Napoleon
Nationalism is the devotion of people to the interests of its nation or the love of one's country to stay independent. Nationalism played a major role in the downfall of Napoleon in that he wanted an empire and his opponent's wanted independence.As Napoleon was conquering lands and creating a vast empire his troops stressed in the far lands that they conquered life, liberty and equality. Even though Napoleon did not realize it triggered nationalistic feelings among the conquered nations.Spain who was an ally of France, disobeyed Napoleon's decree. Then in 1808 Napoleon overthrew the Spanish royal family and made his brother Joseph king of Spain. But everything that Napoleon did such as put in a foreign ruler, take away noble privileges offended Spanish pride and created nationalistic feelings. The people of Spain revolted in 1808. The French troops stopped the riots, but the nationalistic spirit was not lost. For the next fiv
This led to the defeat of Joseph, death of thousands of French troops and it inspired patriots and nationalists of other lands to resist Napoleon. Napoleon decided to retreat back to France. However Napoleon escaped Elba and returned to France in March of 1815. Military reforms improved the Prussian army. In 1807 writers attacked French occupation of Germany. Most of soldiers were not French and didn't care for the war. But the French invasions carried German nationalism beyond the small ranks of writers. As Napoleon entered Paris he got a cheer. Even worse the winter was in a few months. He raised a new army and on June 18 1815 he moved against the allies in Belgium. This war between 1808 and 1813 is called The Peninsular War. These days of Napoleon trying to regain power are called the Hundred Days. On the way back RussianCossacks slaughtered the soldiers who fell behind.
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