NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

Opening Q:

What do you think of when you think of Napoleon?

Napoleon – International Pitchman

Garmin – Super Bowl

• http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1080167/garmin_nuvi_super_bowl_commercial_napolean_finds_his_way_w_gps/

Red Bull

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8R6qo5FhCs

Insurance - Israel

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvxo4i4LME

March of the Penguins - France

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ_mlwnAmr0

Tyskie Beer - Poland

• http://www.tvspots.tv/video/40492/SAB--NAPOLEON

Volkswagen - France

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6991MZ8N6I

McDonald’s - Belgium

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VcUwg7W5Ck

Other Images

Other Images

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeNYDwbm9qw

Other Images

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZlFTJ9MVj4

Napoleon’s Words

Napoleonic Code

Napoleon ‘Moscow’ Letter sold at auction for $243,500 on 12/2/12

Who is Napoleon?

• “Since one must take sides, one might as well choose the side that is victorious, the side that devastates, loots, and burns. Considering the alternative, it is better to eat than be eaten.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “If you wish to be a success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “A Constitution should be short and obscure.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “Men are more easily governed through their vices than through their virtues.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “The torment of precautions often exceeds the dangers to be avoided. It is sometimes better to abandon one's self to destiny.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “One must change one's tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one's superiority”

Who is Napoleon?

• “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.”

Who is Napoleon?

• “Women are nothing but machines for producing children.”

Who is Napoleon?

“A picture is worth a thousand words”

Who is Napoleon?

• “Let the path be open to talent.”

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

Opening Q:

Is propaganda a necessary component or element of being a

successful ruler?

Napoleon Crossing the St. Bernard(1800) ~Jacques-Louis David

•Napoleon in his famous crossing of the Alps. Painting took two years to finish.

Propaganda?

•Napoleon actually crossed the Alps on a mule. Mules have better balance and traction, are lower to the ground, and do better in cold weather.

Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1848) ~Paul Delaroche

More Accurate?

Compare this image with the previous image!

What differences do you see?

•Painted about 30 years after Napoleon's death.

•A painting like this would have never been acceptable to Napoleon, because it doesn't glorify him.

Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of the Empress Josephine in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris on 2 Dec 1804 ~Jacques-Louis David

Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of the Empress Josephine in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris on 2 Dec 1804 ~Jacques-Louis David

• Napoleon's Coronation-This large painting (6’x9’) took two years to complete!

Propaganda?

• Long, detailed title - meant to immortalize event in history

Napoleon’s Parents

• Napoleon's parents disapproved of his coronation of himself as Emperor of France - they never attended the coronation ceremony

• Parents added to painting - shows approval of him being emperor (Middle, just left of Napoleon in the throne in the back).

Josephine

• It was also thought that if Napoleon were portrayed as crowning himself, he would come off as “full of himself” so David painted Napoleon crowning his wife Josephine.

Napoleon in His Study (1812) ~Jacques-Louis David

•Another oil painting done by Napoleon's favorite painter, David.

•This one was painted in 1812, near the end of his glorious empire.

Click here to find out what is going on in the painting:

http://www.nga.gov/kids/napoleon/nap3.htm

Napoleon at Fontainebleau after the first abdication 6 April 1814 ~Paul Delaroche

Compare this image with the previous one

The Rise of Napoleon

• The Coalitions against Revolutionary France• 1st Coalition

– French Revolution (1792-1797)– Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain

• 3rd Coalition – 1805– Austria, Great Britain, Russia, Sweden

• 7 coalitions against France

Military Genius

• The great battles with the 3rd coalition– Battle of Ulm

• October 17, 1805• Crushing Defeat of the Austrians

– Battle of Austerlitz• December 2, 1805• Great victory over Russians & Austrians

– Trafalgar• October 21, 1805• Maritime defeat against the British

The 3rd Coalition

• Example of Napoleon’s tactical abilities

• Defeat of 3rd coalition– Austria

• Battle of Ulm

– Russia• Battle of Austerlitz

• England Carries on– Battle of Trafalgar

Ulm, 1805Strength

French 177,000 troops

13,000 cavalry 38,000 cavalry170,000 infantry

Austrians 77,000 Troops

BAVBAV

II

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VIVI

Bonaparte deploys the majority of his army along the Rhine River while V Corps and Murat’s cavalry deploy behind the Black Forest, the traditional French invasion route. Mack deploys west of Ulm; he is awaiting a Russian army numbering 100,000 which is slowly marching west. Bonaparte thus plans to encircle the Austrians, preventing any link up with the Russians. Mack – expecting an opposing army one-third its actual size – plans to hold off the French until the Russian “hammer” arrives to crush the them against the Austrian “anvil”.

Austrian Army

(Mack)

Grande Armée

(Bonaparte)

Mack’s attention becomes fixed on the Black Forest because Murat’s cavalry is crossing the Black Forest blowing trumpets, acting like the main army and preventing Austrian patrols from breaking this façade; V Corps stands by in case Mack strikes against this force. Bonaparte orders the rest of his subordinates towards the Danube River to cut off Mack’s retreat. Each are given exact destinations but are allowed to reach them any way they see fit. However, they are careful not to overlap paths because it would be more difficult to forage supplies from the land hence Bonaparte’s maxim: “separate to live, unite to fight”.

Murat’s cavalry exits the Black Forest and scouts Mack’s dispositions, concluding that he is concentrating near Ulm. Mack on the other hand does not detect the main French body, is confused by seemingly contradictory scouting reports, and so he detaches units to guard against many possibilities. Meanwhile, Bonaparte’s corps reach the Danube River and begin to cross after surprising the Austrian detachments guarding it. This further muddles Mack’s awareness of the situation so he does not react.

Bonaparte presses his left wing to complete the encirclement of Mack by flooding upon the inadequate Austrians along the riverbank. Bonaparte thinks Mack will retreat but does not yet believe Mack is fully concentrated at Ulm so he orders Ney’s VI Corps to chase away any forces located there and pursue south. Ney’s assault is repulsed but Bonaparte now fully understands the situation.

Austrian Army

(Karl Mack von Liebereich)

59,000 infantry

13,000 cavalry

Grande Armée

(Napoleon Bonaparte)

170,000 infantry

38,000 cavalry

Subordinates

I Corps – Bernadotte

II Corps – Marmont

III Corps – Davout

IV Corps – Soult

V Corps – Lannes

VI Corps – Ney

Bavarian Corps – Deroi

Cavalry - Murat

NN

Bonaparte presses his left wing to complete the encirclement of Mack by flooding upon the inadequate Austrians along the riverbank. Bonaparte thinks Mack will retreat but does not yet believe Mack is fully concentrated at Ulm so he orders Ney’s VI Corps to chase away any forces located there and pursue south. Ney’s assault is repulsed but Bonaparte now fully understands the situation.

IIIIII

IIIIIIIVIVVVVIVI

Mack, however, still does not comprehend the disaster unfolding around him. He sends probes in all directions which eventually find a favourable escape route northeast but Ney sharply closes this gap. Mack has no choice but to withdraw to Ulm and skulk over a different escape route. Meanwhile, Bonaparte designates I, III and Bavarian Corps to cover the east from any Russian appearance and begins to cast a net around Ulm: V Corps and Murat’s cavalry join VI Corps in blocking the east while II and IV Corps prepare to cut off the south.

Austrian units hastily flee north and south as the French seal the net around Ulm. Soult’s IV Corps barely misses cutting off the southern detachment, II Corps blocks the east, VI Corps blocks the west and V Corps shifts over to block the north. The northern Austrian detachment then abruptly returns to assail VI Corps’ rear before being chased away by Murat’s cavalry.

Mack is completely surrounded so Bonaparte demands his surrender. Bonaparte’s siege weapons are far from the front and his forces have foraged the immediate countryside bare but these factors are unknown to Mack. He refuses to surrender because although he is also short on food and heavy guns, he has plenty of ammunition and a strong position. However, the Austrian subordinates recognize the futility of the situation, mutiny and open negotiations with Bonaparte. Mack surrenders soon after.

Austrian Army

(Mack)

Grande Armée

(Bonaparte)

Austrian Army

(Karl Mack von Liebereich)

59,000 infantry

13,000 cavalry

Grande Armée

(Napoleon Bonaparte)

170,000 infantry

38,000 cavalry

Subordinates

I Corps – Bernadotte

II Corps – Marmont

III Corps – Davout

IV Corps – Soult

V Corps – Lannes

VI Corps – Ney

Bavarian Corps – Deroi

Cavalry - Murat

NN

Ulm, 1805Casualties & Aftermath

Austrian Army: Grande Armée:

60,000

or

83%

2,000

or

1%

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

The Austrian capitulation left only Archduke Charles’ force of 80,000 to defend Vienna but it was deployed south of the Alps and its path was consequently blocked by a French detachment led by Ney anyways. Napoleon captured Vienna in November before facing the Russians in the decisive clash at Austerlitz in December.

Trafalgar

Trafalgar - Consequences

• England– British dominate the sea

• Napoleon– Continental System

• United States– War of 1812

• C:\Documents and Settings\r.emmett\My Documents\Downloads\BBC - History - British History in depth Animated Map Battle of Trafalgar.mht

Austerlitz

• End of 3rd Coalition

• Russians & French

• Strategic win against larger enemy– Heavy fog helped strategy

Austerlitz

• Continental System• Spain

– Brother Joseph placed in command

– Guerilla warfare

• Russia

The Collapse

Scorched Earth Policy

• Russian Defense• Burn everything & let winter freeze out the enemy

– First used by Peter the Great– Effective against Napoleon– Used again against the Germans in WWII (above)

Russians Burn Moscow

Episode of the Retreat from Russia (1835) ~Joseph Ferdinand Boissard de Boisdenier

Oil paintings by Vereschagin (1890’s)

Oil paintings by Vereschagin (1890’s)

War of Attrition

Episode of the Retreat from Russia (1835) ~Joseph Ferdinand Boissard de Boisdenier

In Napoleon’s wake [was] a mob of tattered ghosts draped in…odd pieces of carpet, or greatcoats burned dull of holes, their feet wrapped in all sorts of rags…[We] stared in horror as those skeletons of soldiers went by their gaunt, gray faces covered with disfiguring beards, without…weapons…with lowered heads, eyes on the ground, in absolute silence.”~ Memoirs of Philippe Paul de Segur, French general and historian

• Napoleon's worst blunder• Began with 600,000 men• Finished with just over 50,000.

Ségur reported the retreating French army had engaged in cannibalism.

What do you see?

•Caricature of Napoleon's Russian campaign.

•Features:•His face is composed of the corpses of his own (and Russian) troops. •Jacket is a map.•Crow

The End

• European powers quickly defeat Napoleon

• What should Europe do with Napoleon?

• “Able was I ere I saw Elba”

• Waterloo– Duke of Wellington– 100 Days

• St.Helena

Question…

… What is Napoleon’s Legacy?

French President Nicolas Sarkozy

President Bush

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Napoleon D

ynamite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPenRMRlDSU