#ruses

So, I might have done a thing on a serious, non-fandom post.

On the morning of August 4th, Napoleon was at Lonato with only 1200 men when more than 3000 lost Austrians, who had been cut off from Quasdonovich’s command, suddenly blundered into the town. Napoleon calmly informed their parlementaire (Officer sent to parley) that his whole army was present, and if “in eight minutes his division had not laid down its arms, I would not spare a man.” He supported this ruse by issuing orders to Berthier about grenadier and artillery units that Berthier knew were entirely bogus. The Austrians only discovered, once they had surrendered and been disarmed, that there were no French forces nearby, and that they could have captured Napoleon with ease.

Explore dazzle camouflage, an innovative World War I that sought to protect ships at sea not by hiding them, but by confusing the enemy instead

During the US Civil War, the Confederates captured a powerful Union ironclad, the USS Indianola. In Rebel hands, the captured ship would have derailed Union operations on the Mississippi River, so a ruse was devised to get the Confederates to destroy the Indianola. Find out here how the US Navy got the Confederates to do it a favor.

Ancient Chinese strategist Zhuge Liang became famous for his ability to win by using ruses and tricks to bluff his enemies. Find out here about this remarkable commander.

Elles dorment dans mon jardin - Jean-Paul Innocenzi