"They have seen nothing yet...In our day, no one has conceived anything great: it is for me to set the example." - Napoleon Bonaparte after the victory at Lodi. With a playwright's understanding of men's passions, he could give heart or strike fear with a few well-placed words. His glance, produced at the right moment to the right man, could expose a weakness or inspire courage. Like Hannibal and many others, he was a commander that lived and suffered very much with his men, at least at the beginning of his career. All these things mark Napoleon out as a uniquely gifted general. At the battle of Rivoli in mid-January 1796, we see them all come together at once, on full display for the first time in the "Little Corporal's" career.
No general can say they will use the central position, and therefore, they will win. There is no plug and play preset list of maneuvers to fit all circumstances that guarantee victory. Victory relies on much more, and Napoleon understood that. His ability to sense the enemy's intention and force them to act against their own will is spooky at times. He had an intuitive feel for combat readiness, not just with the enemy but, maybe more importantly, in his ranks. His innate understanding of the weight and physics of battle, timing, and morale is hard to explain. The vision to see the picture, both strategic and tactical, and react with uncommon speed was unique for the time.
And beyond the general's tent and the map-room, Napoleon displayed what was probably his most remarkable traits as a leader. With a playwright's understanding of men's passions, he could give heart or strike fear with a few well-placed words. His glance, produced at the right moment to the right man, could expose a weakness or inspire courage. Like Hannibal and many others, he was a commander that lived and suffered very much with his men, at least at the beginning of his career. All these things mark Napoleon out as a uniquely gifted general. At the battle of Rivoli in mid-January 1796, we see them all come together at once, on full display for the first time in the "Little Corporal's" career.
Music - At Launch by Kevin McCloud