of Austria was supported almost as a matter of course by
England and Holland, the traditional enemies of France. Of Austria's allies
from time to time Sardinia and Saxony were the most important.

1. _Frederick's Invasion of Silesia, 1740._--Prussia in 1740 was a small,
compact and thoroughly organized power, with an army 100,000 strong. The
only recent war service of this army had been in the desultory Rhine
campaign of 1733-35. It was therefore regarded as one of the minor armies
of Europe, and few thought that it could rival the forces of Austria and
France. But it was drilled to a perfection not hitherto attained, and the
Prussian infantry soldier was so well trained and equipped that [v.03
p.0040] he could fire five shots to the Austrian's three, though the
cavalry and artillery were less efficient. But the initial advantage of
Frederick's army was that it had, undisturbed by wars, developed the
standing army theory to full effect. While the Austrians had to wait for
drafts to complete the field forces, Prussian regiments could take the
field at once, and thus Frederick was able to overrun Silesia almost
unopposed. His army was concentrated quietly upon the Oder, and without
declaration of war, on the 16th of December 1740, it crossed the frontier
into Silesia. The Austrian generals could do no more than garrison a few
fortresses, and with the small remnant of their available forces fell back
to the mountain frontier of Bohemia and Moravia. The Prussian army was soon
able to go into winter quarters, holding all Silesia and investing the
strong places of Glogau, Brieg and Neisse.

2. _Silesian Campaign of 1741._--In February 1741, the Austrians collected
a field army under Count Neipperg (1684-1774) and made preparations to
reconquer Silesia. The Austrians in Neisse and Brieg still held out.
Glogau, however, was stormed on the night of the 9th of March, the
Prussians, under Prince Leopold (the younger) of Anhalt-Dessau, executing
their task in one hour with a mathematical precision which excited
universal admiration. But the Austrian army in Moravia was now in the
field, and Frederick's cantonments were dispersed over all Upper Silesia.
It was a work of the greatest difficulty to collect the army, for the
ground was deep in snow, and before it was completed Neisse was relieved
and the Prussians cut off from their own country by the march of Neipperg
from Neisse on Brieg; a few days of slow manoeuvring between these