InterviewwithNapoleonBonapartebyRyanBurwell

NapoleonBonapartewasaveryshortmanthatleftaveryhugelegacy.Iwouldliketoaskhima
fewquestionsabouttheriseandfallofhisrulingoftheFrenchMilitaryandalsoabouthisexile
fromhishometoSt.Helenawherehewouldspendtherestofhisyearsat.Withoutanymore
introductionthesearemyquestions

1stQuestion)
HowdidyougetinvolvedinbecomingaLeaderandEmperor?Takemethrough
yourprocessofhowyougottowhereyouaretoday
MyloveforMilitarycameearlyoninmylifeattheyoungageofeight.Iwasenrolledatthe
collegeofBrienneinFranceandwaslatertogototheEcoleMilitaireafrenchmilitaryschoolfor
morelogisticstrategizing.IbeganmystudiesandfellinlovewithwhatIdid.Ifinished42ndin
myclassof52students.Iwasandstillamaveryintelligentperson,butIshinedwhenit
matteredyoucouldsay.Igraduatedattheageof16.NottolongafterIgraduated,Ihad
becomeaSecondLieutenantfortheartilleryinourarmy.Iguessallmyhardworkpayedoffas
thiswasaveryprestigioushonourtobegrantedofficerrightoutofschool.Myfatherhad
passedawayshortafterandthismademewanttoworkevenharderthanIhavebefore.Itook
everyclassofreadingandstrategyIcouldtofurthermyeducation.Mytwofavouritesubjects
wereHistoryandGeographyastheywerewhatmatteredmosttomyownsuccess.Ilovedwhat
IdidandwasintherightplaceattherighttimewhenFrancestartedtoinvadeothercountriesin
Europe.

2ndQuestion)
Howdidyoubeginyourrule/leadoftheFrenchMilitary?Tellmewhereyou
beganandhow
WhenthecountryofFrancewasdeclaredarepublicin1792,threeyearsaftertherevolution
hadbegunthingswereinchaostosaytheleast.Thecurrentstatewasntgoodandneeded
someworktobeevenabletobecalledremotelycivilized.KingLouisXVIleftusinadilemma.
MaximiliendeRobespierretookoverinactioninhisrisetoreign.19731974wereknownashis
ReignofTerror.AtthistimeIhadjustbeenpromotedtoBrigadierGeneral.Since1972we
havebeeninconstantwarandbattlesbetweenusandAustriaamongallothercountries.In
1796IleadourarmytothewinoverAustrialargerarmies.Thisbeganwithmebeingoffereda
spotforleadershipbytheDirectory.AnofferIcouldntrefusenomatterwhat.

3rdQuestion)
WhoWasYourPrimarytargetandhowmanypeopleand/orcountriesdidyou
battleduringyourReign?
WhenIfirstbeganmyreignthemaintargetformyselfandforthepeoplewasAustrians.Many
yearsofBattlewithmultiplegroupsleadtomeInvadingalmostallofEuropeforbattle
intentions.WeslowlybeganaNavytotakethefighttoplacesandopenupmoreoptions.Itwas
atthistimethatIevaluatedourarmytotheBritishNavalForcesandweweredefinitely
outmatchedcomparedtothestrengthofthem.Idecidednottoolongaftertodestroythe
Britainstraderoute,sowewereofftoEgypt.IleadourmentoavictoryovertheMamluksthe
Egyptians.WiththevictorybroughtlossoftradewithIndiaforBritishForces.Throughoutthese
eventsourNavyhandbeenstrandedandwealmostlossattheNileBattleinAugust1798.We

hadfoughtalmostallplacesandallenemiesduringmyreignandgainedpowerlikenever
before.
4thQuestion)
WhatHappenedwhenyouoriginallylostpowerbecauseofyourfirstexilefrom
Francepower?
WhenIhadsurrenderedonMarch30th,1814Iknewthingswerentgoingtoendwell.The
pressureofmypositionwasrisingdaybydayandIhadnootherwayoutthenalliedgroupsto
takecontrolofwhatIhadcreated.Overthelastfewyearsgoingbacktothebeginningof
defeatsstartingin1810wasstartingtofinallytakeitstoll,youcouldsay.IenteredExileand
wassentoftoasmallislandcalledElba.Irememberhearingthenumberofmenwehadlost
andwoundedmen.Webeganwithover600,000bravesoldiersandbythetimethe1810battles
hadendedwebarelycouldscrapetogether10,000mencapableoffighting.Itaffectsyouaftera
whilesothiswasmaybeforthebestinmyinterest,thatbeingmyexile.ItwasntuntilIwas
goneforalmostayearithitme.Ineededtotakemycountryback.IwaswatchingFrance
stumblingforwardsandithadgotmetoreturntopower.InMarchof1815,Ihadescapedand
mademywaytoParisasfastaspossible.Ihadregainedpower,butthepeopledidntbelievein
myleadership.Ihadtoprovethemwrong.OnJune16,1815IleadthearmytoBelgiumand
defeatedthePrussians.AcoupledaysafterwastheBattleofWaterloo.Wehadbeendefeated
inaragingbattleagainsttheBritishwhohadsomehelpfromPrussianreinforcements.Itwasan
embarrassmenttomeandwhatIhadworkedsohardfor.Iwasthenstrippedofallpoweron
June22nd,1815andwassentSt.HelenaaremoteislandintheSouthernAtlanticOcean.

5thQuestion)
Howdidyouspendyourfinalyearsandhowdidyouhandlelosingyourreign?
AfterIwasexiledIpushedhardanddemandedthatmysonNapoleonIIwouldtakemyspot.
Thelargecoalitiongreatlyrefusedthatideaandwasworriedthathewouldrepeatmymistakes.
IhadarrivedatSt.HelenaandwasfreetodowhatIloved,writenotesandreadhistorybooks.
IlivedaneasylifestylethereandwithitIslowlybegantolosetouchwitheverythingaroundme.
Ibeganmydayswithquietsessionsforreadingandwritingintheafternoons.Ibecametrapped
insideanddidntknowhowtogetoutofit.Myhealthbegantodropbecauseofmyunfulfilled
days.In1817IwasexperiencingsignsofaStomachulcerand/orearlycausesofcancer.Over
thenextcoupleyearsitgotworstandworstdaybydayIwasslowlydying.InApril1821Ihad
announcedIwishmyashestorestonthebanksoftheSeine,inthemidstofthoseFrench
peoplewhichIhavelovedsomuch.IhadgottenworseandknewIcouldgoanyday.

NapoleonBonaparteDiedonMay5th,1821inSt.Helena.