Kennetha Brown - Mr. Bell - History AS
HOW FAR WAS NAPOLEON’S RISE UP TO 1798 DUE TO HIS OWN TALENT?
Napoleon Bonaparte was a great leader of France. His journey to the top was mostly influenced by his skill and talent. Although this played a major part, it was not the only factor which contributed to his tremendous success. Other influences include help from others and external factors such as the French Revolution and problems faced by the Directory.
At a young age, Napoleon was sent from Italy, the land of his origin, to France, where he had to learn French. He then joined a military school where he was seen as an outsider. Napoleon quickly developed interest in History and Geography, and also showed incredible mathematical talent. This ensured him a position as commander of the artillery of the army in Italy at age 26, and contributed to his success in the Siege of Toulon on completion of his military training in Auxonne. Despite the ups and downs in his youth, Napoleon flourished and allowed his experiences to build his character. He learnt to deal with people ruthlessly if need be. This became one of his most useful attributes as it helped him kill hundreds of people in the Vendémiaire Uprising to aid the government.
In addition, Napoleon possessed other qualities which assisted in his rise to power. Many of these became evident when he led the French army against the Italians and the Austrians. The troops were worn out and demoralised. It would be very tough to re-inspire them. But that is exactly what Napoleon did. He gained the trust of the soldiers by dwelling on and capitalizing the fact that he too was a soldier. One of his most influential quotes is “I am a soldier; it is the special faculty I was born with. I was born that way.” He also awakened the troops by making great speeches promising them rewards after their work was done, “I want to lead you to great cities; they will lie in your power.” Statements like him ensured he had the trust of the troops and he could work with them. Also during these wars, Napoleon’s smart tactics such as concentrating forces on the enemy’s centre for a decisive blow earned him many successes. Nonetheless, there were a few shortcomings. He carefully, craftily and cunningly found a way to project blame and fault onto other people while personalising his successes and increasing his own self worth. These skills made Napoleon achieve his ambitious goals as they drove him forward and made him seem very capable.
