Napoleon - An Intimate Portrait


First Italian Campaign

When Napoléon was made commander-in-chief of the Army of Italy, he inherited a poorly equipped, hungry and dispirited “ragtag” group of soldiers. The goal of the French was to drive the Austrians, who were eager to dismantle the gains of the French Revolution and its threat to the monarchy, out of Northern Italy and secure peace in the region. Over the course of the ensuing campaign, General Bonaparte would arm and develop a superior and fiercely loyal fighting force, achieve France's political goals in a string of classic military victories and bring much needed riches back to the French treasuries. The now-confident Napoléon would return a national hero.

Images © photo12.com-Pierre-Jean Chalençon
A Traveling Exhibition from Russell Etling Company (c) 2011