The Making of a Conqueror — War and Peace

The essential significance of the European events of the early nineteenth century, Tolstoy says, lies in the movement of peoples from west to east and afterwards from east to west. For the west to make its warlike movement to Moscow it was necessary that they form a military group large enough to endure collision with the east, that they abandon established traditions, and that they have at their head a man who could justify to himself and to them the deceptions, robberies, and murders of that march. Beginning with the French Revolution the old group was destroyed, and step by step a larger group formed, and a man was produced to bear the responsibility for all that had to be done.

A man without convictions, habits, traditions, or even a French name emerges, by what seem the strangest chances, from among the seething parties and is borne forward. The ignorance of colleagues, the weakness of opponents, the frankness of his falsehoods, and his self-confident limitations raise him to the head of the army. Italy gives him military fame. He is not received into the Russian service; the Turkish appointment comes to nothing. In Italy he is several times on the verge of destruction and each time saved. The expedition to Africa, aimless and senseless, presents an escape from a dissolving Paris government. Malta surrenders without a shot. The enemy's fleet lets his army elude it. Outrages against almost unarmed inhabitants are called glory because they resemble Caesar. The plague does not touch him. Murdering prisoners is not imputed as a fault. His ignoble departure, leaving comrades in distress, is set down to his credit. He has no plan. Parties snatch at him. He is pushed into the legislature, wishes to flee, pretends to swoon, says senseless things that should have ruined him. The once shrewd rulers are more bewildered than he. Chance gives him power. Paul I of Russia recognizes his government. The Duc d'Enghien is put in his hands and killed, convincing the mob that might is right. He never carries out the expedition against England that would have ruined him, but falls upon Mack. Austerlitz follows. Europe, except England, recognizes his title and his ideal of grandeur.

Kings display their insignificance. Prussia sends a wife to seek mercy. Austria gives a daughter of the Caesars. The Pope uses religion for the great man's aggrandizement. It is not Napoleon who prepares himself so much as all those round him who prepare him to take the whole responsibility. Every crime is at once a great deed. When he is ready, so are the forces. Moscow is taken. Then inverse chances: the cold in his head at Borodino, the sparks that set Moscow on fire, the frosts, and instead of genius, stupidity and baseness. The invaders flee. A countermovement from east to west resembles the former one. Paris is reached. Napoleon is pitiful and mean, yet by strange chance no one perceives the outlawed brigand. He is sent to an island two days' sail from France, presented as a dominion, with guards and millions.