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Radetzky's Marches: The Campaigns of 1848 and 1849 in Upper Italy
In the spring of 1848, revolution threatened to sweep away the old order throughout Europe. In the Austrian-occupied north of Italy, newly nurtured nationalism, further fueled by economic issues, prompted open revolt in Lombardy and Venetia. The Austrian army in Italy, commanded by 82-year-old Field Marshal Radetzky, soon saw itself under further threat from the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, that of Naples, and the Papal States, as well as thousands of volunteers, all determined to rid Italy of the occupier. Seemingly under attack from all sides, the Austrian Army was forced to concentrate in the famous 'Quadrilateral', formed by the fortress cities of Peschiera, Mantua, Legnago, and Verona, losing deserters by the thousand, to prepare for the war to follow, a war that would continue into the following year. This volume narrates the remarkable tale of how one old general quite possibly saved an empire. With iron will, the great personal affection of his men, and some luck, Radetzky maintained his army, and finally defeated his opponents. Such was the impact of the 1848 campaign, that Johann Strauss the Elder wrote the 'Radetzky March', in the Field Marshal's honor! The comprehensive story of the revolts and the subsequent military campaigns is recounted here, taken from many and varied sources, including a considerable number of contemporary and first-hand accounts, as well official reports from all sides. Radetzky's Marches is profusely illustrated, and is accompanied by maps, charts, diagrams and extensive orders-of-battle.
957 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 1, 2017
Great overview of the 1848-1849 war in Upper Italy between the Austrian Empire and pretty much every other state in Italy at the time. Basically a consequence of the 1848 revolutionary movements and rebellions across Europe, The Kingdom of Sardinia with others attempted to eject the Austrians from Northern Italy. They failed. The Sardinian king actually abdicated because of his failure and Austrian Marshal Radetzky got a march named after him that still gets played in Vienna every New Years.
Author Michael Embree examines the movements of all the armies, and details many of the actions, sometimes down to company level, and has done an immense amount of research in putting this account together in English.
I read the kindle edition, but may get the actual book, this was that good.
Author Michael Embree examines the movements of all the armies, and details many of the actions, sometimes down to company level, and has done an immense amount of research in putting this account together in English.
I read the kindle edition, but may get the actual book, this was that good.
July 12, 2021
Interesting compilation of non English sources to provide an insight into this early period of Italian reunification. The details of troop movements are often difficult to follow, but with a good map at hand becomes easier to follow.
The main theatre of operations included much of the terrain fought over in Napoleon’s 1796-7 campaigns, which shows the importance of strategic locations in the area. The operational and tactical aspects of the era were not much advanced from that of the Napoleonic period, with the exception that artillery was more lethal, and cavalry less effective apart from scouting.
For a long time I was planning to use this book to assist in designing a simulation of the 1849 campaign, but the job has been admirably done with the release of the game “Radetkzy’s March” by an Italian designer.
The main theatre of operations included much of the terrain fought over in Napoleon’s 1796-7 campaigns, which shows the importance of strategic locations in the area. The operational and tactical aspects of the era were not much advanced from that of the Napoleonic period, with the exception that artillery was more lethal, and cavalry less effective apart from scouting.
For a long time I was planning to use this book to assist in designing a simulation of the 1849 campaign, but the job has been admirably done with the release of the game “Radetkzy’s March” by an Italian designer.
May 4, 2025
Despite the title, this isn't focused on Radetzky. (But it is a great take off of Johann Strauss' celebration of the campaign.)
At the start of 1848, revolution swept through Paris—again. And this time, much of the rest of Europe caught revolutionary fever as well. In particular, much of northern Italy went into a ferment that became the First War for Independence, and this book is focused on the military aspects of this.
It really helps if you have some grounding in the period and the Austrian army. There is a small glossary in the back that explains, for instance, that "FML" is "Feldmarshall-Lieutenant", or Lieutenant General, but in the text it's never explained, while the abbreviation shows up many times there, and again, the glossary is buried in the back (and there's a lot for it to be buried beneath). Thankfully, I've read enough Napoleonic materials to know this already.
The main part of the book looks as if it should be a detailed, but readable, history of the campaigns of 1848 and 1849, but that's not really the purpose. There are a decent number of maps, but not enough for some detailed movements over terrain thoroughly unfamiliar to most English-speaking readers. But, this is really a detailed analysis of the campaigns. Not only do we get detailed descriptions of many of the battles and skirmishes (quoting eyewitness accounts where possible), but constant referrals to losses as recorded in unit histories and returns.
So, this is actually a very detailed resource, and if someone wanted to, say, design a wargame on the subject, this would be an excellent one-stop starting point for a design. Added to this detail-oriented history is the fact that there are twenty-one appendixes, mostly giving orders of battle and numbers of troops of various armies at various points.
As a readable history of the First Italian War of Independence, it is lackluster. The writing is not up to helping you juggle all the details that get thrown at you. As an advanced study of a subject already somewhat familiar, I imagine it would do much better. But a more casual reader needs to at least be cautious.
At the start of 1848, revolution swept through Paris—again. And this time, much of the rest of Europe caught revolutionary fever as well. In particular, much of northern Italy went into a ferment that became the First War for Independence, and this book is focused on the military aspects of this.
It really helps if you have some grounding in the period and the Austrian army. There is a small glossary in the back that explains, for instance, that "FML" is "Feldmarshall-Lieutenant", or Lieutenant General, but in the text it's never explained, while the abbreviation shows up many times there, and again, the glossary is buried in the back (and there's a lot for it to be buried beneath). Thankfully, I've read enough Napoleonic materials to know this already.
The main part of the book looks as if it should be a detailed, but readable, history of the campaigns of 1848 and 1849, but that's not really the purpose. There are a decent number of maps, but not enough for some detailed movements over terrain thoroughly unfamiliar to most English-speaking readers. But, this is really a detailed analysis of the campaigns. Not only do we get detailed descriptions of many of the battles and skirmishes (quoting eyewitness accounts where possible), but constant referrals to losses as recorded in unit histories and returns.
So, this is actually a very detailed resource, and if someone wanted to, say, design a wargame on the subject, this would be an excellent one-stop starting point for a design. Added to this detail-oriented history is the fact that there are twenty-one appendixes, mostly giving orders of battle and numbers of troops of various armies at various points.
As a readable history of the First Italian War of Independence, it is lackluster. The writing is not up to helping you juggle all the details that get thrown at you. As an advanced study of a subject already somewhat familiar, I imagine it would do much better. But a more casual reader needs to at least be cautious.
November 13, 2018
Not a great deal about Radetzky himself but a great deal in detail of the various battles of the 1848/149 campaign. At times, it was difficult to follow the various regiments, their locations and the associated casualty counts. Maps were poor. If the interesting part of the book were extracted and if provided with more and better maps, it would be much more appropriate for a general reader like myself who has no particular interesting the detailed minutiae of military history.
December 20, 2023
Yes, it’s a book about military stuff. Yawn. 2 Stars
April 20, 2015
A thorough examination of a much neglected period. The author has been to considerable pains to get his hands on primary source material and consult non-English language sources. Told in a manner familiar to those who had read "Bismarck's First War", this volume benefits from a better layout and larger maps, that make the conduct of the campaign easier to follow. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews