What do Americans think of Napoleon?

25 comments

1. He was a brilliant military mind. I don’t think of him outside of that.

2. Brilliant military commander. Tyrant and not worthy of emulation.

   I’m glad we got Washington instead.

3. Great military leader. A bit of a bitch. Taller than the parodies lead you to believe.

4. “Able was I ere I saw Elba”

   That palindrome is what comes to mind when I think of Napoleon.

5. Excellent military leader, despotic tyrant, taller than the meme.

6. He was a genius in military strategy until he tried attacking the Russians in the winter. But he was also a tyrant.

   I think he’s an important historical figure, not to be admired, but to learn from.

7. Love the pastry version. Human version, meh.

8. He allowed us to double the size of our country via the Louisiana Purchase.

   And he was a great military general.

9. I’m old so I always picture him from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

10. His penis is in New Jersey.

11. Which one?

12. Glad he sold us the Louisiana Territory, more than anything. I also see him as the necessary sledge hammer to start liberalizing Europe and shaking it out of its medieval haze. He wasn’t perfect, but neither was the Jacobin Revolution he took over and turned into an empire (which I view in the same light). And, of course, amazing general.

13. Kind of whiny. And really likes tots.

14. There was definately a stigma of him being a short goofy hothead who is at fault for his own downfall in America, but I still think most people recognize that he was a tactical genius.

15. I was dorky looking in high school and wore glasses, had big hair etc, and Napoleon Dynamite was very popular in theaters, so people called me Napoleon a lot. No thanks!!!

16. I will always hate him for the introduction of the metric system.

17. I like him. He sold my state to the U.S. on the cheap.

18. He has a cool looking coffin.

19. Vote for Pedro

20. He did more at age of 27 than most of us have done…so there’s that?

    Maybe don’t be a couch potato today(yes, totally emulating the oversimplified kneejerk)

21. Great commander. Psychopath/narcissist. Dude who sold us 1/3 of our land. His wars distracted the British long enough for the US to get a modicum of its shit together before independence fight round 2 (1812). We liked and benefited from him, but we only admire his military career.

22. He was one of the history guys that Bill and Ted collected

23. I only really know him through his military conquests. He was an excellent commander, and a man who could garner admiration from his people if nothing else. But I’m not exactly a fan of emperors and kings.

24. I think he’s the most fascinating person in all of history. I’ve read a lot about him (*The Campaigns of Napoleon* by Chandler and *Napoleon: A Life*, by Roberts are two outstanding examples). His military genius is undisputed and well known, but he doesn’t get enough attention for his administrative genius as well. I’ve never read of any other person who had his level of intelligence, ambition, confidence, and sheer energy. His last act alone (escape from Elba and the 100 days) is so ludicrous that if it were fiction it would be decried as too unrealistic.

    Of course he wasn’t perfect. He made major mistakes throughout his long career, but more often than not he outclassed his opponents.

25. Most Americans no almost nothing about Napoleon and the Napoleonic Wars. I’d say the average American knows him as a “short French guy who sold the US Louisiana”.