[3] In Austria's First Silesian War against Prussia, he was present at Chotusitz and Prague, and led the advanced guard of Ludwig Andreas Khevenhüller's army in the victorious Danube campaign of 1743.

Field Marshal Count Traun, who succeeded Khevenhüller in 1744, thought equally highly of Daun, and entrusted him with the rearguard of the Austrian army when it escaped from the French to attack Frederick the Great.

[3] During the interval of peace that preceded the Seven Years' War he was engaged in carrying out an elaborate scheme for the reorganization of the Austrian army, and it was chiefly through his efforts that the Theresian Military Academy was established at Wiener-Neustadt in 1751.

The union of the relieving army with the forces of Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine at Prague reduced Daun to the position of second in command, and in that capacity he took part in the pursuit of the Prussians and the victory of Breslau.

With the campaign of 1758 began the war of manoeuvre in which Daun, though missing some opportunities to crush the Prussians through over-caution, at least maintained a steady and cool resistance to the fiery strategy of Frederick.

[3] Despite the tactical success and capture of many munitions and supplies that Daun achieved at Hochkirch, his failure to pursue Frederick through the densely wooded area allowed the Prussians to block his path into Silesia, meaning that his victory counted for little.

[citation needed] In the following year the war of manoeuvre continued, and on 20 and 21 November he surrounded the entire corps of General Friedrich August von Finck at Maxen, forcing the Prussians to surrender.

[3] Called the Austrian Fabius Cunctator, Daun has been criticized for the dilatoriness of his operations, but wariness was not misplaced when one faced a general like Frederick, who was quick and unpredictable.