How Napoleon Changed Warfare Essay

Napoleon’s military changed warfare forever and are abundant throughout national armies of today. Tradition, discipline and innovation are the main aspects of the Western way of war best characterizing warfare in the age of Napoleon. Napoleon continued with the importance of a having a national army from the French Revolution and instilled discipline in his Soldiers to return to their regiments after foraging off the land. The national army construct held intact from the French Revolution enabled Napoleon to seize the iniative and focus his efforts towards the decisive battle. Napoleon’s armies displayed discipline and loyalty their country that did not exist prior to the French Revolution. Today’s armies of the West demonstrate the same loyalty to their country and stand firm in their countries beliefs similar to the Soldier’s stance during the age of Napoleon. Lastly, Napoleon introduced new …show more content…
Napoleon’s Soldiers now fought for something greater than individual desires and discipline became part of the Soldiers nature. Prior to Napoleon’s reign, the French Soldier did not fight for its country and often times disserted from the duty as a Soldier. However, Napoleon’s Soldiers steeped in patriotism due to fighting for France were now willing to live off the land and often resupply was unnecessary. The new patriotism led to Soldiers foraging off the land, living without the comforts of abundant resupply and returning to their units.5 This enabled Napoleon to move faster than his adversaries and maintain the offensive initiative. In addition, Napoleon’s disciplined Soldiers now demonstrated boldness and audacity in battle where pursuit of the enemy became second nature leading to total destruction of Napoleon’s