Military History and Atlas of Napoleonic Wars

by Vincent J. Esposito

This is the 1968 third printing of the 1965 original. *14 illustrations * 169 full-page color maps * 13 x 10 * Large color maps show the course of each campaign * Complemented by a full narrative history A superb historical atlas that is a seminal work and provides a comprehensive overview of the battles and campaigns between 1796 and 1815. The 169 maps chart the course of twelve crucial campaigns including Marengo, Austerlitz, and Borodino. It illustrates Napoleon's concept of war, his grasp of strategy, and his complete mastery of battlefield tactics. Vincent J. Esposito was professor and head of the Department of Military Art and Engineering at West Point from 19561963. Colonel John R. Elting is the foremost expert on Napoleon's Grande Arme.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction

500 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1999

Reviews

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh, there is nothing like sitting back and enjoying a fine book that meets every expectation you had before starting it.

Ok, ok... I haven't experienced that either. But, this book is pretty darn close to being exactly that kind of book. You read the title, and guess what? It is exactly that! Amazing! 5 Stars, right? Whoa... not so fast. I'm not that easy. You have to earn your stars with me.

Seriously though, this book is every bit of a 5 Star book. It does not pretend to be the Napoleonwiki of all things Napoleonic, yet covers the military history in a rather thorough manner, combined with some absolutely lovely maps. This book is not a substitute for books created for specific battle coverage, and is more a 10,000 foot view. Remember, this was created with education of soldiers in mind. It is a tool for learning the big picture. Minutia is not this book's forte.

Elting and Esposito really do a wonderful job of covering everything essential, and tie the text well to the lovely maps that accompany each battle. These maps are command level, showing strategic deployments primarily. Some battles get much closer views of deployments and command structures illustrated. These maps are the main area of dissention for reviewers, as they are not tremendously detailed on units and individual movements. I say that complaints here are overblown or even meritless when speaking of a reference book like this. That kind of detail is best left to Chandler or Nafziger, and would easily add hundreds more maps to this book. This book is an overview, not a definitive study. A 5 Star overview though.

I cannot possibly give a higher recommendation for military historians about this book. It is a 100% "must read/ must have" if you have any interest in Napoleonic warfare. Period.

One bit of warning for those of you buying this. There are really two forms of this book available, and you really must pay attention to which one you are buying. The first one is a complete, single volume book with both maps and text (like this one I reviewed) and is the earliest version. I would say it is the best version. The second one was done as a two volume set with text and maps separate. Simple an awful way to treat this book, in my opinion. Many a person has bought a copy on their favorite auction site only to find it was just one of the pair, not both. Maps without text is useless, and text describing the map loses all meaning. So be careful!

5 Stars! Really maybe a very rare 5+

[Gerry Leb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This, along with Chandler's Campaigns of Napoleon, is the best way to learn about Napoleon's campaigns. This book is actually a military textbook intended for careful study by cadets at West Point, the US military academy. Leaving aside the fact that Esposito nearly worships Napoleon, this is a model of usefulness and clarity in learning about how Napoleon succeeded - and failed - as a general and as a leader of the French.

The strength of the book are its maps. These are a model of clarity and are the best military history maps I have ever seen.

Also to be mentioned are the capsule summaries of the personalities of Napoleon's marshals and great generals, to be found at the end of the volume.

[Rob Markley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm out of step with the majority here but I felt this was very poor. The maps were over generalised and the text was really the main part... however that standard was well below Chandler. Severely overrated at every level!

[Philippe · Rating 4 out of 5]

These soberly descriptive campaign narratives read like real cliffhangers. The complexity of Napoleonic maneuver warfare is fully evident here. How the huge mass of men and supplies could be deployed across these vast military theatres using relatively simple technology is beyond belief.

[Sebastian Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic maps! And a potted history of the Napoleonic was, to boot. But it’s the maps that make this a five star affair.

[Steve Smy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say that this has to be my favourite book of military maps. A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars by Vincent J Esposito and Colonel John R Elting, edited by John R Elting, is one of the finest works I’ve encountered on all the European battles in which Napoleon fought, between 1796 and 1815. The large maps are beautifully clear and illustrate the battles superbly, enabling anybody with an understanding of maps to appreciate the terrain that those battles were fought over. You can follow the progress from the build up to beyond in each battle. The history part is equally well written, without the massive clutter of personal opinions and moralising about the character of Napoleon which other books suffer from. It is a book that I heartily recommend to anybody with an interest in the Napoleonic Era, or even just those with a passion for battle maps. I would give it ten stars, if I could!

[Marc Haegeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously not the kind of book to read from A to Z, but even when only browsing and picking out some campaign or battle, it's hard to put down for anyone even vaguely interested in Napoleonic history. The maps are superb and the accompanying texts expertly written.
You will need extra space on your shelf but it's well worth the investment.

[Peter Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly superb. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the campaigns of Napoleon. Each page is a map with explanatory text. The scholarship is superb. If there is a criticism it would be that the authors are clearly under the great man's spell. But I can forgive them this. A rich source of research and a wonderful book.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a Napoleonic military history buff and a big map geek like me, you'll absolutely flip over this book. Putting a nice, like new copy of this classic reference on your bookshelf will cost you a nice chunk of change, but in my opinion, it's worth every penny.

[Iain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic introduction and reference into the campaigns of Napoleon. No work yet published has better maps and the accompanying prose are top notch as well.

[Pierre Sabourin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maps and strategy. A reference.