Soldiers Of Napoleon's Kingdom Of Italy: Army, State And Society, 1800-1815 (History and Warfare)

For Napoleon to create an Italian army, it was necessary to foster Italian nationalism, encouraging Italians to perceive themselves as citizens of a greater Italy and not as subjects of the former city-states, such as Milan or Venice. Conscription brought more than 200,000 Italians, roughly 3 percent of the entire population, into the kingdom's army. The army was representative of every sector of north Italian society, and the military administration became a significant part of the state. In the kingdom of Italy, Napoleon created a national army in the modern sense of the term. Frederick C. Schneid explores the relationship between the army, the state, and Italian nationalism and also examines the social composition of the army's officers and soldiers as well as its performance on campaign. The book concludes with an assessment of the legacy of the Napoleonic era in Italy. Contents A Note on Ranks Acknowledgments 1 The Kingdom of Italy in Perspective 2 The Italian Military Establishment 3 The Officers 4 N.C.O.s and Volunteers 5 A National Army 6 Butchers, Bakers and Candlestick Makers 7 Desertion and Deserters 8 In the Field 9 The Kingdom, the Army and the Risorgimento Select Bibliography Index Under the direction of Napoleon, the army of the Kingdom of Italy became a national army in the modern sense. This book explores the relationship between the State, the army and Italian nationalism, examines the social composition of the army, and assesses the legacy of the Napoleonic era in Italy.