Hugo on Napoleon
Failure makes losers more noble. The fallen Bonaparte seems to be taller than the standing Napoleon.
Napoleon was Michelangelo in the war.
He is a master of rebuilding ruins. He is the successor of Charlemagne, Louis XI, Henry IV, Li Sailiu, Louis XIV and the Public Security Committee. Of course, he is tainted, negligent and even guilty, that is to say, he is human; But he is still solemn in negligence, outstanding in stain and brilliant in sin. (victor hugo's Les Miserables)
Lenin on Napoleon
The French Revolution was originally a national war, and it was indeed such a war.
These wars are revolutionary; An alliance to defend the great revolution and oppose the counter-revolutionary monarchy.
However, when Napoleon established the French Empire and enslaved many viable national powers in Europe, the national war in France turned into an imperialist war, which led to a national liberation war against Napoleon's imperialism. (Lenin's pamphlet on junius, Complete Works of Lenin, Volume 22, page 302. )
Zhou Enlai on Napoleon
Heroes of the times, if a dime a dozen, are not Xiang Yu and Napoleon I mentioned. Husband and wife, the wonder of the world. With the heart of annexing eight wastes, we can do anything; Bravely crowned, intelligent; Invincible, invincible; The enemy was shocked when they heard it, and women and children were frightened when they heard it; Under the eternal life, I am still alive, I am just a hero in the world! It's brave to work outside. If it is related to the advance and retreat of the world and the rise and fall of mankind, it will be different from handsome men and scholars. Despite the respect of the emperor, the power of religion and the potential of money, it is not easy. Therefore, these two people are what I call heroes of the creation era.
Romain rolland on Napoleon
Short stature, dark complexion, seemingly bottomless black eyes and thick black hair. He often wears a floating black robe and a thick belt, like a pilgrim. Not fashionable and not following narrow social rules. Sitting in a chair is uncomfortable, but I often cross my legs on a low stool or perch on a windowsill; Sometimes lively and laughing wildly, sometimes wandering and sinking. Anyway, a Mr. Savings Bank who lives in a dream.
Liddell hart on Napoleon
Thirty years later, the prelude to another "war" began to open. Napoléon Bonaparte's genius made this war shine. As in the last century, France poses a serious threat to other European countries, which makes them unite against it again. However, the development of this war is different from the past. There used to be many sympathizers in France after the Great Revolution, but they were neither government authorities nor controlled their own troops. France went to war alone and was forced to be isolated from other countries, as if it were infected with an infectious disease. But France not only defeated the allied forces that wanted to kill it, but also posed a serious military threat to other European countries after the revolution and eventually became the master of a large part of Europe. (liddell hart's On Strategy)
Marx and Engels on Napoleon
Engels commented on Napoleon and said, "Napoleon's immortal achievement lies in that he found the only way to correctly use the broad masses of armed people in tactics and strategy ..." The only figure in the interests and fantasies of the newly formed peasant class.
Napoleon is not a figure in the eyes of farmers, but a procedure.
Holding flags and playing music, they went to the ballot box and shouted "Down with taxes, down with the rich, down with the Republic of China, long live the emperor".
Behind the emperor is a peasant war. (Marx's Class Struggle in France 1848 to 1850), The Complete Works of Marx and Engels, Volume 7, page 50. )
Napoleon's biggest mistake was to marry the daughter of the Austrian emperor and form an alliance with the old counter-revolutionary dynasty; He did not destroy all traces of old Europe, but tried to compromise with it; He tried to gain a second-to-none reputation among European emperors, so he tried to make his court as good as theirs. He fell to the level of other emperors. He tried to get the same honor as them and grovel before orthodox principles, so naturally, the orthodox emperor kicked the usurper out of their circle. (Engels "Germany", "The Complete Works of Marx and Engels", Volume 2, p. 638)
If the war against Napoleon is really a war for freedom and against tyranny, then the result should be that all countries conquered by Napoleon declared the principle of equality after Napoleon collapsed and enjoyed the happiness brought by the principle of equality.
But the opposite is true.
As far as Britain is concerned, the war was launched by panicked nobles and supported by the chaebol.
These chaebols have found an inexhaustible source of profits: borrowing in succession; The growth of national debt; Moreover, they may infiltrate into the South American market, where they will dump their industrial products and seize the colonies originally belonging to France, Spain and the Netherlands. They think that this will make their pockets more bulging.
They try to make Great Britain a cosmopolitan country, so that they can crush the trade of any other country, if the competition in this country can be an obstacle to their wealth. Finally, they tried their best to safeguard their right to make huge profits from supplying the European market and compete with Napoleon's continental system.
This is the real reason why the British ruling class launched this long-term war at that time.
As for the excuse that the French Revolution threatened the basic principles of the British Constitution, it can only show that this "perfect creation of human reason" is extremely superior.
From the Spanish side, the war was waged to defend the orthodox hereditary throne and the principle of autocratic trial by monks.