Why Did Napoleon Fight In Ww1

Term One: Napoleon was successful against British soldiers in the Siege of Toulon. In 1793, a surge of anti-republicanism had begun in Toulon, and the royalists were being supported by the British. Napoleon was a young officer at this time. In the end, it was he who successfully fought off the British. “By late afternoon of December 18 the guns in the fort were turned inward to fire on the British fleet. Lord Hood immediately evacuated the inner harbour… When the latter took possession of the city on December 19, they took vicious revenge on the remaining royalists. A massacre ensued, during which some 600-700 royalists were shot or bayonetted to death. Napoleon, for his efforts, was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.” (Gilbert, page
“Napoleon's March on Moscow - Famous Map”, page unknown)

The map shows the advance of Napoleon’s army towards Russia in 1812. Starting at 422, 000 soldiers, by the time the army reached Moscow only 100, 000 soldiers were remaining. In the cold winter, many soldiers froze to death. After the Russians set Moscow aflame, Napoleon had no choice but to march his troops back to France. By the time they returned, there were only about 10, 000 people left.

Also, Spain was another of Napoleon’s greatest downfalls. Here was a new tactic, that he had not experienced in the past, that had drained his troops of power. Napoleon invested too many troops into Spain, that would have been useful elsewhere. “In the countryside they formed bands that fought guerrilla (Spanish: ‘little war’) warfare, ambushing convoys, killing stragglers, destroying supplies, and hindering communications. For the next five years they harassed the French and made it unsafe for troops to move except in strength… Every country in Europe occupied by the French paid large sums of money into the Emperor’s treasury. The war in Spain drained away much of this money, which, like the men wasted there, might have been used to better advantage elsewhere.” (Truman et al,