“Napoleon”, the new movie by Ridley Scott (click here for a recent Targetnews story about the movie), starring Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix, has sparked discussion about the French emperor’s contribution to history. As for his views on American issues, there’s not much besides the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
NAPOLEON AS A FRENCH JANUS
In France, Napoléon Bonaparte has two contrasting nicknames: “The Eagle” for those who admire him as a military genius and modernizer, and “The Ogre” for those who view him as a war-hungry megalomaniac indifferent to human suffering. Born in 1769 on Corsica, Bonaparte rose through military ranks during the tumultuous French Revolution, eventually seizing power in 1799. As First Consul and later Emperor, he introduced enduring administrative reforms, notably the Napoléonic Code in 1804, a comprehensive legal system that influenced legal structures across Europe. The Napoleonic code is one of the two major basis of most systems of legislations in the worls, the other being the British Common Law.
A MILITARY GENIUS CONSUMED BY MEGALOMANIA
Despite his positive contributions, Napoléon’s legacy is complex. Revered as a brilliant military strategist, he expanded France’s empire but at a staggering human cost, with millions of lives lost in the Napoleonic wars. His ambition, especially in Spain and Russia, escalated conflicts and bloodshed. Labelled an “enlightened despot,” Napoléon advanced civil rights while suppressing opposition and curbing liberties established by the Revolution. He reintroduced slavery in overseas territories and implemented laws diminishing women’s rights.
HIS END AND HIS SHY COMMEMORATION IN MODERN FRANCE
Defeated in 1814 and exiled to Elba, Napoléon’s brief return ended at Waterloo in 1815, leading to exile on St Helena until his death in 1821. His complicated legacy prompts ongoing public reckoning in France. While some acknowledge his indelible impact, others debate his character, prompting President Macron to term the 2021 events marking Napoléon’s death a “commemoration” rather than a celebration. With minimal public monuments and streets named after him in Paris, Napoléon’s legacy remains a subject of diverse perspectives, encapsulated by the notion that “everyone has their own Napoléon” expressed by Joaquin Phoenix in a recent interview.
– I do. And I’m tired of pretending it’s not.
NAPOLEON AND “THE AMERICAN STATES”: PRAGMATISM OVER EVERYTHING ELSE
Napoleon’s stance towards the United States was generally pragmatic and opportunistic. During his rule in France, which began in the late 18th century and extended into the early 19th century, Napoleon’s primary focus was on European affairs and his military campaigns on the continent. As such, his interactions with the United States were often shaped by strategic considerations rather than ideological or personal sentiments.
One notable event during Napoleon’s time in power was the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Napoleon initially had ambitions for a French empire in North America, but due to setbacks in the Caribbean and the need for funds to finance his European military campaigns, he decided to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States. The Louisiana Purchase, negotiated by Thomas Jefferson’s administration, effectively doubled the size of the United States.
During Napoleon’s time, the United States pursued a policy of neutrality (the so-called Monroe Doctrine, a hostile stance towards European colonialism in the western hemisphere, was introduced in 1823), seeking to avoid involvement in the European conflicts. The time for the United State to decisively intervene in European matters came almost one century later, during the Great War. Napoleon could never predict that…
