Military Theory III.

This is coolbert:

Napoleon offers little than his "Maxims" with regard to military theory.

[these are the merely the military maxims. Napoleon is quoted from as possessing a whole lot of maxims on a whole lot of subjects.]

De Puy states that Napoleon MUST have believed that a military theory did exist.

Other than the maxims, Napoleon DID NOT commit to writing any thing else on military theory.

Napoleon says that to become great, as he had become great, one needed to studied the battles and campaigns of the "masters". Persons from the initial era of black powder warfare that were successful. Mentors to Napoleon.

"Read over and over again the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Gustavus, Turenne, Eugene and Frederic. ... This is the only way to become a great general and master the secrets of the art of war."

Napoleon was of course only twenty six when he began his campaigns of conquest.

The amount of real world military experience Napoleon had at the time was meagre. He WAS NOT a seasoned veteran who had studied UNDER the masters tutelage and with time had become a master himself. He seemed to know what to do and do correctly from the start.

And again, at age twenty six.

It is hard for me to comprehend that at that age, Napoleon had absorbed and ruminated long and hard on the battles and campaigns of the masters to such an extent that he was so ready as he was. And yet, HE WAS!!

coolbert.