The Scorched Earth Strategy and the Importance of Peace in the Territories

Following the Siege of Almeida, between August 1810 and May 1811, Masséna’s troops faced an additional challenge along the routes between Almeida and the Lines of Torres Vedras: a scarcity of resources.

Wellington’s strategy, known as the scorched earth policy, deliberately sought to prevent French troops from finding the supplies they needed to sustain themselves in the region. “The destruction of the olive and orange trees carried out by Wellington, together with the burning of villages and crops along Masséna’s route, meant that the French could not live off the land.”

However, the military effectiveness of this strategy came at a devastating cost to the territory and directly affected the Portuguese civilian population. “Some historians estimate the number of Portuguese lives lost to starvation (...) at around fifty thousand — 2% of the country’s total population — but whatever the figure, Wellington’s victory came at a high cost in civilian lives.”

The scale of the devastation prompted Napoleon to comment on the British commander: “Wellington is undoubtedly an intelligent man. This total devastation of a country was ingeniously conceived. Not even I, with all my power, would have been capable of doing it.”

Centuries later, it is precisely in the face of this memory of suffering that the commemoration of peace takes on particular significance. Remembering war also means understanding its consequences and recognising the value of peace.

On the closing day of the Almeida Siege Historical Re-enactment 2026, the Municipality of Almeida reaffirms its commitment to peace among peoples. The symbolic gathering of former enemies in celebration of history and collective memory invites us to look back on the past with awareness, acknowledging the human cost of war and valuing remembrance as a path towards dialogue and peace.

Bibliographical reference:

ROBERTS, Andrew (2001). Napoleão e Wellington. Lisbon: Verbo, pp. 141–142.

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