French Revolution

Thesis Statement2

Introduction2

Discussion3

Napoleonic Warfare3

French Revolution & Democracy4

French Revolution & War Financing6

Conclusion7

End Notes8

French Revolution

Thesis Statement

In modern history, no event has shaped our present world as much as the French Revolution and its consequences. Of the four military revolutions, the French Revolution stimulated greatest changes in warfare because it

Allowed Napoleon Bonaparte to employ innovative strategic and tactical employment of the Revolutionary Army

Advanced Democracy

Revolutionized how wars would be financed

Introduction

The turbulent series of events that started with the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and ended in 1799 with Napoleon Bonaparte's overturn of the French government are collectively known as the French Revolution. In world history, the revolution is a watershed event in every possible sense— economic, political, and social— and historians date the modern period from this event. The revolution wiped out the feudal-style Old Regime society and took the French monarchy collapsing down. With wide-scale public debate and popular participation, both the social structure and the political system were redefined by the revolutionaries, who raised questions about the power and role of government, the nature of equality and liberty, human rights, and gender roles. The French Revolution brought the sweeping changes that reflect even through today's society. The legacy of the French Revolution on the world and particularly on the United States transcended war and diplomacy; considerable change was witnessed in the way the war was waged. This paper aims to offer insights into the French Revolution, asserting the argument that of all the revolutions, the French Revolution brought about the greatest changes in warfare.

Discussion

Napoleonic Warfare

The personality of Napoleon Bonaparte is inseparably linked up with the French revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte's tactical talent had the crucial significance for the organization of army, strategy and tactics of warfare. French Revolution allowed Napoleon Bonaparte to employ innovative strategic and tactical employment of the Revolutionary Army. Napoleon Bonaparte implemented the massive application of cavalry and artillery. Reserves were used by him skillfully to win the battle. Considerable importance was given to organizational structure of armies and substantial improvement was envisioned in the structure. Permanent bodies of troops - divisions and corps were created that were competent enough to independently act and to solve urgent tasks. In 1800, the army was permanently organized by Napoleon into corps, the corps d'armée, which let him to utilize multiple routes and improved his capability to live off the land, which liberated him from the logistic restraints to which so many of his enemies were chained. This sequentially allowed the French army to move fast and far, and for preventing the enemy from finding out its true intention. Napoleonic warfare was more fluid and quicker. Napoleon was given protection by the organization of the corps from having his separated columns overwhelmed gradually. There was also a growth of the activity of strategic defense during the Napoleon Reign. The aim of strategic defense was to hold the territory and positions and to create such conditions for defeating the enemy. Drastic changes had been made in the war ...