The Drunken Army
The night an army fought itself and lost 10,000 men
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Beschreibung
Read the incredible story of the Austrian army that got drunk, panicked, and slaughtered its own men before the enemy arrived.
"The Drunken Army – The night an army fought itself and lost 10,000 men" investigates the Battle of Karánsebes in 1788. The Austrian army, 100,000 strong, was marching to fight the Ottoman Empire. Instead, they fought a barrel of schnapps.
Military historian Arthur C. Ford describes the chaotic sequence of events. Hussars bought alcohol from local Romani traders and refused to share with the infantry. A shot was fired, someone shouted "Turks!", and panic spread in the darkness. The multi-ethnic Austrian army, speaking different languages, mistook their own officers' shouts of "Halt!" for the Ottoman war cry "Allah!". They opened fire on each other with artillery and muskets.
"The Drunken Army" is the ultimate example of the "Fog of War." When the Ottomans arrived two days later, they found thousands of dead Austrians and took the city without a fight. It is a tragicomic lesson on communication, discipline, and the dangers of drinking on the job.
Autor*in
Arthur C. Ford
Author
Themen in »The Drunken Army«
Battle of Karansebes Friendly Fire Austrian Army 1788 Alcohol Military Blunder Ottoman Empire