Napoleon on the Art of War [Hardcover]

Jay Luvaas (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 1999

Unlike Sun-Tzu or Karl von Clausewitz, Napoleon never wrote a unified essay on his military philosophy. Yet as one of the world's greatest strategists and tacticians, his wisdom and genius can be found in his many and varied writings. Jay Luvaas has spent more than three decades pouring through the 32 volumes of Napoleon's correspondence, carefully translating and editing all of his writings on the art of war, and arranging them in seamless essays. The resulting book captures the brilliant commander's views on everything from the preparation of his forces to the organisation, planning and execution of his battles, all buttressing Napoleon's view that 'in war there is but one favourable moment; the great art is to seize it.' From the specifics of Napoleon's use of cavalry and unique reliance upon artillery to an all-encompassing vision of life from a man of supreme confidence and success, NAPOLEON ON THE ART OF WAR is the only straightforward explanation of Napoleon's campaigns and philosophy by the man himself.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Napoleon Bonaparte not only dominated Europe militarily for 20 years in the early 19th century but his concept of war and its right conduct has fascinated historians and guided military leaders for almost 200 years. Noted military historian Luvaas now presents a succinct volume of Napoleon's thoughts on the art of war as seen by the greatest soldier of his era. Luvaas has worked on this book for 30 years, translating and editing the 32 volumes of Napoleon's own writings and correspondence and offering in essay form the key elements of Napoleon's wisdom on war. Subjects include tactics, operational art, strategy, logistics, training, diplomacy, intelligence, leadership, combined arms, morale, and discipline. The best chapters are Napoleon's analysis of the "Great Captains" (Alexander, Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick the Great) and his candid evaluations of his own French generals' strengths and weaknesses. This is a short, clear, and very readable treatise on the art of war, a much better product than 1998's dismal pretender, Napoleon: How To Make War by Yann Cloarec (Ediciones La Calavera). Luvaas's book is recommended for public, academic, and military libraries.ACol. William D. Bushnell, USMC (ret.), Brunswick, ME
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Whatever his political failings, Napoleon's reputation as a military genius remains undiminished. His broad strategies and battlefield tactics are still studied at military colleges around the world. Given his ignominious end in exile, it is understandable that Napoleon never penned his "definitive" memoirs. However, his genius is revealed in the massive volume of his personal letters and military correspondence. Luvaas, a military historian, has arranged Napoleon's essays and correspondence into a coherent exposition of his attitudes and beliefs regarding warfare. Napoleon reveals his great psychological insight, his mastery of organization, and his unceasing faith in an aggressive style of warfare. Perhaps inadvertently, he also reveals his egotism and belief in his own destiny, which would lead to his downfall. While military buffs will find special delight here, there is much in this work that can appeal to the well-informed general reader. Jay Freeman

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Free Press (June 9, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684851857
• ISBN-13: 978-0684851853
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > History > Military > Napoleonic Wars

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST for students of military strategy., November 15, 1999

By 

Marie Audrey L. (Surabaya, Indonesia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Napoleon on the Art of War (Hardcover)

NAPOLEON. The world has viewed him as a hungry conqueror, a man always victorious in his days, and the greatest general the world has ever known.He is popular in books and encyclopedias as the master of strategies and tactics, the God of war, a military genius,etc.etc.Then try to read this book, and you'll find that the key to his successes is only one: Never be irresolute, calculate everything prudently, move with confidence and spirit and never leave anything to Fate.In this book you'll find how he used his army from the creation of the fighting forces until the operational art to the gate of victory. He also said that military education, fortification and high morality played an important role in war.But he also made some fatal mistakes that caused his failure in battle, you can find it all in the chapter"Generalship and the art of command".If you're truly interested in military strategies and tactics, this book is certainly presented for you. Jay Luvaas has in this book reflected the mind of history's greatest conqueror.Go and get it. This masterpiece will forever change the way we view THE EMPEROR.

5.0 out of 5 stars Formulaic Experience ... Large Scale Ground Warfare., October 29, 2011

By 

Eric West "Don Quijotee" (Utah, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Napoleon On the Art of War (Paperback)

This book is made from real life experience by a very successful military leader and as such should be reviewed. Following it precepts should allow a soldier at arms to avoid loss of resources and personnel by avoiding learning from mistakes on-the-job. I was impressed with the admissions that some of your enemy's attacks will succeed, but gives advice on the goal of such encounters. These tactics are a great place to start your battle.

The book is short, concise, candid and readable. It is direct and formulaic about different military postures and use of forces. Obviously these tactics lack any consideration of air power, limited to artillery and cavalry being the firepower of the day. Notable is the lack of any political perspective, understandable due to the fact that Napoleon was emperor and general: the state and military were one in purpose and consistent with the books focused purpose to explain force on force encounters.

Those working in the profession of arms should find this informative for strategizing large scale engagements. But lacking perspective on the reach and versatility of air power and today's millennial one sided insurgent guerilla wars lacking large scale force on force encounters does place this better suited for world war scenarios. Most of today's (US) engagements begin without airpower and therefore the principles may be adapted at all levels for initial force on force contact. And since history repeats itself, regardless of how any two wars are the dissimilar, the war on the ground is the winning engagement.

14 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ironic, August 12, 2001

By 

C. Doke "crayt1024" (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Napoleon on the Art of War (Hardcover)

This book is a very good compilation of Napoleon's writings, in which is discussed the policy, composition, discipline, and strategy that armies must employ to be successful. There is a quote in the book from Kircheisen, a Napoleonic Scholar, stating that Napoleon's ability to successfully wage war was not in the realm of strategy, instead it was grounded in organization and attention to detail, which leads me to the intrinsic irony of this book: In the end Napoleon did not follow many of his own axioms.

Ultimately it was his total failure in the Russian Campaign that caused his downfall. This incident demonstrated to the rest of Europe that Napoleon was not the living reincarnation of the god of war; quite to the contrary, he was a mediocre strategist. His failure was the result of his lack of organization, and his inability to compete with the Scorched Earth Policy and a small typhus endemic. In fact, his failure was so total that his "Grand Army" was decimated from 422,000 men strong to a mere 10,000: that is 97.6% casualties. This complete failure was caused because he did not heed the things that he himself propounds in this book.

That begs the question: Can this book truly be reflective of Napoleon?

If you want to know how to run an army: read this book.

If you want to keep your idealized version of Napoleon: avoid this book because it will demonstrate just how absurd his command was in the end.