battle gave an uncomplimentary testimony on the tactical immaturity or even incompetence of the Austrian chief command.
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