There have been battles fought under extremely harsh conditions that significantly changed the outcomes, according to War History.
The Battle of the Trebia River in 218 BC
The Romans and the residents of Carthage faced off in a large-scale skirmish during the Second Punic War. Hannibal, the Carthaginian general and strategist, had been in Italy for several months, threatening central Italy. Hannibal’s opponent was Consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus, who was very confident in his army but chose the least likely option for success in conducting the battle.
On the winter solstice in late December, Hannibal sent small forces across the Trebia River to attack the Roman camp while the remaining troops gathered for breakfast just before dawn. The Romans were caught off guard, and Sempronius Longus immediately ordered his men to charge in an attempt to push back Hannibal’s forces.
The Romans were forced to cross the icy Trebia River in the midst of rain and snow. Hannibal’s small cavalry units were mounted, while the Roman infantry had to wade through water up to their chests, making it impossible for them to hold their weapons due to their freezing hands. As the fighting commenced, Hannibal secretly dispatched cavalry to attack the rear of the Roman formation as they emerged from the frigid river. As a result, the Carthaginian forces achieved a stunning victory that reverberated throughout Rome.
The Winter Campaign of 1812
Napoleon’s army shivers in the cold of the Russian winter. (Photo: War History).
When invading Russia, Napoleon was confident that his large army would swiftly advance to capture Moscow, forcing the Russians to surrender before winter.
The Russians were well aware of Napoleon’s army’s strength and decided to implement a scorched earth strategy. They fought several battles with the French but continuously retreated, even after victories. Before retreating, the Russian troops took all available supplies, making it difficult for the French soldiers to receive reinforcements. After the major battle at Borodino, on the outskirts of Moscow, Napoleon easily captured this major city, but the Russians still did not surrender.
Due to dwindling supplies, Napoleon’s army was forced to retreat. During this withdrawal, the harsh Russian winter inflicted heavy losses on the French troops. Additionally, a swift Russian attack during the Battle of Vyazma further impeded Napoleon’s retreat, which had only just begun.
By mid-October, temperatures dropped below 0°C, allowing the Russians to gain the upper hand in the Battle of Krasnoi. Although Napoleon’s troops escaped with a still intact force, the freezing and starving soldiers lived in constant fear of the next Russian attack.
Ultimately, Napoleon reached the Berezina River. The French only needed to cross the icy river to escape, but the recently cracked ice made this challenging. Some brave engineers waded into the freezing water to build a makeshift bridge, while the Russians launched relentless attacks on the weary French troops.
Panic ensued among the French soldiers as they rushed onto the bridges, with many falling into the river, leading to thousands suffering from hypothermia and frostbite. Napoleon’s army eventually crossed the river but suffered catastrophic losses, totaling tens of thousands of men. The failure of this campaign significantly weakened the French army and affected their reputation abroad. France’s allies switched sides when the Sixth Coalition War broke out, forcing Napoleon into exile in Elba.
Trench Warfare in the Alps during World War I
One of the tunnels in the Alps. (Photo: War History).
During World War I, Italy initially allied with Germany, Austria, and Hungary but later switched sides to join the Allies, hoping to gain territory around the Alps and Dalmatia. The military campaign became bogged down in the Dolomite range of the Alps, the worst battleground of World War I.
Fortifications were built in locations that challenge even today’s mountaineering experts. Avalanches and rockfalls were common, while large amounts of explosives increased the frequency of landslides.
Italy attempted to advance but was pushed back by German reinforcements to the point of nearly abandoning their defensive positions. When a stalemate was reached, both sides dug incredible tunnels through the mountains, often only 30 meters from the mountain peaks.
In this battle, the steep mountains and rugged terrain posed difficulties for both sides. However, the freezing weather, frequent snowfall, and thin air also had a profound impact. Ultimately, Italy launched a decisive attack to breach the defenses in 1918 and advanced deep into Austrian-Hungarian territory.
Operation Neptune in World War II
The Normandy landings marked a turning point in the European theater of World War II. Weather was one of the most crucial factors in the preparation and execution of this operation. The English Channel often experienced sweeping storms, and inclement weather affected all operations from aerial bombardments to paratrooper landings and boat landings.
DD tank 29 surrounded by canvas to prevent it from sinking during the Normandy battle. (Photo: War History).
Due to the importance of the weather, the Allied forces’ best meteorologists conducted forecasts, but the results were not entirely accurate on the eve of the landings on June 5, 1944. On the night of June 4, the head of the meteorological team believed the weather would be very bad on June 5. This was a risky forecast because the weather at that time was quite calm and pleasant; however, storms were expected on that day, and bad weather was predicted to persist for nearly two weeks.
The forecast indicated that there would be some good weather during this period, allowing the Allies to land on the morning of June 6. This was also a very risky forecast, as the weather was indeed very poor at the time. Although Allied Commander Eisenhower could postpone the attack, waiting more than a week would affect resources, forcing him to reposition large numbers of soldiers and ships.
Eisenhower decided to act on this forecast instead of waiting until around June 19. The landings were successful on June 6, despite suffering many casualties. The weather was not necessarily good, but the operation could still be carried out. In fact, on June 19, a much worse storm swept through the English Channel.
In contrast, German weather forecasting was poor. They could not monitor the northern and western seas and believed that storms would rage continuously, making a landing impossible. Many German commanders left their bases, while a large number of soldiers were given leave. This affected Germany’s combat effectiveness when the landings occurred at Normandy.
