Napoleonic Foot Soldiers And Civilians

By highlighting the experiences of common soldiers and civilians, this volume by Rafe Blaufarb and Claudia Liebeskind presents a broad view of the Napoleonic Wars not found in typical military histories. The introduction recounts the key events of the wars and how they marked a shift in the modern notion of “total war” and provides necessary political and military background on the issues of recruitment and evasion, the military community, combat and its aftermath, the homefront, and demobilization. The rich collection of memoirs, letters, and popular engravings -- from familiar sources such as German infantryman Jakob Walter to an account of a French woman canteen worker -- offers contrasting voices, some offered here in English for the first time. These documents and images explore core civil-military interactions, including foraging, plunder, sexuality, violence, eating, religion, and commerce. Headnotes to the documents, a chronology, questions for consideration, and a selected bibliography provide pedagogical support.

This diary was left to an American university by the descendants of Jakob Walter who had emigrated there. When 18-year-old Jakob Walter was conscripted into Napoleon's army, he had no idea of the trials that lay ahead. The long gruelling marches on Prussia and Poland sacrificed countless men to the Emperor's plans. But it was the disastrous advance on Russia which tested human endurance on an epic scale. This is an account of Jakob Walter's privations during the long retreat from Moscow. The book is illustrated with contemporary engravings and includes a chronology of European events.

This work seeks to offer a new way of viewing the French Wars of 1792–1815. Most studies of this period offer international, political, and military analyses using the French Revolution and Napoleon as the prime mover. But this book focuses on military and civilian responses to French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, throughout the rest of Europe and the Americas. It shows how the unprecedented mobilization of this era forged a generation of soldiers and civilians sharing a common experience of suffering, bequeathing the West with a new veteran sensibility. Using a range of sources, especially memoirs, this book reveals the adventure and suffering confronting ordinary soldiers campaigning in Europe and the Americas, and the burdens imposed on civilians enduring rising and falling empires across the West. It also reveals how the wars liberated slaves, serfs, and common people through revolutions and insurgencies.

First published in 1995 to great critical acclaim, The Wars of Napoleon provides students with a comprehensive survey of the Napoleonic Wars around the central theme of the scale of French military power and its impact on other European states, from Portugal to Russia and from Scandinavia to Sicily. The book introduces the reader to the rise of Napoleon and the wider diplomatic and political context before analysing such subjects as how France came to dominate Europe; the impact of French conquest and the spread of French ideas; the response of European powers; the experience of the conflicts of 1799–1815 on such areas of the world as the West Indies, India and South America; the reasons why Napoleon’s triumph proved ephemeral; and the long-term impact of the period. This second edition has been revised throughout to include a completely re-written section on collaboration and resistance, a new chapter on the impact of the Napoleonic Wars in the wider world and material on the various ways in which women became involved in, or were affected by, the conflict. Thoroughly updated and offering students a view of the subject that challenges many preconceived ideas, The Wars of Napoleon remains an essential resource for all students of the French Revolutionary Wars as well as students of European and military history during this period.

Modern France and the World provides an engaging global history of the key events of modern France and its empire. It moves beyond the traditional political narrative of the development of the French Republican nation-state to offer both national and international perspectives of its evolution. The volume illustrates the integral exchanges that have taken place between France and the modern world, from global trade in the eighteenth century to the impact of postcolonial immigration and globalization on French identity and on France’s diverse population. It includes the voices of women, colonized populations, and those who both embraced and challenged the spread of French ideas and values around the globe. Drawing on methodologies of social, cultural, and gender history, this textbook integrates a wide range of analytical tools to entice readers to engage more deeply in France’s dynamic global history. By presenting the history of France and its global engagements from the mid-seventeenth century to the present, this volume is an essential resource for all students who study the history, politics, and culture of modern France.

Napoleon had a profound impact on the development of both France and Europe, and his career had repercussions across the wider world. His career had all the elements of a classical tragedy: having begun with spectacular military and civil achievements, it ended in exile on the tiny Atlantic island of St Helena. Almost two centuries after Napoleon’s death, historians continue to argue about his aims, his achievements and his legacy. In this thoroughly revised and updated new edition, Clive Emsley brings these historiographical debates up-to-date, and broadens his study to include discussion of the cultural and social impact of the Napoleonic era. This new edition: offers a succinct summary of Napoleon’s career examines his impact on France and Europe, as well as including a new chapter on the impact of the Napoleonic adventure on the wider world considers the relationship between Napoleon and the French Revolution outlines the difficulties in assessing his career explores the current debates surrounding Napoleon contains an expanded selection of primary source documents, ranging from state papers to police reports. A Chronology, Glossary and Who’s Who of key characters are also provided, making this an indispensable textbook for students of nineteenth-century French and European history.

“What a little gem! If you are looking for a quick biography of Napoleon, look no further. With lively narrative and good mastery of facts, Simply Napoleon will take you on a thrilling journey recounting Napoleon's rise to power from his humble beginnings on the island of Corsica to the emperor of much of Europe. Highly recommended for those wanting a brief refresher on one of the greatest European statesmen. This is both an entertaining and an enlightening read!” —Alexander Mikaberidze, Sybil T. and J. Frederick Patten Professor of History Department of History and Social Sciences at Louisiana State University in Shreveport The first emperor of France and one of the shrewdest military leaders of all time, Napoleon Bonaparte(1769–1821) eventually came to control much of Europe. In Simply Napoleon, authors J. David Markham and Matthew Zarzeczny tell Napoleon’s story, from his birth on the island of Corsica to his eventual imprisonment and death on the island of Saint Helena. They explain how the famed military commander’s unique combination of determination, intellect, and personal charisma allowed him to rise from a provincial village to become a powerful and authoritative ruler. While taking an overall positive view of Napoleon, Markham and Zarzeczny also make it a point to draw attention to his mistakes and their consequences, providing a balanced picture of this complicated figure who was both a product of his times and a man pointing the way to the future. Marked by first-rate scholarship, as well as a highly readable and accessible style, Simply Napoleon is an exceptional introduction to Napoleon and his times—a study that not only illuminates a key personality and period in modern history, but also helps us understand how modern Europe took shape.

The Corsican, 1769-1796 -- The general, 1796-1799 -- The First Consul, 1799-1804 -- The emperor, 1804-1812 -- Downfall, 1812-1815 -- Epilogue: 1815-the present