15,697
edits
Changes
no edit summary
==The Preparations==
[[File: Charles Thévenin - Reddition de la ville d'Ulm.jpg|thumbnail|325px|left|Austerlitz battle scene]]
The Allies leadership was divided.<ref>Fisher, Todd & Fremont-Barnes Gregory, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYHOVVZ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01LYHOVVZ&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=286956cb7b56cd3271bf57ffab84c6ca The Napoleonic Wars: The Rise and Fall of an Empire]</i> (Pelican, London, 1987), p. 33</ref> The Austrian and the Russian Emperors were present at the battle and they had a great influence on the commanders. General Kutsov, the Russian commander in chief, correctly believed that Napoleon’s forces were running low on supplies and that together with the weather, that his army would soon be in difficulties and then ready for an allied attack possibly in the Spring, the Austrian Emperor agreed with his strategy. The Tsar over-ruled General Kutuzov and the Austrian Emperor was in a weak position after the defeat at Ulm and the loss of his capital. Napoleon wanted the allies to fight him in a battle and he pretended to want peace negotiations.<ref> Fischer and Fremont-Barnes, p. 137</ref> He was not sincere and did not want to peace. This fooled some of the allies and persuaded them that they should attack Napoleon immediately. The wily Kutuzov knew that it was a trap and he counseled for a more cautious approach. He lost out, once again and the allies agreed that once they made contact with the French army they would stand and fight.<ref>Chandler, p. 411</ref>