What is the Leipzig Battle? A crucial battle that determined the independence of the German nation

After the French army suffered a disastrous defeat in the war of aggression against Russia in 1812, all anti-Napoleonic forces in Europe quickly gathered. British industrial capitalism and Eastern European agricultural feudalism, Spanish clericalism and German nationalism, and monarchism and democracy in various countries formed an uncoordinated anti-French chorus. In March 1813, there were British, Russian, and The Sixth Anti-French Alliance, in which Spain, Portugal and Sweden participated, was established. In the spring campaign, the Russian-Prussian forces crossed the Vistula and Oder rivers and reached the east bank of the Elbe River to confront the French army. And in early April, the French army was driven across the Elbe River, ensuring the safety of Berlin. The main force of the Prussian army, with Scharnhorst serving as Minister of General Logistics, then captured Saxony. At the end of April, more than 80,000 coalition forces entered the southeastern region of Leipzig. However, in the subsequent battles, the coalition forces frequently suffered defeats. At the Battle of Lu Ling on May 2, the coalition forces were defeated and withdrew from Saxony. From May 20th to 21st, Hamburg fell into the hands of the French again, and the Hanoverian Uprising was suppressed. The patriotic general Scharnhorst went to Austria to persuade the alliance despite his war injuries. His condition worsened on the way and he died in Prague.

However, at this moment, Napoleon, who was in urgent need of additional troops, used Austrian mediation, and the two sides signed an armistice agreement on June 4, 813 (the armistice period was initially set for July 20, but was later extended to August June 16). Although this gave Napoleon time to recruit new troops, it also allowed the coalition forces to breathe and make strategic adjustments. During the armistice negotiations, Austria's attempt to blackmail Napoleon failed. The improvement in the situation of the anti-French coalition forces made Austria tilt.

On August 10, Vienna announced the end of mediation, officially joined the Sixth Anti-French Alliance, and declared war on France the next day. When the war resumed, on German soil, Napoleon massacred 440,000 people. There are 520,000 troops and 520,000 anti-French coalition forces. The coalition elected the Austrian general Count Carl Schwartenberg as commander-in-chief and divided its troops into three legions: the Bohemian Army, which consisted of 127,000 Austrian troops, 82,000 Russian troops and 45,000 Prussian troops. Schwarzen Berg personally commanded the Silesian Army, consisting of 66,000 Russian troops and 38,000 Prussian troops. The commander was the 70-year-old Prussian veteran Gebhard Leberecht Blücher, Gneisenau He served as chief of staff; the Northern Army consisted of 73,000 Prussian troops, 290,000 Russian troops and 39,000 Swedish troops. Swedish Crown Prince Bernadotte was the commander from August 26 to 27. During the battle for Dresden, Napoleon personally took command and defeated the allied Bohemian Army. The coalition lost 35,000 people.

However, in other battles, the French army suffered consecutive defeats until the end of the month. The three coalition armies gradually closed in on Dresden, forming a semicircular encirclement. Both sides were trying to capture Fighters were prepared for a decisive battle. Since Dresden was difficult to capture for a while, the coalition forces adopted Blucher's suggestion and gave up attacking Dresden and went straight to Leipzig behind the French army. In early October, the Silesian Army and the Northern Army crossed the Elbe River, approached Leipzig from the north, and quickly compressed the French army near Leipzig. On October 16, 300,000 coalition troops launched an attack on 170,000 French troops, which was known in history as the "International The Battle of Leipzig officially began. After more than five hours of intense shelling, the four coalition attack groups gradually narrowed the encirclement. On October 18, the Saxon Army and the Württemberg Army, which were used to resist the Allied Northern Army, defected.

The French army was in a dangerous situation and Napoleon ordered a retreat. On October 19, the coalition forces entered Leipzig. In this battle, the French army lost more than 55,000 people, 36 generals were captured, and 900 ammunition trucks, more than 300 cannons, and more than 40,000 rifles were captured. Napoleon fought and retreated, retreating to the Rhine River in November. Leaving the rearguard to return to Paris, the victory of the Leipzig Congress brought an extremely favorable situation to the German National Liberation War. The states that were dependent on Napoleon dispersed one after another, and the Rhine Confederation collapsed. The Kingdom of Westphalia disintegrated. By the end of 18313, the German territories on the right bank of the Rhine, including Hamburg, were liberated, except for some fortresses.

Taking advantage of the victory, Blucher crossed the Rhine River on New Year's Eve in 1814, liberating the German territory on the left bank and advancing towards northern France. The coalition forces won repeated victories in Bar on February 27, Laon on March 10, and Arsi on March 21. On March 31, the Czar and King Prussia entered Paris, the French capital. Seeing that the situation was over, Napoleon abdicated on April 4.

According to the agreement reached by the allies, the brother of Louis XVI of France returned to the country to rule as Louis XVIII.

Germany achieved national liberation, but many unresolved issues were left to be resolved by the Vienna Conference convened by the victorious powers.