Battle of Ulm

The Battle of Ulm took place from October 16 to 19, 1805, during the War of the Third Coalition between the French Empire and the forces of the Austrian Empire. It was one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s most successful strategic operations, ending with the surrender of the Austrian army without a major battle.

The Ulm Campaign is considered a textbook example of a strategic victory, even though Napoleon had superior forces. The campaign was won without a single major engagement.

The French army outflanked the Austrians by maneuvering around their positions and executing an encirclement strategy. Rapid marches, strict discipline, and deliberate misinformation forced the Austrian command into a trap near the city of Ulm (now in modern-day Germany).

On October 19, 1805, General Karl Mack surrendered more than 25,000 troops with barely a fight. The French captured weapons, horses, and supplies while suffering minimal losses, leaving the Austrian army significantly weakened.

The battle demonstrated the effectiveness of maneuver warfare and military logistics. It is studied in military academies around the world as a prime example of perfect encirclement strategy.

P.S. Image attribution: Charles Thévenin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons