GNEISENAU, AUGUST (WILHELM ANTON), COUNT NEIDHARDT VON


Meaning of GNEISENAU, AUGUST (WILHELM ANTON), COUNT NEIDHARDT VON in English

born Oct. 27, 1760, Schildau, near Torgau, Saxony

died Aug. 23, 1831, Posen, Prussia

Prussian field marshal and military reformer.

Along with Napoleon (1806) from a mercenary force into an instrument of modern warfare, introducing universal military service. In 1811–12 he traveled on secret missions to negotiate a new war against Napoleon, which was renewed in 1813. As chief of staff to {{link=Bl%C3%BCcher, Gebhard Leberecht von, prince von Wahlstatt">Gebhard von Blücher , he planned Prussian, and sometimes Russian, strategy. Gneisenau's insistence on the decisive battle and relentless pursuit proved successful at the Battle of Waterloo .

Britannica English dictionary.      Английский словарь Британика.