Battle of Solferino
The battle of Solférino was fought on June 21, 1859 and resulted in the victory of the French Army under Louis-Napoleon against Austrians under King François-Joseph. 300,000 soldiers fought in this important battle.
The Battle of Solférino was a decisive engagement in the Italian Campaign in the Franco-Austrian War. It took place near the village of Solférino, Italy, a location between Milan and Verona.
The confrontation was between the Austrians, then engaged in an incursion into northern Italy, and the French and Sardinian forces who opposed their advance. The battle was a particularly gruelling one, lasting over nine hours and resulting in over 40,000 casualties and 6,000 deaths. In the end, the Austrian forces were forced to yield their positions.
This battle would have a long-term effect on the future conduct of military actions. Henri Dunant, who witnessed the battle in person, was motivated by the horrific suffering of wounded soldiers left on the battlefield to begin a campaign that would eventually result in the Geneva Conventions and the establishment of the International Red Cross.
Referenced By
1st World War | Adolphe Niel | First World War | Geneva Accords on Humane Weaponry | Geneva Convention | Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War | Geneva Conventions | Geneva Protocols | Great War | Henri Dunant | Henry Dunant | Jean Henri Dunant | Julius von Payer | List of battles (geographic) | Marshal Niel | Philip Kearny | Second Empire | Second French Empire | The Great War | Timeline of events in humanitarian relief and development | WW I | WorldWarOne | World War 1 | World War I | World War One
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