If you want to understand atilla’s role in European history, you first need to recognize that the Western Europe his hordes swept through were in transition. During the third through seventh centuries, waves of Eastern tribes were being pushed by demographic, economic, and climatic factors west from the steppes of central Asia into Europe. The Goths, Vandals, and many other groups encountered settled tribes such as the Gauls in areas that had been part of the slowly disintegrating Roman Empire. What set the Huns apart, in the mid fifth century, was their immense numbers and their implacable military tactics. In short, they overwhelmed almost everyone they came in contact with as they moved through Eastern, Central, and finally Western Europe. The only way to stop them was to bring to bear enough force utilizing the Roman style of unified command and action (as they perfected in the organization and use of the legionary system) instead of the tribal approach of each heroic warrior fighting as an individual. The leader of the weakened Roman forces, Aetius, convinced the King of the Visigoths, Theodoric, to unite and confront Atilla’s forces near Chalons in the heartland of what is now France. Their efforts finally stopped the Westward advance of the Huns (Thought Theodoric died at Chalons) , and Atilla’s hordes turned back east, eventually dividing and being defeated after trying to conquer what is now Italy.
Over the course of his conquest, the lack of logistical organization and supply eventually caught up with the Huns, as they suffered in their Atilla’s last campaigns from disease and starvation. Atilla died less than 2 years after his defeat at Chalons.
Military historians have speculated that the seeds of modern Western modes of warfare were sown in the alliance that defeated Atilla. It was the first post-legionary campaign in which a smaller number defeated a much larger force because of the superiority of their tactics, weaponry, and organization.