Napoleon's genius strategies and tactics on the battlefield essay

Introduction

The name of Napoleon Bonaparte is certainly known to everyone, because this man came into history as a great and ambitious leader, who aspired to dominate the world, and was close to achieve his goal. Napoleon Bonaparte was a great statesman, ambitious, confident and strong in spirit; he was a brilliant military commander and talented leader, who managed to become probably the greatest and most famous emperor of France. The success and achievements of Napoleon were his personal merits, the results of his talent as a military commander, strategist, innovator and brilliant leader.

Life and formation of Napoleon as a talented commander and leader

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the most well known Emperor of France, an outstanding leader and a major bourgeois statesman. Napoleon was the son of a nobleman from a small Italian island of Corsica, which just three months before his birth became a possession of France. The father sent the boy to one of the French military schools to study for a state scholarship, and at the age of fifteen Napoleon entered Paris military school, where he was prepared to become an officer for the army. Napoleon was sullen boy, he was not communicative and was looking at others without respect and compassion; he was very self-confident, despite his small growth and age. He did not finish the academy, as his father died and the family was left with almost no money. Napoleon went the army in the rank of junior officer. (Dwyer, 2009)

The young officer had rather hard life in the army, as practically all his salary he sent home. He shunned society, and his clothes were so inconspicuous, that he would not and could not lead a secular life. He told that “the most important qualification of a soldier is fortitude under fatigue and privation; courage is only second; hardship, poverty and want are the best school for a soldier.” (Dwyer, 2009)

But he worked tirelessly, spending all his free time reading books, most of all he was interested in books on military history, mathematics, geography, descriptions of travels. He said: “read over and over again the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Gustavus, Turenne, Eugene and Frederic. … This is the only way to become a great general and master the secrets of the art of war. …” (Chandler, 1995)

Many young people at that time were fond of works of great philosophers of the Enlightenment, though Napoleon had aversion to the views of Revolutionary Writers.

Napoleon Bonaparte as a petty nobleman from the distant French island could not think about rapid successful career in the military service. But beginning of the French revolution  in 1789 inspired young ambitious man, because he could show his personal abilities and talents, and help him to promote his career.  He said that “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them”. (Dwyer, 2009)

Napoleon first attracted attention when he helped the Jacobins to suppress the rebellion raised in Toulon by Royalists, the supporters of restoration of the Bourbons authority. He skillfully arranged artillery and in assault, in which he personally participated and was wounded, he took the mainstream over the city and the port height, so that Toulon was surrendered to the revolutionary forces. It was the first battle won by Napoleon, and a 24-year-old captain Bonaparte was promoted by Jacobin government in generals. Though his temporal cooperation with the Jacobins was for Napoleon only a careerist tactics, as his real attitude to the revolutionary people was the same as in young ages, so he did not support their ideas and activities. (Dwyer, 2009)

Napoleon as a great commander

In 1796, Napoleon was sent to command the troops in Italy, where in all its brilliance Napoleon showed chis talent as a commander. Despite the numerous superiority of the enemy, he managed to defeat the Sardinian army, and then Austrian army. Austrian generals could not oppose lightning maneuvers of the French army, which was impoverished, poorly equipped, but inspired by the revolutionary ideas under the leadership of Napoleon. It is interesting to remember some of his words: “There are certain things in war of which the commander alone comprehends the importance. Nothing but his superior firmness and ability can subdue and surmount all difficulties.” (Chandler, 1995)

Italians enthusiastically greeted the army, carrying the ideals of freedom, equality, and to get rid of the Austrian domination. Austria lost all its lands in northern Italy, and Napoleon has made in 1797 very favorable conditions of peace agreement for France and became a national hero. He said: “France has more need of me than I have need of France”. ()

In 1798, Bonaparte led an expedition to Egypt, planning to come to British India. On land he was invincible, but the British destroyed his fleet at Arbukire. While in Egypt Bonaparte held reforms, organized the study of local antiquities by French scientists.

In November 1799 Bonaparte made a coup d’etat (18 Brumaire), and became the first consul, and in fact, concentrated all the power in his hands. When Napoleon came to power, France was at war with Austria and England.  Crossing the Alps, the French army came to northern Italy, and was met with enthusiasm by the local population. After the victory at the Battle of Marengo (1801) the threat to the French border was eliminated.

In 1804, Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor, and held a series of reforms, most of which were aimed to strengthen his personal authority as a guarantee to save the results of the revolution: civil rights, land ownership rights. The Civil Code must ensure all that reforms, and went into the history as “the Code of Napoleon”. Economic policy was aimed to ensure the primacy of French industrial and financial bourgeoisie in the European market, for that was established by the State Bank of France. Administrative and legal innovations of Napoleon laid the foundation of the modern state, many of them are present to this day.

In his governing Napoleon keeped the rule that “There is no strength without justice”, but with an important remark that “Necessity is the highest law, public welfare is the highest justice”. (Chandler, 1995)