Battle of Breslau

Overview

The Battle of Breslau was fought on 22 November 1757 in Breslau during the Third Silesian War. A Prussian army of 28,000 men fought an Austrian army of 60,000 men. The Prussians held off the Austrian attack, losing 6,000 men to the Austrians' 5,000 men. But one day later the Prussians beat a retreat. Breslau's garrison surrendered on 25 November 1757.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Breslau on 22 November 1757 was fought between a Prussian force of 28,000 under the Duke of Brunswick-Bevern and an Austrian army of 60,000 under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine. The disparity in force sizes was substantial, and Prussian casualties of 10,150 against Austrian losses of 5,857 indicate a severe Prussian reverse. Coming during a critical phase of the Seven Years' War, the engagement left Prussia's position in Silesia significantly weakened and exposed Breslau, the province's principal city, to Austrian pressure. The defeat was part of the broader strategic crisis Prussia faced in late 1757, a period in which Frederick the Great would subsequently intervene to restore the situation at the Battle of Leuthen less than two weeks later.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)