The Emergence Of The French Revolution In Military Warfare

The advent of the French revolution brought about significant change to the European landscape towards the latter part of the 18th century. Of the several changes to occur as a result, it was the revolution in military warfare that was most significant. Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military and political leader who rose to prominence during this timeframe, can be credited with influencing many aspects of this warfare revolution. This evolutionary period in warfare was significant because it transformed the ideology of nationalism for many people as well as the ways in which armies were raised, organized and employed on the battlefield. Several of these changes can still be seen in the doctrine and tactics of today’s modern armies. Napoleon
After King Louis XVI’s execution, the newly formed French national assembly fundamentally changed the way in which armies were raised. The government believed that the army was an instrument of the “public’s purpose and the people’s aspiration” and as such, converted the army into a public institution where all citizens were eligible for all ranks and service. This new system which initially relied upon volunteers to serve but was later expanded into a universal conscription, or levee en masse, required participation from all French citizens, men, women, and children alike. Unlike previous armies where troops proved ineffective, reluctant, and even, rebellious in times of conflict, the new army inherited by Napoleon showed to be loyal and motivated by a sense of nationalism or esprit de corps not previously witnessed in warfare. Many of these revolutionary changes previously discussed can be witnessed in the way modern nations raise and employ their own militaries. Similar to the levee en masse, many nations today, to include the U.S., raise armies based upon a similar concept of compulsory
By the summer of 1794, the ranks of the French army had grown to over one million soldiers thereby creating challenges in maintaining command and control of such a vast force. Understanding the need for a better system of organizing and employing the force, Napoleon implemented a series of changes that would fundamentally alter the way in which armies were deployed on the battlefield and eventually become the model for today’s strategic organization. Although the concepts of organizing armies into corps level was developed prior to the revolution, Napoleon was able to make the corps system work much more effectively than it previously had through a system that depended on decentralized maneuver and centralized control. Organizational effectiveness of the French army was increased by combining infantry, cavalry and artillery to create combat divisions that could operate either independently or in conjunction with other combat divisions. This allowed Napoleon greater flexibility, balance as well as greater operational choices when it came to employing his army during battle. Napoleon could now mobilize a corps of 30,000 troops working autonomously at several different levels and effectively control “seven corps on the battlefield more easily than Frederick the Great could control one.”