Instrument of War: The Austrian Army in the Seven Years WarThe Austrian Empire of the 18th century was the most ethnically diverse in Europe. The large number of subject peoples with their own styles of warfare gave Austrian generals the potential to have the most flexible army in Europe during the wars of the 1700s. If Austria's aristocratic generals usually failed to utilize their diverse army properly on the battlefield, Austrian units nevertheless introduced new methods of warfare that were copied by more effective armies and are in some cases still in use today. Austria's Hungarian hussars, or light cavalry, introduced a new mobility to the battlefield, with an increased role for scouting and raiding. Prussia, France and most European countries soon created hussar units, even copying the Hungarian national dress that they wore. Horse artillery was also introduced by the Austrians, but more effectively utilized by others later. The Austrian army in the field was screened by a vast swarm of Serbs, Bosnians, and Croats, who introduced principles of light infantry and guerrilla operations that many associate with the American frontier. Renowned military historian Christopher Duffy has been given unprecedented access to the Austrian archives in Vienna to bring this important multi-national army fully to life for the first time. |
