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Post by Jim Boylston on May 14, 2007 18:55:43 GMT -5
I came across this site today and thought it was a novel idea...podcasts about Napoleonic History. My ipod makes air travel tolerable, so loading it up with history programming should make things even better! napoleon.thepodcastnetwork.com/Jim
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Post by Herb on May 15, 2007 9:47:57 GMT -5
Well, I still get around the old fashioned way - books! ;D
Napoleon is so grossly understudied here in the US and yet his impact was so great ...!
As you and I've discussed many times, it's hard to have a serious discussion about the Alamo, the Texas Revolution, or the Mexican War without a basic understanding about Napoleonic Warfare and Tactics.
For light, easy reading, the Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell, does provide a basic understanding about the tactics of the time as long as you keep in mind you are reading novels!
I think, though I believe Stuart disagrees, that for heavy duty study, the best place to begin is Chandler's "The Campaigns of Napoleon".
In between, I'd recommend "Napoleon's Marshals" edited by Chandler, it's a great introduction to those key French players that are so unknown in America.
With the 200 aniversary occuring recently or approaching there's a wealth of new material being published. There was a rash of new books about Austerlitz (1805) Napoleon's greatest victory. With the invasion of Spain and the 1809 Danube Campaign anniversaries, I expect even more to soon be published. Hopefully the History Book Club will reoffer Oman's series on the Peninsular War.
West Point also has published, two very handy introductions to Napoleonic Warfare, "The Wars of Napoleon" and the "Atlas for the Wars of Napoleon" both are available to the public.
While many may think, that this is ancient history, the first time I read Chandler, was during the major transformation of the army in the 1980s. I was amazed at how many of these so called radical ideas were based on tactics refined by the Grande Armee in 1805 and 1806. As a young lieutenant, I was told by a senior officer "If you truly want to be a professional, you have to study Napoleon." Another soldier I respected very much, often told me that "History ended on 18 June 1815," (Waterloo) "everything else is current events."
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Post by Jim Boylston on May 15, 2007 10:37:32 GMT -5
Me too, but flying in and out of Orlando with screaming kids and irritable and exhausted parents on every flight...thank heaven for headphones! (I realize you had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the cell-phone store! ;D) The age of Napoleon seems generally ignored here in the US. I wonder why? Jim
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Post by Herb on May 15, 2007 11:12:25 GMT -5
(I realize you had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the cell-phone store! ;D) Jim Yeah, but that had more to do with a hatred for electronic leashes then technology! ;D I think it's just that our education system is very American centric. Even though I've studied Napoleon since the early 80s I still have difficulty understanding the Italian Campaigns, because I'm so unfamiliar with Italian geography. Let's face it with as poor a job as our schools are doing teaching American History and Geography, can we expect any better for World History and Geography?
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Post by stuart on May 15, 2007 17:07:53 GMT -5
I think, though I believe Stuart disagrees, that for heavy duty study, the best place to begin is Chandler's "The Campaigns of Napoleon". Not necessarily; it all depends what you want. I have the greatest of respect for the late David Chandler and consider myself very privileged to have known him, but his book does exactly what it says on the box; it is all about the campaigns of Napoleon. Personally though I do prefer (and own) Oman's multi-volume "History of the Peninsular War", but that does reflect my interests. I do however consider it to be more relevant than Chandler's book in understanding the military operations in Mexico and Texas. Mexican generals and Mexican soldiers would have been very much at home in the Spanish armies operating in the Iberian peninsula - and not just because they spoke the same language. Both Spanish and Mexican generals shared the same headlong approach to strategy, leading their men on forced marches over the mountains with an inadequate commissariat and inadequate everything else except courage.
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Post by Jim Boylston on Oct 5, 2007 15:33:16 GMT -5
I just found a DVD copy of Ridley Scott's first feature, "The Duellists". It had been probably 25 years since I'd last seen this film, and I forgot how good it was. Set during a 15 year period, it follows 2 officers in Napoleon's army as they engage in a series of duels. Great period costuming, and beatiful, lush cinematography. If you haven't seen this one, I'd recommend it highly. Be sure to watch the included interview with Ridley Scott on the making of the film, too. Jim
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Post by stuart on Oct 6, 2007 3:05:39 GMT -5
I envy you. I've only got an old VHS recorded off the TV. I really must have a look for it. Has it just been released in DVD or did you pick it up in a bargain bin?
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Post by Jim Boylston on Oct 6, 2007 14:00:50 GMT -5
It's out on DVD in the states. Jim
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Post by Jim Boylston on Oct 7, 2007 10:36:20 GMT -5
Stuart, if you're a fan of the film it might interest you to know Scott's original choices for the lead roles...Oliver Reed and Michael York. The studio nixed them as too expensive, but they'd both agreed to do the parts. Keitel had to be talked into the job. He'd never been to France and was reluctant to go there for a film project. Scott promised him it would be like a vacation with really good food. He also mentioned that Keitel had never handled a sword before. Jim
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Post by stuart on Oct 7, 2007 11:47:27 GMT -5
Didn't know that. I can see both of them in those roles, but Harvey Keitel and the other guy were far better for it because messrs Reed and York would just have played themselves
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