7. Napoleon

The lecture delves into the complex legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte, exploring his Corsican roots, his rise to power, and the lasting impact of his policies. Napoleon's transition from a Corsican nationalist to a French revolutionary leader is highlighted, alongside his strategic opportunism and military prowess. The discussion includes the controversial concept of "Total War" introduced by David Bell, comparing it to earlier conflicts like the Thirty Years' War. Napoleon's contributions, such as the Napoleonic Code, educational reforms, and centralized administration, are acknowledged for their enduring influence, despite his megalomania and the human cost of his wars.

• Discussion begins with a humorous anecdote about an American tennis player’s comment on Napoleon's tomb.
• Napoleon remains a subject of fascination, with extensive literature about him.
• The speaker plans to cover Napoleon's Corsican roots, the concept of Total War, and Napoleon's significant contributions.

"The best thing was the Tomb of the little dead dude."

• Illustrates how Napoleon is still a point of interest, even in modern pop culture.

• Napoleon’s Corsican origins deeply influenced his early life and identity.
• Initially, he despised the French who had conquered Corsica.
• The French Revolution played a pivotal role in transforming his allegiance from Corsica to France.
• His early writings and actions reflected his attachment to Corsica and his hatred for the French.

"I was born when the French were vomited Upon Our Coast... the cries of the dying, the groans of the oppressed, tears of Despair surrounded my cradle."

• This quote highlights Napoleon's early disdain for the French and his strong Corsican identity.

"He at first gloried in his Corsican origins, hating the French who had conquered his island."

• Emphasizes the initial conflict between his Corsican roots and the French conquerors.

• Napoleon spoke Corsican as his first language and learned French as a second language.
• He retained his Corsican accent throughout his life, which sometimes led to ridicule.
• His cultural and linguistic background made him feel marginal and isolated, especially during his early years in France.

"He learned French, and he made errors even at the end of his life he made errors in French."

• Highlights Napoleon’s linguistic struggles and his persistent Corsican accent.

"He felt culturally marginal, and this was compounded by his personal loneliness when he was assigned to Valance."

• Reflects his sense of isolation and cultural marginalization in France.

• Napoleon’s family was ennobled by the French, but they were not wealthy.
• He received a scholarship to study in France, where he faced social challenges due to his background.
• His early writings were heavily influenced by his Corsican heritage and his desire for Corsican independence.

"Four of Carlo, that is his dad, Bonaparte's eight children received scholarships to study in France, including Napoleon."

• Shows the family's reliance on scholarships for education.

"He rode in Valance where he was when he was posted to Valance... life was a burden because the men and women with whom I live have Customs that are as far from mine as the light of the Moon is different from the light of the Sun."

• Illustrates his feelings of alienation and cultural dissonance.

• Despite his Corsican roots, Napoleon was influenced by French philosophers and the ideals of the French Revolution.
• His writings began to reflect a shift towards embracing revolutionary ideas and French identity.
• He participated in essay contests and engaged with revolutionary thought.

"He read the philosop, he read Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu."

• Indicates his intellectual engagement with French Enlightenment thinkers.

"In 1791... he enters an essay contest sponsored by an academy... his writings mostly reflect an obsession with his Origins."

• Demonstrates his continued focus on Corsican identity even as he engaged with French intellectual culture.

• Napoleon's early military career was marked by a focus on Corsican independence and opposition to French rule.
• He began to develop his military tactics and leadership skills, even in seemingly trivial activities like snowball fights.
• His early attempts to write a history of Corsica show his dedication to his homeland.

"He began to write a history of Corsica, less than 100 Pages which he thought took seriously enough to begin to revise in the early 1790s after the French Revolution."

• Highlights his early literary efforts and focus on Corsican history.

"In a way, you know, is fighting for his independence and the status as a non-French Corsican."

• Reflects his early military ambitions and identity as a Corsican rebel.

• Over time, Napoleon's perspective shifted as he embraced the French Revolution and its ideals.
• His writings began to reflect a more complex view of his identity, balancing his Corsican roots with his role in the French military and political landscape.

"He portrays Corsicans as courageous even heroic in throwing off the rule of Genoa and battling the French for over 24 centuries."

• Shows his admiration for Corsican resilience and his evolving perspective on French rule.

"His letters and his writings reveal the folks that he was reading, that is the influence of the philosophers, portraying Corsica seeking Liberty."

• Indicates the influence of Enlightenment ideas on his evolving identity and political views.

• Napoleon's identity evolved from Corsican to French over time.
• Initially, he did not see himself as both Corsican and French but solely as Corsican.
• By 1799, his French identity had overwhelmed his Corsican identity.
• The French Revolution played a crucial role in this transformation.
• Napoleon's early writings portrayed the French as tyrants and used violence to garner sympathy for the Corsican cause.

"In a short story that he wrote In The Summer of 1789, the French were portrayed as tyrants still in his story called The Noel course or the new Corsica."

• This quote highlights Napoleon's early perception of the French as oppressors, reflecting his initial strong Corsican identity.

"By 1799, when he, with the help of the Wy AB C, comes to power on the 18th of Brumaire, the French identity had overwhelmed his Corsican identity."

• This quote underscores the shift in Napoleon's identity from Corsican to French by the time he rose to power.

• Corsica had a reputation for family rivalries and high crime rates.
• The island's traditions included family loyalty and vengeance, often expressed through violence.
• These cultural aspects influenced Napoleon's early life and perceptions.

"Because of the sort of flashing knives of Clan and family rivalries, there are so many crimes in Corsica in the 19th century that the island of Corsica had to be excluded when somebody was doing a study of crime."

• This quote illustrates the high crime rates in Corsica due to family rivalries and violence.

"The Corsican independence movement still places bombs sometimes and blows up housing developments being built for Parisian or Mar lawyers."

• This quote shows the ongoing resentment and violent actions by the Corsican independence movement.

• Napoleon initially identified with Corsican patriot Pasquale Paoli but eventually broke ties.
• His father, Carlo, was seen as a traitor for supporting the French, influencing Napoleon's early rebellion.
• The French Revolution transformed relations between France and Corsica, leading Napoleon to embrace a French identity.

"He wrote from now on WE, that is Corsica and France, have the same interests, the same concerns; the sea no longer separates us."

• This quote signifies Napoleon's attempt to reconcile his Corsican and French identities.

"The revolution helped Napoleon reconcile some of the contradictions that had bothered him all the way along."

• This quote highlights how the French Revolution helped Napoleon resolve his internal conflicts regarding his dual identity.

• Napoleon was known for his extraordinary luck and courage in battles.
• His luck played a significant role in his survival and success during the tumultuous revolutionary period.
• He often found himself in the right place at the right time, both politically and militarily.

"He was tremendously courageous, and his bodyguards were always trying to get him to move back in the traditional way as an officer."

• This quote emphasizes Napoleon's bravery and the constant efforts of his bodyguards to protect him.

"He remained an extremely lucky guy, which also accounts for his success."

• This quote underscores the role of luck in Napoleon's numerous achievements.

• Napoleon's shift from Corsican patriotism to French nationalism can be seen as opportunism.
• He embraced the French Revolution's ideals and saw it as a liberating experience for France.
• His actions and writings reflect a complex interplay between his Corsican roots and his adopted French identity.

"He had embraced the national identity of being French and did take ideas seriously."

• This quote highlights Napoleon's commitment to his French identity and the revolutionary ideals.

"The one to which I was most sensitive was that of being Corsican."

• This quote reveals Napoleon's sensitivity to his Corsican heritage, despite his strong French identity.

• Stereotypes about different regions in France existed, including those about Corsicans.
• Napoleon's strong sense of family loyalty was a notable Corsican trait.
• He placed his family members in positions of power, reflecting his deep-rooted clan identity.

"Napoleon took the kind of Clan identity a bit strong and perched his various Brothers on the Thrones of almost everywhere."

• This quote illustrates Napoleon's nepotism and strong family loyalty, a characteristic influenced by his Corsican background.

"Of all the insults I have had heaped upon me in so many pamphlets, the one to which I was most sensitive was that of being Corsican."

• This quote again underscores Napoleon's sensitivity to his Corsican identity, despite his efforts to be seen as thoroughly French.

• Napoleon's reaction to opposition included severe reprisals such as executions and the burning of villages.
• There is debate about whether the Napoleonic period marks the origins of Total War.
• Total War involves the mobilization of all state resources towards war efforts and blurring the lines between civilians and combatants.

"When people turned against Napoleon or against the French armies, his reaction was, 'We're going to pay them back,' and we're going to get them not with flashing knives but with executions, burning of villages in Palestine, more about this later in the south of Italy and in the mountains of Austria."

• Napoleon's methods of dealing with opposition were brutal and involved widespread punishment of civilian populations.

"If we see the origins of total war in World War I where the mobilization of State resources as much as possible to the war and again in World War II... it is possible to argue that the Revolutionary and particularly the Napoleonic period from that point of view... directed toward war."

• The mobilization of state resources during the Napoleonic period can be seen as a precursor to the Total War seen in World Wars I and II.

"The mobilization of resources leads to mass military conscription that all citizens, male citizens, are going to be in the Army. This starts with the French Revolution."

• The concept of mass military conscription began during the French Revolution, setting a precedent for future conflicts.

• Napoleon's introspection revealed his indifference to the massive loss of life caused by his campaigns.
• His belief in the righteousness of his actions contributed to widespread suffering.

"Napoleon once said in one of his rare moments of real introspection that he didn't give a damn if a million men or a million people died because of him."

• Napoleon's lack of concern for human life highlights his ruthless approach to achieving his goals.

"Part of his great failing, his great weakness, and the suffering of humanity because of it was his sense that no matter what he did, it was the right thing to do."

• Napoleon's unwavering belief in his own righteousness led to significant human suffering.

• French troops committed numerous atrocities during Napoleon's campaigns, particularly in Egypt, Palestine, Italy, and Spain.
• These actions can be viewed as early examples of Total War tactics.

"The worst atrocities committed by French troops were in this sort of madcap Egyptian Middle Eastern adventure... when people don't put up with this, then he massacres them in Palestine."

• French troops' actions in Palestine included massacres and the destruction of villages.

"In Calabria in the south of Italy, when there's persistent rebellions resistance to French rule, they just start massacring people."

• In Italy, French troops responded to resistance with massacres, reflecting a brutal approach to quelling opposition.

"The famous case of Spain where you have that forever on these magnificent canvases of Goya, where French troops are shooting down Spanish peasants who are resisting in the Peninsular War."

• The Peninsular War in Spain saw French troops committing massacres, as depicted in Goya's artwork.

• The prolonged period of warfare from 1792 to 1815 had a significant impact on ordinary people across Europe.
• Napoleon's continuous planning of new wars despite previous defeats exemplifies his relentless pursuit of military dominance.

"From 1792 to 1815, the experience of ordinary people in much of Europe was war."

• The Napoleonic Wars created a prolonged state of conflict affecting civilians across Europe.

"After every big defeat, the next step was to plan the next war."

• Napoleon's response to military defeats was to immediately plan subsequent campaigns, demonstrating his relentless ambition.

• There is ongoing debate about whether Napoleon's actions can be considered the origins of Total War.
• The atrocities and mobilization tactics of the Napoleonic period provide context for understanding later conflicts.

"I don't believe that history runs on railroad tracks and all you need is the timetable to see when Modern Times show up, but if you look at the horrors of the 20th century... it's not too hard to see all of this."

• The discussion on Napoleon's legacy involves examining the connections between his actions and the atrocities of the 20th century.

"One of the cases that you might say Total War comes before Napoleon is the V, the Civil War in the west, because there you had cases of them simply raising villages and lining people up against the wall and shooting down priests and drowning nuns."

• The V Civil War in the west provides an earlier example of Total War tactics, involving widespread violence against civilians.

"From the point of view of soldiers, anybody was a potential assailant in a guerrilla war."

• In guerrilla warfare, the distinction between combatants and civilians is blurred, contributing to the brutal tactics employed.

• The themes discussed highlight the complexities of Napoleon's legacy and the concept of Total War.
• Further reading on these topics is encouraged to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context and implications.

"It's an interesting theme and it's worth discussing, and when you're doing this reading, which I hope you'll do..."

• The speaker encourages further exploration of the themes discussed to fully grasp their significance.

• Napoleon maintained centralization from absolutism, honed during the Republic by the Committee of Public Safety.
• Established a rational, enlightened way of organizing the state.
• Maintained departments created in 1790, sending prefects to each department in 1800.
• Centralized organization persisted, dividing France into the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of War.

"Anyone who's ever had a wait in line at a prefecture in France for a driver's license or in our case our French identity cards or almost anything else will be cursing Napoleon for having maintained this sort of centralization."

• Centralization, though efficient, often led to bureaucratic delays and frustrations for the public.

"Napoleon who ruthlessly censored newspapers and forced them out of business and made the cost of their continuation so extremely difficult while organizing or orchestrating The Cult of Napoleon."

• Napoleon's control extended to media censorship and propaganda to maintain his image and power.

• Napoleon considered the Napoleonic Code his greatest contribution, aiming to be the modern Justinian.
• Oversaw meetings of lawyers and jurists to create the code.
• The code had more articles on cattle sales than women's rights, reflecting Napoleon's views on women as baby-producing machines.

"He liked to think that the Napoleonic Code was his greatest contribution. He wanted to be the modern Justinian and in fact, he does oversee lots of the meetings of lawyers and jurists and specialists."

• Napoleon was deeply involved in the creation of the Napoleonic Code, aiming for lasting legal reform.

"Napoleon, as many dictators including much more egregious ones like Mussolini and Hitler in the 20th century, viewed women as nothing more than machines for producing babies, and he said this exactly like that."

• Napoleon's regressive views on women's roles were evident in the Napoleonic Code.

• Napoleon created a new nobility based on service to the state, particularly through the army.
• This new nobility replaced the old royal blood-based hierarchy.

"One's value comes from service to the state as opposed to royal blood, though he creates this new nobility based upon service to the state."

• Meritocracy replaced aristocracy under Napoleon, emphasizing service over birthright.

• Napoleon made peace with the Catholic Church to end internal turmoil and potential royalist restoration.
• Used the church for propaganda while continuing the tradition of the Civil Constitution of the French clergy.

"He makes peace with the Catholic Church and realizes that as long as you had this potential contrast between juring priests and nonjuring priests, you would still have lots of militant Catholics who wanted some sort of royalist restoration."

• The Concordat was a strategic move to stabilize France and reduce internal conflict.

"Of course, he uses the church for his own propaganda devices and the church continues the tradition of the Civil Constitution of the French clergy."

• Napoleon's relationship with the church was both pragmatic and propagandistic.

• Napoleon established the basis of the French educational system, which remains largely unchanged.
• Created lycées (high schools) and a centralized university system.
• The system is highly centralized, organized by regions (academies), and ensures equal educational opportunities across France.

"The establishment of the basis of the French educational system that's remained For Better or For Worse the same until today."

• Napoleon's educational reforms have had a lasting impact on the French education system.

"The division of France into Academy as a geographic way of organizing all education from the universities down to kindergarten or even to nursery schools organized by region has lasted through all this time."

• The regional organization of education has contributed to France's high educational standards.

• The Napoleonic period had a significant and lasting impact on Europe, including the unification of Italy.
• The centralized French bureaucracy contributed to the prosperity and unification of regions like Piedmont-Sardinia.

"The wave of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic period has long-lasting results almost everywhere."

• The reforms and systems established during the Napoleonic period influenced European governance and unification.

"The unification comes through Piedmont-Sardinia which was the most prosperous part of Italy. They had the benefits of this French bureaucracy of this administration that was centralized."

• French administrative practices helped regions like Piedmont-Sardinia to prosper and unify.

• Napoleon's legacy is debated, with both positive and negative aspects.
• His life and career were marked by significant achievements and controversial actions.

"We can debate about Napoleon and all of that. My view is already probably fairly clear, but one has to admit that besides just the romance of his life and a career open to talent and all of that, he made a huge difference and thus was worth spending some time on."

• Despite his flaws, Napoleon's impact on France and Europe was profound and enduring.