The United Kingdom has been an important…

The United Kingdom has been an important force in encouraging and financing alliances against Napoleonic France.

Napoleon does not have the resources to attempt an invasion of the United Kingdom or to defeat the Royal Navy at sea; his sole attempt to do so had ended with defeat at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Napoleon resorts instead to economic warfare.

As a result of the Industrial Revolution, Great Britain is emerging as Europe's manufacturing and industrial center, and Napoleon believes it will be easy to take advantage of an embargo on trade with the European nations under his control, causing inflation and great debt.

On November 21, 1806, having recently conquered or allied with every major power on the European continent, Napoleon issues the Berlin Decree forbidding his allies and conquests from trading with the British.

Napoleon's plan to defeat Britain is to destroy its ability to trade.

As an island nation, trade is the most vital lifeline.

Napoleon believes that if he can isolate Britain economically, he will be able to invade the nation after the economic collapse.

Napoleon decrees that all commerce ships wishing to do business in Europe must first stop at a French port in order to ensure that there can be no trade with Britain.

He also orders all European nations and French allies to stop trading with Britain, and he threatens Russia with an invasion if they do not comply as well.