HIS103Y1 Lecture : Topic 7 - Defeat of Napoleon Topic 7 - Defeat of Napoleon
Document Summary
- while all states on the continent were defeated by napoleon, britain escaped because of its navy; - france needed a very good navy to defeat britain; - 3 plans to invade britain: tunnel under the channel (army of invasion) : too time-consuming, no technology know-how; Air balloons (air invasion): too many balloons- half a million; Navy invasion: feasible, but will never work, because not strong enough to oppose the royal navy; - napoleon needs 7-day freedom ; britain was aware and prevented napoleon by blockade; - slip through gibraltar; allow the british fleet to leave the channel to chase after him; - then ircle around the caribbean and confuses the britain; get the 7-day freedom". - britain was well-aware of this intention and british fleets never left the channel; - 1804 spain joined france (recalled spain remained neutral since the collapse of the 1st coalition); - however the neutrality of spain was suspicious; spain paid tribute to the france;