Modern (1800 CE - 1950 CE)
France, The Gods Are Athirst
One of the most widely–read authors of the late nineteenth century, Anatole France (1844–1924) saw the humanity of even the most notorious revolutionary figures such as Jean–Paul Marat. Yet, dedicated to the principles of 1789, France preferred the earlier period of the Revolution.
Ho Chi Minh, Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Viet–Nam
Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary name of Nguyen That Thanh (1890–1969), was the leader of the Vietnamese revolution for independence from the French. He was educated in France, where he became a communist.
Sun Yat–Sen, The Three Principles of the People
Sun Yat–Sen (1866–1925) was a Chinese doctor who led the revolution against the Qing dynasty in 1911. Educated in Hawaii and Japan, he tried to compare Western concepts to Chinese conditions.
The View of the London Times (5 July 1821)
On the occasion of Napoleon’s death, the leading English paper expressed the view of the English establishment: hatred of his despotic rule, yet a kind of sneaking admiration of his “extraordinary life.”
Benjamin Constant, Leader of French Liberal Opposition to Napoleon
Benjamin Constant (1767–1830) spent the early years of the French Revolution in a post at a minor German court. He moved to Paris in 1795 and became active in French politics (and became the lover of de Staël).
The Battle of Waterloo as Recounted by one of Napoleon’s Personal Aides (June 1815)
Jardin Ainé (the elder) was responsible for Napoleon’s horse and had a firsthand view of the momentous events that definitively ended Napoleon’s career.
The Russian Campaign as Seen by a Female Russian Soldier
Fighting under the name Alexander Durov, Nadezhda Durova was the daughter of a Russian officer who dressed as a man to join the Russian army in 1806. Although it became known that she was a woman, she was allowed to serve until 1816 when she retired as a captain of the cavalry.
The Russian Campaign as Seen by an Ordinary Soldier
Adrien-Jean-Baptiste-François Bourgogne (1785–1867) was the son of a cloth merchant from northern France. He fought in Poland in 1806; in Austria, Spain, and Portugal in 1809–11; and in Russia in 1812–13. His memoirs were first published in 1857.
The Effect of the Russian Winter Described by a General
Ségur gave a terrifying description of the effect of the Russian winter that started in November 1812.
This source is a part of the The Napoleonic Experience teaching module.
The Burning of Moscow as Seen by One of Napoleon’s Generals
Philippe de Ségur served as Quartermaster–General during the invasion of Russia and had accompanied Napoleon on many of his military campaigns.