DBWI: Napoleon Rejected for La Perouse Voyage

Anaxagoras

Banned
IOTL, Napoleon Bonaparte has gone down in history as one of the world's greatest admirals, who swept the seas of British power during the early 19th Century, before moving on to his political career. What is not widely known is that he was nearly rejected from being included on the famous La Perouse exploratory expedition, which marked his entry into the French Navy and the beginning of his illustrious career.

What if Napoleon actually HAD been turned down? How might the course of history be different?
 
I don't know. He was a very accomplished artillerist, his reform of the French naval artillery was instrumental in the French victories at sea during the early 19th century. But I think his system of recruiting, citizen-sailors, with free volunteers aboard every ship and the reformed provisions system was what really allowed the French navy to fight all over the world and with high morale. It is evident that the free French sailors would have better morale than their press-ganged unfortunate British counterparts.

And the system with squadrons with dedicated supply ships and razeed old 4th rates as combined frigates and supply ships? Brilliant.

Now, if we suppose he did nto go to sea, where would he end up? The military is a good take, the guy was smart, but only through the military could he rise to get involved in politics - and frankly, although brilliant, he was a megalomaniac with plans of grandeur. I am guessing a military command of a corps in Murat's Republican Army, perhaps independent operations under one of the People's Marshals. Artillery and procurement is useful on land too, as would his feints be. He would have a nice career, some good plunder and retire from the army as a hero. Perhaps the war would be a negotiated peace though, without him at sea I don't think the French navy could take the channel.

Then he gets into politics, I think that part is almost unavoidable due to his personality. Can he still become President of the Parliament with a less superb career? Perhaps, but I don't think he'd mesmerise the opposition and absolutely not sit beyond two terms (10 years) instead of the four terms he did sit as.
 
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