American Napoleon

Thande

Donor
I'm pretty certain this has been done before, as it seems a fairly obvious idea, but offhand I can't think of any timelines dealing with it.

OTL, Carlo Buonaparte was a lawyer and a minor leader in the Corsican Republic that wrested control of the island from Genoa in the 1750s, led by Pasquale Paoli. When the French moved in and conquered Corsica, Buonaparte decided to switch sides. His son Napoleone joined the French Army, and the rest is history.

In my Look to the West timeline, I have Carlo Buonaparte a bit more emotionally invested in the Republic, and he flees to Britain along with several other republican leaders - thus leading to Napoleon joining the Royal Navy.

However, what if instead he went to the American colonies (as they still were back then) and was an influence on the American Revolution, given his republican background? (The example of the Corsican Republic was an influence on the Americans even in OTL). But, of course, the part we're most interested in is what Napoleon would do. He was born in 1769, so if Buonaparte is already in America by then (and we do not use a chaos theory approach, so it's still ~Napoleon) he will be a natural-born American citizen, presumably able to run for president.

Ignoring the butterflies in Europe, I could see Napoleon as being like an earlier Andrew Jackson, only without brakes. The only question is, just what war would he distinguish himself in?
 
In my opinion, I think Andrew Jackson is the closest thing the Americans had to a Napoleon Bonaparte. Yet for the POD, I could imagine Bonaparte being prominent in the war of 1812, who knows? Maybe his presence would be enough so that Canada is flying the stars and stripes? But without Napoleon what happens to France? Would they still be capable of the huge gains they made under Napoleons lead?

I'll really need to think about this.
 

Thande

Donor
In my opinion, I think Andrew Jackson is the closest thing the Americans had to a Napoleon Bonaparte. Yet for the POD, I could imagine Bonaparte being prominent in the war of 1812, who knows? Maybe his presence would be enough so that Canada is flying the stars and stripes? But without Napoleon what happens to France? Would they still be capable of the huge gains they made under Napoleons lead?

I'll really need to think about this.

Napoleon was in his forties by the War of 1812 though. I have a feeling he'll be ambitious enough to seize an opportunity earlier. I wonder if by butterflies we could have a shooting Quasi War (thus land war in Louisiana, perhaps) to give him something to become a household name in.
 
1) You could also have the rebellions during the late 1780s and early 1790s become a bit more contentious by having Napoleon lead one. Or put them down.

2) If the reason for his flight to America is republicanism, perhaps he becomes a politician first.

3) In the scenario outlined with an expanded Quasi War, Napoleon conquers not only Louisiana but also Mexico and other Spanish holdings. I can't remember if France and Spain were allied during that conflict (in fact, I think they weren't), but with a few butterflies it's not unprobable. The question is whether he is loyal to the USA or becomes something like Aaron Burr. This might in either case align nicely with contemporary fears that the USA would become a truly united alliance of all the New World against the Old. This fear lasted until at least the 1820s, when Canning "summoned the New World into existence to counter-balance the old" because (in small part) he wanted to preclude the Americans from doing likewise.


~~~~~~~~

P.S. Thande, I love "Look to the West". It's the reason I'm a forum member.
 

Thande

Donor
1) You could also have the rebellions during the late 1780s and early 1790s become a bit more contentious by having Napoleon lead one. Or put them down.

2) If the reason for his flight to America is republicanism, perhaps he becomes a politician first.

3) In the scenario outlined with an expanded Quasi War, Napoleon conquers not only Louisiana but also Mexico and other Spanish holdings. I can't remember if France and Spain were allied during that conflict (in fact, I think they weren't), but with a few butterflies it's not unprobable. The question is whether he is loyal to the USA or becomes something like Aaron Burr. This might in either case align nicely with contemporary fears that the USA would become a truly united alliance of all the New World against the Old. This fear lasted until at least the 1820s, when Canning "summoned the New World into existence to counter-balance the old" because (in small part) he wanted to preclude the Americans from doing likewise.
Perhaps in an expanded Quasi War scenario, the USA aligns with Britain and then attacks Louisiana and Mexico when Spain switches sides (I think Blochead had a TL like that). That would give Napoleon something to distinguish himself in. Afterwards, you might have a British political scene naively thinking that because the Americans are allies now, they always will be... (heck, it was a bit like that in OTL even after the War of 1812...)


~~~~~~~~
P.S. Thande, I love "Look to the West". It's the reason I'm a forum member.
Thanks!
 
Top