Napoleon Bonaparte launched the conquest in a different manner than previous wars when his army constantly fought and spread throughout Europe. To manage such a large army, Napoleon relied on a large number of people as well as some mechanisms to keep the military apparatus running smoothly.
Break the Basic Rules of the Republic
Napoleon became the head of the post-Republic of the Revolution, but he was the one who destroyed the Republic's basic rules by ordering himself as Emperor and establishing "non-democratic" rules to gain control of the army.
To ensure the removal of the feudal regime, the role of the head of state is separated from the army, according to the Republic's institutions. However, Napoleon merged these two titles and never attempted to separate them.
To be the head of the state, the military helped Napoleon take the necessary measures to support the war and the war forces. The conflict between the army and the civil government ended when both agencies were placed under Napoleon's command.
Establishment of The Ministry of War
The Ministry of War is a civil organization that oversees the army's operations. However, Napoleon ordered the division of the agency into The War Ministry and The War Management Ministry in 1802.
The Ministry of War is directly in charge of military fields such as recruiting troops, paying salaries, promoting, and transferring forces. The War Management Ministry is in charge of logistics such as food distribution, transportation, and the establishment of a hospital.
Following their separation, both agencies expanded rapidly, from 500 in 1802 to 1,500 in 1814.
Establishment of Divisions
Napoleon established 23 divisions based on geographic location in 1791. Napoleon maintained and expanded this system when capturing neighboring countries' territory, increasing it to 32 divisions in 1811 and another 6 divisions in the Kingdom of Italy.
Each territory has a large town as its center, which is managed by a divisional general with the assistance of local officers. Their mission is to oversee local military matters, including troop recruitment.
Expanding the Composition of Officers
Officers were crucial in terms of leadership and organization. Napoleon balanced his army's traditional and new elements.
Under Napoleon, many aristocrats, the traditional officer class, served as generals. Before the republic, more than 75% of the generals served in the army, with 20–30% becoming aristocrats. Many generals, however, were from the working class or were slaves.
The majority of Napoleon's officers were from the middle and lower classes. Because intelligence and education were important factors, he was willing to mix old aristocrats with ordinary officers to find the best talent.
Advancement and Honor
Promotion in the republic was based on talent, merit, and military nominations. Napoleon omits the third criterion but keeps the first two.
He strictly controlled the promotion criteria, personally selecting generals, corps commanders, and one-third of company-level officers. Theoretically, courage and age are prerequisites for advancement. Napoleon, on the other hand, was concerned with his commanders' educational level and sharp minds, emphasizing the appointment of upper-class officers to positions of top officers due to their formal training.
Napoleon appeared to restore the old monarchy by emphasizing glory, fortitude, and personal achievement over submission and subjectivity, with honor serving as the military's central moral principle. Republican patriotism is comparable.
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