Derrick

Western Civilization II

Professor

February 4, 2012

Napoleon was born August 15, 1769 in the city of Ajaccio. He started his military prowess young attending the French military school for aristocrats. He was made fun of and called little corporal. In 1785 he was a second lieutenant in the French army. He was born into a poor family and was subject to the education of the public. Napoleon was known for his military feats in during and after the French revolution. He conquered Austrian generals during his reign. He installed the Napoleonic code which is just and fair still used today by the United States of America. With his reform of government and economy along with his military strategies being his two greatest accomplishments, I believe Napoleon gathered pride and monetary funds and transformed that pride to the nation from his military accomplishments however he may have taken them too far but his accomplishments with the everyday life of the French peoples such as great governing, justice, and a great economy stuck for generations to come. One of Napoleon’s greatest accomplishments was the transformation of the French government, economy, and most important of all the Napoleonic code. While his military dreams may have put him over the edge his changes in the legal system, the administration of the government, and education boded well for the French people. In the code people were created equal not counting whether you were wealthy or not. In addition was the fact that the law was a single coherent system that the enlightened revolution failed to produce. Furthermore now the people had a right to choose which religion to practice and what type of occupation they wanted to do. He also opened up to the Catholics and reconciled with Rome. Napoleon made the government much more efficient. He added a system of administrators in each department in the central government. In addition to a more efficient the ones in power actually part of the old regime had now more power. The economy which had been in shambles before Napoleon because of heavy taxes and debt was to be changed for the better. From the battles he had won he used the money to balance the budget. He also straightened up the honesty of the tax collector and opened up the Bank of France. His policies such as the Le Chapelier of law 1791 strengthened the strikes and labor unions which allowed for more productivity. The education system was also something systematically changed for the better of France. Napoleon founded the first university with potential. He took scientists and geographers to Egypt and strengthened the field of Science for France. They were the ones to discovered Rosetta Stone which translated Egyptian Hieroglyphics which was the advance study of Egyptology. Napoleon was very well known for his military feats. He was one of the most powerful men to ever walk the face of the earth. Known as the little corporal, he was believed to be the anti-christ by some and also a monster who wanted global ineter-continental domination. Napoleon articulated the modern warfare. His theory of war was of strategy and tactics. The operation by which he conducted war was to destroy the enemy by the fastest way possible. His theory was that staying in one place would not suffice and he meant to spread out and prepared for domination of his neighbors. Napoleon conquered many lands but also had his share of downfalls. He knew what each of his armies could accomplish and the efficiency and quality of each. He would never allow any battle to get out of his hands. His plans of strategy of infantry, cavalry reserves, and a gross amount of guns set the stage for a new type of warfare. Today armies are still using Napoleon’s model of war however with the shift in technology that has changed how war goes on and much of his tactics are outdated. Napoleon was finally stopped at the battle of Waterloo in 1815 however we will never forget such a great military presence he created which was far advanced of his time. In conclusion I feel that Napoleon’s greatest accomplishments were his reform of France in the form of law and efficient government. His military achievements while great were overshadowed by great feats but also several and almost as many downfalls, his greatest blunder being the invasion of Russia where he lost over 300 thousand troops most dying of cold and hunger. Napoleon stretched his army and his dream of world dominance brought him to his knees. His strategies of war are what lived on. What France truly needed and what Napoleon accomplished behind all his military sharades was the reform of France in the way of the economy, government, and education which I feel boded well for France going forward and by far his greatest accomplishments.

Works Cited: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bonaparte_napoleon.shtml http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/napoleon/c_greatest.html

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3567/3567-h/3567-h.htm

Laurent Joffrin. History today humanities international Vol. 55 Issue 7, p15-20, 5p, 9
EBSCOhost Columbia College of Missouri February 4, 2012