The event that brought France’s most successful and charismatic general to a position of supreme power took place 225 years ago this November. Often described as the ‘end of the French Revolution’, the military coup known as 18 Brumaire also marked the beginning of Napoleon’s despotic reign, which at it s height saw him ruling directly or indirectly over 40% of the population of Europe.
In our special feature to introduce a new series tracing Napoleon’s rise and fall, Graham Goodlad reveals first how the son of an impoverished Corsican nobleman transformed himself to become his country’s undisputed leader, and then looks in more detail at Lodi and Arcola – two early clashes that cemented his reputation as a commander of genius.
Elsewhere, Tim Newark travels further back in time to examine how the victory of the Roman general Flavius Aetius over the notorious Attila the Hun decided the fate of the 5th- century Roman Empire.
Also in this issue, Stephen Roberts uncovers the forgotten stor y of the ‘native levies’ who served alongside British forces during the British colonial era, while David Porter analyses the part played by armoured vehicles in some of the most critical engagements of WWII in Asia and the Pacific.
Finally, in the last part of our series marking another anniversary of significance, the 150th birthday of Winston Churchill, Taylor Downing examines the wartime PM’s relationship with some of the maverick scientists who helped the Allies achieve ultimate victory in the Second World War.
We hope you enjoy the issue!