After a military success conquering Saxony on September 10, Frederick II, King of Prussia wrote on October 26, 1756, “The enemy apparently made more mistakes than my officers, to the point where, this year, we have succeeded. However, this whole campaign is but the arrangement of the chessboard. This coming year, the game will begin and it is a difficult task that I have proposed to myself to be wise still.” Frederick had now to await the forthcoming of the next campaign, when France, Austria, Sweden and Russia would be ready to “enter the game”. Thus, Prussia with a population four times less of the magnitude of the enemy, far less revenues, and almost unaided would come to face a struggle against enormous odds. However, the small and insignificant
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For instance, the self-interested anti-Prussian coalition at no point showed cooperation to coordinate effective operations against Frederick, serving as an advantage for Frederick as it allowed Prussia to remain standing by fighting her enemies separately rather than together. Prussia had also an advantage in the army the kingdom held, for it possessed unique military qualities as each Prussian soldier represented a great investment in training, time and money unlike any other. Moreover, the Anglo-Prussian Convention with Frederick, in which they committed to pay him an annual subsidy of £670,000 gave Frederick the advantage to produce and maintain his masterpiece of an army and tactics. Finally, the death of Tsartisa Elizabeth was the last miraculous factor that saved Prussia and gave Frederick the advantage to withdraw his nightmare of Russian threat against Prussia. Thus, here was Prussia, almost unthought of, a third-power that defied the whole balance of Europe and fought single-handed against overwhelming odds. Alas, Prussia would no longer hold the title of a “third-power”, for the European power transitioned itself upon Prussia, Russia and Britain as a result of the Seven Years
For instance, the self-interested anti-Prussian coalition at no point showed cooperation to coordinate effective operations against Frederick, serving as an advantage for Frederick as it allowed Prussia to remain standing by fighting her enemies separately rather than together. Prussia had also an advantage in the army the kingdom held, for it possessed unique military qualities as each Prussian soldier represented a great investment in training, time and money unlike any other. Moreover, the Anglo-Prussian Convention with Frederick, in which they committed to pay him an annual subsidy of £670,000 gave Frederick the advantage to produce and maintain his masterpiece of an army and tactics. Finally, the death of Tsartisa Elizabeth was the last miraculous factor that saved Prussia and gave Frederick the advantage to withdraw his nightmare of Russian threat against Prussia. Thus, here was Prussia, almost unthought of, a third-power that defied the whole balance of Europe and fought single-handed against overwhelming odds. Alas, Prussia would no longer hold the title of a “third-power”, for the European power transitioned itself upon Prussia, Russia and Britain as a result of the Seven Years