Leipzig - The Battle of the Nations

Step onto the blood-soaked fields of October 1813 as we revisit the Battle of Leipzig, the titanic clash that earned the title “Battle of the Nations.” In this episode of the Napoleonic Wars Podcast, we sit down with acclaimed historian John H. Gill to unravel the epic story of the largest battle in Europe before the First World War.

Gill guides us through the dramatic build-up after Napoleon’s disastrous Russian campaign, the rise of the Sixth Coalition, and the meticulous Allied strategy that finally cornered the Emperor at Leipzig. Over four days of brutal fighting, Napoleon faced shifting fronts, wavering allies, and the relentless pressure of fresh enemy armies. From the opening clashes on October 16th to the disastrous retreat across the Elster River, we explore the critical decisions, battlefield genius, and costly mistakes that sealed Napoleon’s fate.

But this isn’t just about tactics, we also uncover the staggering human cost: tens of thousands dead and wounded, civilian suffering on a massive scale, and the haunting aftermath left behind.

Join us for a gripping deep dive into the turning point of the Napoleonic Wars, where the fall of an empire truly began.

Click here for more on John H. Gill's work Pen and Sword Books: Titles by John H Gill