Napoleon

Essay submitted by Gil Petersil

Nationalism is the devotion of people to the interests of its nation or the love of one's

country to stay independent. Nationalism played a major role in the downfall of

Napoleon in that he wanted an empire and his opponent's wanted independence.

As Napoleon was conquering lands and creating a vast empire his troops stressed in the

far lands that they conquered life, liberty and equality. Although Napoleon did not

realize, it triggered nationalistic feelings among the conquered nations.

Spain, who was an ally of France, disobeyed Napoleon's decree. Then in 1808 Napoleon

overthrew the Spanish royal family and made his brother Joseph king of Spain.

However, everything that Napoleon did such as put in a foreign ruler, take away noble

privileges offended Spanish pride and created nationalistic feelings. The people of Spain

revolted in 1808. The French troops stopped the riots, but the nationalistic spirit was

not lost. For the next five years, there was warfare in Spain. British troops came to aid

Spain. This led to the defeat of Joseph, death of thousands of French troops and it

inspired patriots and nationalists of other lands to resist Napoleon. This war between

1808 and 1813 is called The Peninsular War.

In Germany, anti-French feelings broke out. However, the French invasions carried

German nationalism beyond the small ranks of writers. In 1807, writers attacked French

occupation of Germany. This nationalistic feeling spread to the Prussians. In 1806, the

Prussians were defeated by the French troops. To drive the French out of Prussia there

would have to be a spirit of cooperation and loyalty. To accomplish this there would

have to be social and political reforms. A reformer said that if social abuses were

eliminated the Prussians could fight with national honor. Military reforms improved the

Prussian army. In the War of Liberation (1813), the soldiers showed great feelings of

patriotism and nationalism. Afterwards, the French were driven out of Prussia. Russia,

who was an ally of France, went against the word of Napoleon, So Napoleon decided to

invade Russia. Napoleon's Grand Army had 700,000 people in it. Most of soldiers were

not French and did not care for the war. In 1812 when Napoleon began the invasion,

Russia retreated. As they were retreating, they burned all crops, which were valuable.

When Napoleon reached Moscow, the Russians burned the city. Even worse, the winter

was in a few months. The Russians also destroyed the food supply of Napoleon. Many

soldiers starved to death. Napoleon decided to retreat back to France. On the way

back Russian Cossacks slaughtered the soldiers who fell behind. Napoleon abandoned

his army and went back to France.

In 1813, almost every nation in Europe joined in the final coalition against France.

Napoleon raised a new army but could not replace the equipment lost in Russia. In

October 1813 allied forces from Russia, Austria, Prussia, and Sweden defeated Napoleon

at Leipzig. By April 1814, the coalition occupied Paris, Napoleon was exiled to the island

of Elba. The coalition made peace with France. They restore Bourbon monarchy to

throne in the person of Louis.

However Napoleon escaped Elba and returned to France in March of 1815. Louis

ordered his troops to stop Napoleon, but no one did. As Napoleon entered Paris, he got

a cheer. He raised a new army and on June 18 1815, he moved against the allies in

Belgium. There the Prussians and the British defeated Napoleon at the Battle of

Waterloo. These days of Napoleon trying to regain power are called the Hundred Days.

This time they sent him to St. Helena a lonely island near Africa. There he died in 1821.

Nationalism was an enemy to Napoleon because it led to the decline of his empire. In

addition, the nationalistic feeling that was felt between his opponent has eventually

destroyed him.