Seven Years’ WarID & SIG:AgendaSeven Years’ War: CausesSlide 5Slide 6Seven Years’ War: Frederick the GreatSeven Years’ War: Frederick the GreatSlide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Seven Years’ War: British NavySlide 18Slide 19Slide 20Slide 21Seven Years’ War: French and Indian WarSlide 23Slide 24Slide 25Slide 26Slide 27Slide 28Slide 29Slide 30Slide 31Seven Years’ War: ResultsSlide 33NextSeven Years’ WarLsn 4ID & SIG:•central position, Frederick the Great, French and Indian War, oblique order, Quebec, Quiberon Bay, Rossbach-Leuthen, Seven Years’ War, WolfeAgenda•Causes•Frederick the Great•British Navy•French and Indian War•ResultsSeven Years’ War: Causes•After the explorations of the 15th, 16th, and 17th Centuries, the European powers protected their interests by building a series of fortified trading posts throughout the maritime regions•Boundaries in the new colonies were disputed•Commercial competition ultimately generated violence–In 1746 French forces seized the English trading post at Madras, India–In the Caribbean English pirates attacked Spanish vessels and French and English forces fought over the sugar islands•The violence culminated in the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763)Seven Years’ War: Causes•On one side was France, Austria, Saxony, Sweden, and various German states•On the other was Britain, Prussia, and HanoverIn the 18th Century, Britain was the dominant naval power while France had a powerful armySeven Years’ War: Causes•A global war–In Europe, Britain and Prussia fought against France, Austria, and Russia–In India, British and French allied with local rulers and fought each other–In the Caribbean, the Spanish and French fought the British–In North America, the Seven Years’ War merged with the on-going French and Indian War (1754-1763) which pitted the British and French against each otherSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great •Became king of Prussia in 1740 when he was 28•Had spent much of his life training as a soldier, visiting battlefields, and studying political history and politics•Believed every man had an obligation to serve his state and that it was the king’s particular duty to develop policies that increased the power and standing of the state•Strong lust for military glorySeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•Had inconsistent leadership characteristics •His success lay in his purposeful use of authority and unwavering determination to make Prussia a European power•Led the Prussians in the Silesian Wars (Silesia was comprised of parts of current Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic) –Gained experience with limited war, the oblique attack, attrition warfare, and combined arms (cavalry, infantry, and artillery) operationsIn the oblique order the commander strengthens one wing of his army and employs it to attack the enemy flank, while holding back another, smaller wing to threaten the enemy’s main force and keep it from changing position ABSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•Frederick used the period of peace after the War of Austrian Succession to prepare his country and army for another war–Strengthened bureaucracy and treasury–Enlarged army to 143,000 men (it had been 83,000 in 1740)–Anticipating having to fight against larger armies, he trained his officers to attack in the oblique order and seek a rapid decision–Issued orders and conducted maneuvers to get readySeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•In August 1756, Frederick launched a preemptive attack against Saxony and Austria, hoping to force them to sue for peace before another country could intervene•Was unable to achieve a quick, decisive victory and was now faced with fighting a coalition of powerful states–French, Russian, and Austria forces began converging on PrussiaSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•Frederick’s only hope was to exploit his central position to meet his principal enemies separately and prevent them from joining forces against himSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•On November 4, 1757, he defeated the French and Germans near Rossbach •Although outnumbered nearly two to one (41,000 to 22,000) Frederick suffered just 500 casualties while killing, wounding, or capturing more than 10,000 French and German troopsSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•Then on December 5, Frederick defeated the Austrians at Leuthen–First he created a diversion on his left flank which drew Austrian reserves to the northern portion of their lineSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•This allowed Frederick to turn the Austrians and concentrate his forces on the Austrian’s southern flank–Classic example of the oblique orderSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•When all was ready, he made a carefully coordinated combined arms attack to roll up the Austrian flankSeven Years’ War: Frederick the Great•Inflicted 22,000 casualties (33%) while suffering only 6,382 (18%)•The Rossbach-Leuthen Campaign is the finest example of Frederican warfare•Afterwards, Frederick became overly contemptuous of his enemies and his generalship suffered•Still his dogged determination allowed him to secure Prussia’s boundaries of 1756 and gain a satisfactory negotiated peaceSeven Years’ War: British Navy•Frederick’s success was largely a result of his own and his people’s extraordinary efforts, but he also benefited greatly from Britain’s ability to support Prussia by defeating the French at sea and overseas•The British had the most powerful fleet and expeditionary forces of any of the combatants•Furthermore, the British could rely on the Prussian army to do most of the fighting on the continent•This allowed the British to bring overwhelming pressure against the French at seaSeven Years’ War: British Navy•The British Navy blockaded the French ports to contain commerce raiders, intercept forces bound for the colonies, and forestall an invasion of England•They raided the French Atlantic coast to destroy shipping and stores and to divert French forces from Germany•They defeated the French Navy at Louisbourg, Lagos, and Quiberon BaySeven Years’ War: British Navy•Quiberon Bay lay off the coast of France near St. Nazaire•A storm forced the British to briefly lift their blockade, allowing a French fleet of 21 ships to slip out•The British returned from their safe refuge and pursued the FrenchLord Edmund Hawke commanded the