The German Awakening

The Spanish example inspired resistance movements throughout Europe, particularly in German territories that had suffered under French occupation. The combination of popular uprising and external military support demonstrated that French domination was not permanent, encouraging nationalist movements that had been suppressed since the Revolution.

The Austrian War of 1809 was directly inspired by Spanish success and British encouragement. The Habsburg monarchy, convinced that French resources were overstretched, launched a preventive war that nearly succeeded in destroying French power in central Europe. Though Napoleon's tactical brilliance at Wagram restored French dominance, the campaign revealed the growing strain on French resources and the increasing effectiveness of enemy resistance.

German intellectuals and politicians studied Spanish guerrilla tactics while developing their own plans for national liberation. The works of theorists like Gneisenau and Clausewitz reflected lessons learned from Spanish resistance, while the War of Liberation of 1813-1814 would apply these lessons on a continental scale.