REVIEW OF NAPOLEONS WARS (2007) By Charles Esdaile

Nap le ! a" # $l ! i! %7&' (y )e"aille

One of the most biased and one-sided books I have ever read in my li*e+ #his dia"ri(e is as (ala!,ed as a !e-le..ed s" l+ Esdaile s"ar"s /i"h "he ar(i"rary da"e * %00' - as i* Fra!,e a!d Bri"ai! had ! " (ee! *i.h"i!. ea,h "her * r de,ades+ I" /as Fre!,h s$pp r" * r A1eri,a! I!depe!de!,e *r 1 a! i1perial2 d 1i!a"i!. a!d arr .a!" Bri"ish . 3er!1e!" "ha" helped (a!4r$p" Fra!,e a!d (ri!. ! "he Re3 l$"i ! * %70&+ #here /as a Bri"ish *lee" $!der Ad1iral 5 d a,"$ally i! # $l ! har( $r i! %7&' aidi!. R yalis" re(els - i!"er*eri!. i! a , !*li," "ha" /as ! ($si!ess * "he Bri"ish+ A!d i" /as a y $!. Nap le ! /h resp !ded " "his Bri"ish a..ressi ! (y si"i!. his ,a!! ! s "ha" "he R yal Na3y had ! p"i ! ($" " e3a,$a"e "he Fre!,h " /!+ O!e / !ders /ha" "he , rr$p" aris" ,ra"i, a!d li.ar,hi, Bri"ish . 3er!1e!" * "he day / $ld ha3e said a( $" Fre!,h 3essels s$dde!ly appeari!. a" P r"s1 $"h r "he P l * L !d ! a!d s"i,4i!. "heir ar i!" Bri"ish i!"er!al a**airs6 Esdaile 7$ "es , pi $sly *r 1 "he li4es * F $,h82 #alleyra!d2 B $rrie!!e a!d Re1$sa" - all h s"ile /i"!esses2 despi"e hi1sel* sayi!. "heir 3ie/s are pe! " 7$es"i !+ 9e!eral : h! El"i!. i! his 1as"erly ( 4 Swords Around a Throne (%&00) re*$sed " $se B $rrie!!e a!d Re1$sa" a" all (e,a$se "heir ;1e1 irs; are s ! " ri $sly $!relia(le+ 5e s"a"ed "ha"< ;I! prepari!. "his ( 4 I ha3e $sed ri.i!al s $r,es /he!e3er p ssi(le ($" ha3e i.! red "he alle.ed 1e1 irs * L $is B $rrie!!e2 Pa$l Barras2 Clare de Re1$sa"2 La$re Per1 !2 a!d =i " de =eli" 2 /hi,h are 1e!da,i $s a!d / r"hless; (P+ 7'>)+ I!deed2 1 s" * "he1 /ere /ri""e! * r a B $r( ! a!d r yalis" a$die!,e+ F $,h8 a!d #alleyra!d /ere serial "rai" rs /h (e"rayed Nap le ! a!d Fra!,e ! i!!$1era(le ,,asi !s+ N / !der a , !"e1p rary ,alled "he1 ;3i,e; a!d ;,ri1e;+ B $rrie!!e /as ,a$.h" /i"h his ha!d i! "he "ill2 Nap le ! * r.a3e hi1 a!d he /as .i3e! a! "her l$,ra"i3e p s" $!"il he repea"ed his ,ri1e+ Are /e " "r$s" "he / rds * a ,ri1i!al a.ai!s" "he 1a! /h * r.a3e hi1 a!d .a3e hi1 a se, !d ,ha!,e6 Esdaile is , !s"a!"ly , !"radi,"i!. hi1sel* a!d e3ery "hi!. he 1e!"i !s is .i3e! a h s"ile spi!+ 5e e3e! e!dea3 $rs " (la1e Nap le ! * r "he / rs" R$ssia! /i!"er i! %00 years i! %0%2+ Esdaile (3i $sly 4! /s ! "hi!. a( $" "he spa"e * 3 l,a!i, er$p"i !s "ha" a**e,"ed "he /ea"her * "he peri d+ #he de,ade %0%0-%020 /as "he , ldes" de,ade * "he C%&"h d$e "

"h se er$p"i !s *illi!. "he a"1 sphere /i"h d$s" - leadi!. " /idespread ,li1a"e ,ha!.e - a! El Ni! e3e!" /hi,h a**e,"ed / rld "e1pera"$res2 a!d a l / s$!sp " , $!" /hi,h is als i!di,a"i3e * l / "e1pera"$res+ A,, rdi!. " Esdaile2 Nap le ! repea"edly ;* r,ed; "her , $!"ries " a""a,4 hi1+ E3ery"hi!. /as his *a$l" a!d his *a$l" al !e+ Esdaile;s Nap le ! is li4e a :a1es B !d 3illai! /h .e"s $p e3ery 1 r!i!. /i"h "he "h $.h" * d 1i!a"i!. "he / rld (e* re he has had his (rea4*as"+ I" / $ld (e a1$si!. i* i" /as!;" s pa"he"i,+ A!d * , $rse2 he 7$ "es Bri"ish p li"i,ia!s /h de,ry Nap le ! * r /a!"i!. / rld d 1i!a"i !2 /he! "he Bri"ish Na3y /as d 1i!a"i!. "he seas a!d * r,i!. e3ery "her !a"i ! " ( / " "heir /ill+ A!d as * r E!.la!d (ei!. "he ;la!d * "he *ree2 yes i" did a( lish sla3ery i! %007 ($" "his did ! " s" p i" i1pressi!. sea1e! *r 1 "her !a"i !s a!d re*$si!. "herea*"er " e3er .i3e "he1 sh re lea3e i! ,ase "hey ;deser"ed; + #his i!s$**era(le arr .a!,e led " A1eri,a de,lari!. /ar ! Bri"ai! i! %0%2+ N d $("2 "ha" /as all Nap le !;s *a$l" " 6 #his is!;" his" ry - i";s pr pa.a!da?

@ 20%A : h! #ar""eli! =+A+ (5is" ry) F+I+N+S (Le.i ! * =eri")