These animated maps show the Battle of Ulm to the Battle of Austerlitz and cover the movements of major units during this campaign, which is often considered the pinnacle of Napoleonic warfare.

This film was designed for use by instructors at CGSC. There are several 4-5 second pauses in the film, as requested by the instructors.

00:43 Late August 1805: Strategic Overview
00:52 Mack seizes the initiative and positions the main Austrian army in Ulm
01:02 Mack at Ulm as Napoleon closes with his corps and Murat screening their approach (paused for discussion)
01:10 Kutuzov marches west with the main Russian army
01:25 Napoleon moves to surround Mack at Ulm (paused for discussion)
02:00 Mack surrenders
02:25 Napoleon moves east to meet Kutuzov
02:35 Masséna pushes Charles out of Italy
02:57 Napoleon takes Vienna
03:20 Russian reinforcements arrive
03:30 Positioning of forces before Austerlitz (paused for discussion)
04:05 1 December: Tactical positions before Austerlitz
04:19 Both sides’ plans
04:28 Allies attack the French right as Davout moves to reinforce it
04:40 Further Allied forces join the attack on the French right (paused for discussion)
04:52 Napoleon makes his move on the weakened Allied center
05:03 The French left and Allied right join the fight
05:16 Napoleon breaks the Allied center and left
05:25 The French left finishes the battle

“History in Motion: Napoleon 1805” covers unit movements from the Battle of Ulm to the Battle of Austerlitz, a campaign often considered the pinnacle of Napoleonic warfare. It opens with the strategic picture of Europe in 1805, illustrating how the opposing armies were arrayed on the French and Allied/Coalition sides. The film traces the Allies’ ill-fated thrust to Ulm and Napoleon’s lightning march south to surround it, a move that forced the surrender of much of the Austrian army in mid-October. It then follows the two forces as they seek a decisive battle on advantageous terms, a goal Napoleon eventually achieved at Austerlitz in early December. The film ends with a detailed depiction of this great battle, a clear example of the Napoleonic method.

“History in Motion: Napoleon 1805” is designed for Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff Officers Course H100. The film was created as an educational supplement to assist students in learning about Napoleonic Warfare, not as a stand-alone film.