Question #939a8
1 Answer
Napoleon was basically the greatest tactician of the 19th century, and one of the greatest all-time.
Explanation:
Napoleon, although from the small island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, had a huge ego. His first major break came during the French Revolution. He commanded the artillery that defeated the British and their allies when they attempted to capture the French port city of Toulon. Later, his artillery tore an angry mob in Paris to shreds. Now proven to be both smart and brutal, he kept climbing the ranks of the French military.
His next assignment was to defeat the Austrians in Italy, where France had some territory. Napoleon quickly reorganized the shattered French army there, and won battle after battle. His skill lay in his master control of his army - he made sure his battalions stayed close enough to protect each other, yet distant enough to gather food. Eventually, Napoleon succeeded so much that he was able to threaten the Austrian capital of Vienna, though his army was too small to capture it. However, the Austrians sued for peace anyway.
Returning to France as a national hero, Napoleon embarked on his next project: the invasion of Egypt. The reasoning behind this decision was sketchy at best; Egypt was very far away, and the British controlled the route to get there. It happened anyway - at it was a disaster. Although the French made it to Egypt, their navy was destroyed by the British fleet, leaving them stranded. With no contact between the army and the home country, the French withered away in the desert. Napoleon subsequently abandoned his army and returned to France.
His return was once again celebrated. Since there was no contact, people assumed the army was in Egypt, occupying the country (when, in fact, it was destroyed). In 1804, riding high on publicity, Napoleon declared himself emperor. The rest of Europe promptly declared war on him, not wanting France to become too powerful.
The next 8 years are the stuff of legend. Napoleon lost his navy to the British, but on the land, he remained unchallenged. He beat the Austrians, the Russians, the Prussians (early Germans) and everyone else who got in the way. In 1812, however, he invaded Russia - the biggest mistake of his career. He lost his whole army - about 500,000 men - and his reputation. Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria quickly subdued the army-less French, and Napoleon was captured.
Napoleon was exiled, but he escaped and returned to power. Eventually, he was defeated again, and shut away in a remote island in the South Atlantic. But his reputation was rebuilt, and now we remember Napoleon as a master of military strategy. His greatness came from his huge gambles, where he would either win a huge victory or lose his entire army.
