BUSINESS INSIGHTS FROM HISTORY - PART 2

In Part 1 of the series we had taken snippets from the lessons that could be drawn from the (https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7273233795049283585/) Battle of France fought in 1940. In this second part I would like to take you back to France in its mighty years of 1800s. These were the years when French had shown the world how wars could be won with strategic thinking against all the odds of numbers and power.

Prelude

The Battle of Austerlitz was fought in 1805 between France on one side and the other side having a lethal combination of 4 powerful Allies, viz Britain, Russia, Naples, Sweden and their then Arch-rivals Austria.? The Allies had planned to join their forces of Austria lead by Gen Carl Mack and a huge Russian Army headed by Gen Mikhail Kutuzov.

The year was 1805. It has been almost a year since a Corsican Genius, Napolean Bonaparte had worked his way up and crowned himself as the emperor of France in The Cathedral of Notre Dame. Britain had declared war over France since 1803. Napolean was getting ready for the great invasion of Britain and had lined up his army about 2 Lakh men on the Banks of the English Channel. Britain was considered as the strongest in the seas and French were undisputed over the land in the said times.

To the delight of the Brits and dismay of the French, Austria, Russia, Naples and Sweden answered the call of British to join them in their war with France. The French army was outnumbered heavily as the Allied forces were more than twice their size.

The Battle

The news of Gen Carl Mack heading towards the Rhine was received by the French. Napolean immediately ordered his Army to march to the Rhine land. Napolean knew that Carl Mack was expecting the Russian Army lead by Gen Mikhail Kutuzov to join them shortly. If that were to happen, he knew they would be outnumbered and outgunned. He wanted a quick and decisive victory against Mack to face Kutuzov independently. His army marched to Rhine land in 5 weeks stunning Mack luring him to immediately attack while they were weak. A simple faint attack by Napolean’s Marshall Murat and encircling them made Mack pursue for peace and surrender. Napolean had won over the Austrians just by marching his men in a matter of mere 6 weeks.

?The war wasn’t over yet. Gen Kutuzov had almost closed in and was known for his tactics in war. When Napolean tried the similar encirclement as done with Mack, Kutuzov smartly retreated making the French chase him deep into Austria well beyond their capital Vienna. Napolean ordered his Army to hold after realizing a few key factors.

(a)??? The Winter was setting in and it was colder every day making the paths icy and lakes Frozen.

(b)?? His Army had marched in a long way, exhausted and a long way from any possible reinforcements.

(c)??? Kutuzov had settled his Army in a town near Austerlitz in Olmutz over its elevated location called Pratzen Heights where he was personally joined by Russian Tzar Alexander I and the Austrian Emperor, Francis.

The genius of Napolean was being tested in this scenario. He studied the area, positions of the enemy forces and slept by the fire for few hours. On the subsequent morning which was heavily misty with chilling cold he said “Lets finish this war with a Thunderclap”. He positioned his majority of corps in the area covered by mist so as be difficult to be spotted from the heights. He placed his right flank isolated and asked them to move towards the heights. Spotting the weak link in the French line, Tzar Alexander quickly ordered his troops to decimate the French in that line. The Russian Army moved down with heavy pace towards the right flank leaving their position in Pratzen Heights. When their troops were mowing down the French, they realized a large Army with Napolean leading the way was headed over the Pratzen heights taking the key position completely encircling the Russians and Austrian troops.

The desperate troops ran over the frozen lakes trying to escape only to see the French pouring cannon fire into the ice sinking them in large numbers. Desperate for life the allies sued for peace. The defeat was so powerful that Russian signed Treaty of Potsdam and Austrian Emperor dissolved the mighty Roman Emperor months after the war. ?

Business Insights from this Battle

1.????? Business is all about innovation: The French were the first to introduce corps system, viz a small Army within the Army with its own Infantry, Reconnaissance, Engineers, Transport etc. This system was first introduced in this battle on a large scale. The corps system facilitated each group to fight independently even when they are far from their lines which was unconventional then.? Napoleon's corps system set a new standard, influencing military organizations worldwide and remaining a cornerstone of modern army structures till date.?

2.????? Know your competitors: Napolean not only strategically placed and moved of his corps, but also outwitted his enemies. He knew that the young 27-year-old Russian Tzar was keen to prove himself and would charge when he sees an opportunity. “If you?know?the?enemy?and?know?yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles” -Sun Tzu

3.????? Act Vulnerable but Never be: The French lured Carl Mack into attacking Marshall Murats corps, Then lured Alexander I into charging at their carefully placed right flank below Pratzen heights. In both cases Showcasing vulnerability was the key tactic that gave a false sense of security to the Allied Troops. Baiting them twice in a row by posing vulnerable just made up for all the difference in the numbers they did not have. One can always turn the tide with surprise elements like this.

Conclusion

Outsmarting the competition is a crucial skill in business, often requiring a mix of demonstrating strength and strategically showcasing vulnerability. The Battle of Austerlitz serves as a classic example of Napoleon's mastery in navigating complexity and leveraging strategic positioning to secure a competitive edge at every turn. Timeless lessons from history like this offer valuable insights, guiding us to apply the wisdom of the past to shape and enhance our business strategies for the future.