Talk:Battle of Solferino

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unsourced casualties[edit]

The Battle of Solferino Wikipedia article lists a total of 5,492 dead and 23,219 wounded. Are these numbers authoritative? I ask because Caroline Moorehead, in Dunant's Dream (HarperCollins,1998)says that more than 6,000 were killed and 30,000 wounded. Who is right?

i don't know, i've heard an interview with Pierre Milza who is a famous french historian (Centre d’histoire de Sciences Po) and he quotes his 2004 book called Napoleon III, Milza speaks about 40,000 deads, 23,000 French and 17,000 Austrian. Milza argues Napoleon III was not a militaryman nor a strategist like Napoleon I and he was impressed by the french loss so he stopped the war after this battle. Milza reports general Charles Denis Bourbaki was against Napoleon's leading (he knew he was not a good military leader but a diplomat) and that the italians were frustrated by the war's ending before reaching total victory. french learners can listen the radio show here (click the PLAY arrow on the flash player bar) Paris By Night 14:36, 18 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The source listed (Hellwald) has been published 50 years before the battle of Solferino. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Label (talk • contribs) 19:40, 9 September 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The Radetzky March and the Battle of Solferino[edit]

I have just read a book called The Radetzky March and the beginning takes place at the battle of Solferino--it is absolutely fascinating--195.40.17.94 20:13, 5 Mar 2004 (UTC)brendastahr@yahoo.co.uk

I agree that The Radetzky March is a great novel, but I have an issue with its depiction of the battle of Solferino. The beginning of the novel takes place during an Italian retreat at the battle. The Austrians seem triumphant. But, in reality, the Austrians lost the battle. Someone knowledge about military history should add a paragraph or two about the course of the battle. How did it ebb and flow? Poldy Bloom (talk) 17:44, 17 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

accent mark[edit]

Is there really an accent mark in the name of this place? RickK 21:11, 22 May 2004 (UTC)[reply]

Absolutely not. In Italian (graphic) accents can fall only on the last vowel, nowhere else. It would maybe make sense if Solferino were pronounced /solf'erino/, but it is actually /solfer'ino/. So it's just wrong. It may come from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, they had a very sloppy way of dealing with Italian accents: I have seen Ricàsoli, Càiroli and such in other articles. --Orzetto 10:00, 19 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Added request to move do Battle of Solferino. --Orzetto 10:14, 19 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Although this has now been resolved, it may be of interest to mention that the error probably came from French, as in French the name of this place is written "Solférino". UrsusMaximus (talk) 15:19, 21 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Casualty box[edit]

The casualty figures in the box don't fit with those in the text, nor do they make any sense on their own. Lafarge Dodger 00:28, 9 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

new section[edit]

I'vwe added a sectioon about the battlefield today; there's some interesting stuff at the site.
And I've corrected the comment in the "battle" section; the Austrians weren't just "marching eastward", they were retreating, so it's a bit of a spin to say otherwise. Moonraker12 (talk) 14:00, 19 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Last battle with monarchs in command?[edit]

The article currently states the Solferino "was the last major battle in world history where all the armies were under the personal command of their monarchs." Is this true, though? Didn't Wilhelm I and Napoleon III both command at Sedan? john k (talk) 03:05, 20 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I remmember that Napoleon III did present in Sedan, but not actually command the battle. Napoleon III had already relinquished his role as the army's commander in chief since 12 August 1870, almost a month before Sedan. The battle was controlled by field marshal MacMahon and later general Wimpffen. Meanwhile, it is right that Wilhelm I along with Moltke commanded Prussian armies at Koniggratz, Gravelotte, Sedan and Paris.Ti2008 (talk) 03:48, 4 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified[edit]

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Jean-Henri or Henry Dunant?[edit]

While Henry Dunant was indeed christened Jean-Henri, he is almost universally known as "Henry" (yes, with a "y", even in French!) But before I change the spelling in this article, I wanted to hear whether anyone knows a good reason for leaving "Jean-Henri". FWIW the Wikipedia article about him is titled "Henry Dunant" and starts "Henry Dunant (born Jean-Henri Dunant; 8 May 1828 – 30 October 1910), also known as Henri Dunant". UrsusMaximus (talk) 14:03, 21 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]