On December 2, 1805, Napoleon achieved what many consider his greatest success. Outnumbered by the combined armies of the Russian Tsar Alexander I and the Austrian Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, he won a stunning victory at the Battle of Austerlitz.
Why was he so successful?
The Corps System
One of Napoleon's greatest assets was the way in which he organized his army. It was divided into corps, each one capable of acting independently under its commander. These bodies of troops were large enough to be strategically significant but less cumbersome than an entire army. They could march separately through enemy terrain, progressing better than if they were in one group. Once united, they acted as a single army, with each corps providing a useful unit on the battlefield.
