Review: The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsula

A review of: The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsula

by David Gates (Author)

This very thick book is an excellent and very well covering story of the War in Spain, Portugal and Southern France between the French Empire of Napoleon and the various armies of the Portuguese, British and Spanish in the Peninsula War between 1808 and 1814.

Written in 1985, it goes into great detail of the various invasions and campaigns. It goes into far more detail of what's happening on the Spanish side and area that other books like Wellington in the Peninsula or The Peninsula war, that understandably focus more on the British armies.

Battles get less detail, generally a page or two, with maps that aren't great - they should get updated to use a computer. Initial positions are marked but there's no arrows or movement to show who moved where, though I was able to follow the action reasonably enough, enough for a wargame to be made out of it. An appendix lists brigade sizes, which is very useful for a FOGN battle.

I do think the author is too harsh on Wellington sometimes, though unlike a lot of other book's, it does show him making actual mistakes from time to time, particularly in early campaign logistics and a lot of the sieges. But I don't think the book gives him enough credit for keeping the army actually together and not destroyed or kicked off the continent like every other British army. I suspect the harsh comments were more a reaction to the earlier works that showed him in nothing but a good light, which is understandable. 

It is very illuminating on how the guerrilla warfare impacted the French, and despite having 200,000 troops in the country, pretty much unable to own any of it beyond the length of their bayonets. It's very interesting on the same parallels that later went on in most other colonial insurgencies like Vietnam (French and later American), Afghanistan (both times!) and Iraq. And how pretty much none of the lessons have been learnt. Empires never seem to learn. 

It only tends to mention it a few times, but the whole disaster was because Napoleon was clearly a megalomaniac who would never admin he'd something wrong. I wounder how many lessons the British took from the AWI and used that to their benefit this time. Parallels with current day leaders like Bush and Trump are obvious. It's sad that men like that keep getting into positions of power, and they eventually end up having to face reality (Trump has, Bush did not, though democracy does save us all sometimes). 

My previous impression of the Spanish armies was very poor. I've changed that opinion.  If well lead that could win battles, and it's not like everyone else in Europe had much luck vs Napoleon or his Marshals. What does set them apart was the spirit of NEVER GIVING UP. They take 5000 causalities in a battle and a ready a month later with another 25000 men. Their constant losing and eventual helping to win with allies is a good story, and while learning to fight Napoleonic battles myself, I can see why you might lose a lot before you start to win. I would now like to collect a Spanish army, early and late, and use it in FOGN. I like General Blake's story the most.

I would like to read a more modern take from this century. Also one that goes into more detail of the Guerrilla operations, units and stories. And a book from the French point of view.

I would very much recommend this as a book to cover the campaign, and be used to create FOGN corps or army level battles.

9/10.