napoleon invades ottoman empire unstead of russia?

Mrstrategy

Banned
what would had happen if napoleon had invaded the ottoman empire instead of Russia possibly allied with Russia and Austria both who had claims on ottoman lands.
 
To be honest, I think that the supply lines might be stretched thin if Napoleon considered to threaten India. Also, and please correct me if I am wrong, the British have naval dominance which could be used to further prevent supplies from getting through.
 

Mrstrategy

Banned
napoleon invasion of ottoman empire could cause the creation of Balkan nations such as Greece ,Romania,Bulgaria and others earlier and others who would become satellites of Austria and France and Russia depending on their
locations perhaps this time egypt could seize and hold the Levant as a satellite of France in exchange for protection from France and allies?french Suez canal?
 
in order to get Russia and Austria on board, France has to promise them the bulk of the spoils. What does France get out of it? That's a tough alliance to sell. France, at that point, is mostly just dictating terms to their 'allies' (meaning everyone they've beaten and held under thumb). Getting any sort of power to join them in an aggressive fashion is borderline ASB.

As noted, France isn't going anywhere that requires a sail.
 

Mrstrategy

Banned
France could exchange claims of land they have conquered from austria,prusia,and Russia in exchange for giving Russia and austria freedom to divided the Balkans and perhaps return some of prusia land which ensure that
  1. France allies are happy and willing to forget their anger at France
  2. Russia and Austria extend their territory and influence at the cost of ottoman empire
  3. The French gain better relationships with the major powers of Europe except England and they get another chance to take Egypt and avenge their defeat
 
Napoleon invades the Ottoman Empire with the assistance of Austria and Russia. The victory is devastating and the outcome is that:

France incorporates Montenegro in the province of Illyria, annexes Egypt and creates the principality of Albania and the Kingdom of Greece as client states. Also, France gets the Straights.

Austria annexes Bosnia and gets Serbia as a client state.

Russia annexes Georgia, Armenia, Pontus, Bessarabia and Bulgaria and gets Moldavia and Wallachia as client states.

1812label.jpg
 
I mean, wasn't there a period where France was obligated by treaty to join Russia's war on the Ottomans, but kinda dragged their feet about it?
 
The idea that India could be threatened overland from Europe is cloud cuckoo land and always has been. Just think about it: if it's hard to maintain supply lines into European Russia, how on Earth are you going to do it across a couple thousand miles of poorly mapped mountainous semi-desert?
 
With British naval dominance, I don't believe so. In 1812, the British Navy was as large as the rest of the world's navies combined at roughly 600 ships of various sizes. Also, IIRC, because of the French Revolution there was an apparent lack of experienced French naval officers and that would hinder the navy.
 
It should be worth noting that the ottomans were mostly a French ally during a significant portion of the Napoleonic wars.
 
The idea that India could be threatened overland from Europe is cloud cuckoo land and always has been. Just think about it: if it's hard to maintain supply lines into European Russia, how on Earth are you going to do it across a couple thousand miles of poorly mapped mountainous semi-desert?

This, really. I always feel like everyone underestimates the distances involved. If you take the Levant, you're just on the edge of Asia. You still have to cross Mesopotamia, force the passes of the Zagros, make your way across the entire Iranian plateau, after which you have a choice. You either try to force the passes of the Hindu Kush, through Afghanistan, or you march your army across the desert flats of Balochistan.

Let's remember- at this time, if you're French, your supply train stretches back to Acre. You don't have technological superiority at any point once you hit Mesopotamia (Persian and Indian armies were techonologically still pretty much equal to European ones at this point). You have organisational superiority but let's see how effective that is when your supply and administrative lines stretch (as we said earlier) back to Acre.

Congratulations, you're sitting in Kabul and have reached the outer edge of the Indian subcontinent. It's 2300 km more to the British India power base in Calcutta with the Sikh Empire sitting across your path of advance. Your supply train to Acre is 3800 km long.

Alexander just about did it but he didn't have the same logistical issues.
 
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How would Napoleon settle a supply line in Asia?

Any route that passes through the sea is asking to be harassed by the Mediterranean Fleet.
 
Napoleon invades the Ottoman Empire with the assistance of Austria and Russia. The victory is devastating and the outcome is that:

France incorporates Montenegro in the province of Illyria, annexes Egypt and creates the principality of Albania and the Kingdom of Greece as client states. Also, France gets the Straights.

Austria annexes Bosnia and gets Serbia as a client state.

Russia annexes Georgia, Armenia, Pontus, Bessarabia and Bulgaria and gets Moldavia and Wallachia as client states.

View attachment 273446

I think Russia would annexes large portions of Anatolia as well.
 

Hecatee

Donor
Well tell all this to Alexander the Great, with his logistics in Greece and the head of his army in India... Even if the logistics have grown heavier with time, the French can also use local ressources more effectively than Alexander could (for instance maybe no order of armours in Greece like Alexander did ask for while in the 'stan region, because Napoleonic forces use less armours and more clothes). Also it could lead Napoleon to think out of the box and listen to some out of the box concepts such as steam machines for his logistics (he did after all reject a proposal for a steam ship, but a steam charriot might be seen as better)... So I would not dismiss it out of hand, even if its indeed not the most probable outcome. On the other hand closing the eastern Med' to the British and slowly expelling them toward Gibraltar : if such a strategy was started before Trafalgar, you could see the war turn out differently (especially if the French managed to capture Ottoman ships, even if not the best ships their some 15 hulls of the line and 5 to 10 frigates could prove usefull later on...)
 
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