Frederick the Great

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Frederick the Great’s father laid the foundation for Frederick’s legendary military exploits by assembling a well-drilled professional army for Prussia. In the early eighteenth century, Prussia was one of dozens of minor German states, and it was far from the most powerful. Prussia’s possessions stretched from the Baltics to what is now western Germany. Prussia’s more powerful neighbors, including France, Russia, Sweden, and Austria were a constant threat to Prussia’s security. The young Frederick was more interested in the arts and philosophy than learning. This caused problems between Frederick and his father. Frederick was more interested in philosophy and music than drill and maneuvers. At one point, Frederick attempted to flee Prussia. He was caught, arrested, and imprisoned for a short time by his father. Artistic and philosophical interests aside, Frederick clearly learned much about warfare as well. When he became king, he quickly demonstrated it. When Frederick inherited his army, he put it to use almost immediately by invading Silesia in defiance of Austria, a country with a much larger and on paper more powerful army. The Prussian Army Frederick greatly enhanced amazed Europe and the world in short order.

“	"The speed and smoothness of Prussia’s mobilization was disquieting in a Europe where war’s relative stateliness reflected in good part the length of time armies required to wind up and deliver a punch."	”
—Unknown

From 1740 through the 1760s Prussia fought a series of wars culminating in the Seven Years’ War, which was fought in North America as the French and Indian War, which produced many future officers in the The Revolutionary War, including George Washington.