How do you view Napoleon Bonaparte?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

this about sums it up

same as i said in the hitler thread in regards to his public speaking and leadership, you dont have to agree with what he did, to be impressed at his ability to do it.

its like darth vader in star wars, im not rooting for him but i can admire that hes really good at using the force and a lightsaber

I think the difference between Hitler and Napoleon, aside from the obvious killing of specific races/beliefs, is that Napoleon contributed a great deal to society. While Hitler's brilliance may have laid in his ability to rile up a populace, Napoleon was similarly capable but also brought about a major change to the world in a social sense.

Personally, I find Napoleon to be a net positive. The wars that occurred during his rule were probably going to happen in some way, shape or form. His embrace of law and order, as well as the metric system are impressive. By selling Louisiana to the United States, he also indirectly created the next world superpower (I've seen a quote in the past that suggested he was aware he was creating a the next great power, but have been unable to find it - he has a shit ton of great quotes, though). The superpower issue is interesting, because I can see a case for it leading to the "Pax Americana" we have now.

 

[Jim Cozad Jr.]

Like Hitler after him, he was a little too ambitious and took on too many enemies...

 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Like Hitler after him, he was a little too ambitious and took on too many enemies...

It is interesting that both men were seemingly unbeatable until foolishly invading Russia and expecting them to capitulate quickly. Napoleon's return march from Russia back to France must have been quite the experience for all involved.

 

[Pwent]

I think the difference between Hitler and Napoleon, aside from the obvious killing of specific races/beliefs, is that Napoleon contributed a great deal to society. While Hitler's brilliance may have laid in his ability to rile up a populace, Napoleon was similarly capable but also brought about a major change to the world in a social sense.

Personally, I find Napoleon to be a net positive. The wars that occurred during his rule were probably going to happen in some way, shape or form. His embrace of law and order, as well as the metric system are impressive. By selling Louisiana to the United States, he also indirectly created the next world superpower (I've seen a quote in the past that suggested he was aware he was creating a the next great power, but have been unable to find it - he has a shit ton of great quotes, though). The superpower issue is interesting, because I can see a case for it leading to the "Pax Americana" we have now.

hitler came up with the prototype of freeways, hunting seasons and blocking cigarettes from being advertised to protect children from it. he also had them design the volkswagen beetle as a prototype of using smaller more gas efficient cars for the general population.

his war launched the US and Russia into being superpowers. I'd say that did more for incidentally creating the pax americana.

im not defending the guy. i said in the other thread that he is one of the GOAT speakers and leaders. he took a country that was war torn rubble, created a whole new culture/flag/symbolism/national identity and more. and got everyone behind it. he turned them into a superpower within a few years. unfortunately he did terrible things and took them back down in the process, but the upswing from rubble to conquering europe was an incredible feat.

 

[Harmonica]

It is interesting that both men were seemingly unbeatable until foolishly invading Russia and expecting them to capitulate quickly. Napoleon's return march from Russia back to France must have been quite the experience for all involved.

Two greatest invasion forces in world's history. Both beaten by Russia's winter, size, grit and tactical savvy.

 

[Jim Cozad Jr.]

It is interesting that both men were seemingly unbeatable until foolishly invading Russia and expecting them to capitulate quickly. Napoleon's return march from Russia back to France must have been quite the experience for all involved.

I'm admittedly not quite as familiar with the Napoleonic Wars as WWII, but you often hear historians reference Napoleon when they discuss Hitler's mistake of invading the Soviet Union and fighting the war on two fronts...Russia/Soviet Union had the manpower and Russian winters are a bitch...

 

[JohnnySagebrush]

Napoleon isn't famous for his strategy. It's his tactics which made him brilliant.

His claim to fame really is making incredibly bold and flat out stupid strategic moves, but still kicking everyone's ass on the field anyway when he got there.

Fair enough. It would be hard to argue with his tactics, apart from Waterloo, of course.
Strategically, maybe he isn't considered as smart as I thought. The Russia campaign was a blunder, of course, but I'd consider his Egypt campaign the same.
And although a tyrant by today's standards, compared to his peers he was enlightened and magnanimous.
Some of his exploits are hard to consider today, such as poisoning and abandoning his own men. But it helped lead to his success by preserving the mass of his army.

 

[Rational Poster]

Fair enough. It would be hard to argue with his tactics, apart from Waterloo, of course.
Strategically, maybe he isn't considered as smart as I thought. The Russia campaign was a blunder, of course, but I'd consider his Egypt campaign the same.
And although a tyrant by today's standards, compared to his peers he was enlightened and magnanimous.
Some of his exploits are hard to consider today, such as poisoning and abandoning his own men. But it helped lead to his success by preserving the mass of his army.

Precisely.. his forays into Egypt and Russia were more his own hubris than actual achievable and worthwhile strategic goals..

But he still beat the fuck out of the Ruskies and Mamluks when he got there even if the overall campaigns were pointless disasters.

His other real claim to fame is the way he was able to bounce back from these crushing defeats multiple times and still damn near conquer all of Europe each time.

 

[Supereem]

When you take into account those stupid wars only starter because monarchs were scared of democracy it makes him look a lot better compared to what people thought about him back in the day.

 

[Liquid Smoke]

He was a swell little guy who bit off more that he could chew. I mean Russia in the winter? LOL!

Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about this topic.

 

[weed]

first Shitler, now Boner Party?

 

[weed]

He was a swell little guy who bit off more that he could chew. I mean Russia in the winter? LOL!

Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about this topic.

he's like Stannis Baratheon trying to march against the Boltons in Winterfell.