The Grande Armée of Napoleon Bonaparte is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest fighting forces ever deployed. With it the French scored a streak of historic victories that gave them an unprecedented grip on power over the European continent. At its peak it was made up of 680,000 men, a huge multi-national force of officers, infantry and cavalry, artillery and support services masterminded by a superior and highly flexible system of corps, divisions, brigades and regiments, commanded by officers in which Napoleon placed a huge degree of trust and autonomy to operate within the outlines of his strategic objectives. Looking closely at how this military machine was constructed and mobilised this book will examine all aspects of the Grande Armée, from individual soldiers, what they wore, ate, slept in and were paid, to the chain of command, recruitment and training, intelligence and comms, and logistics and battle tactics. Chapters cover Napoleon and the French Revolution, the war of the first coalition, Napoleon's rise and the subsequent coalitions, exile and return, personal characteristics, imperial staff, Napoleon's marshals, line and light infantry, weapons and equipment uniforms and the infantry experience, heavy and light cavalry, weapons and fighting techniques and battlefield effects are studied together with the French artillery, reforms and organisation, accuracy and effects on target. There is also a look at the French Navy and its strengths, types of warship, cruise and maritime life, naval tactics and knowledge. There is a whole section on rations and foraging, cooking equipment and the garrison kitchen. Throughout the text there are fact boxes, modern and archive colour and mono photos, detailed maps and more. The legacy of Napoleon's army will be assessed, and how his organization and management initiatives influenced national armies around the world in ways that can still be seen today. Hundreds of colour illus. 172 pages. 21.5 x 28 cm.
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