Hitler and Napoleon- two different leaders?

How similar was Hitler and Napoleon?


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In tactical terms, Hitler was more creative and innovative than Napoleon. Napoleon inherited the methods of warfare of Revolutionary France, but introduced no new ideas. Hitler on the other hand absorbed, promoted and put into effect the radical new ideas underlying Blitzkrieg warfare, largely against Conservative opinion. He masterminded the coup that captured Eban Emael, and endorsed daring and radical strategies, such as the Manstein Plan, the attack on Norway, and the parachute landing on Crete. Hitler also had more personal charisma. Everybody who entered into his presence fell under his spell. The rebellion which toppled Napoleon in 1814 was inconceivable in Germany. The Germans stayed loyal to Hitler to the point of his death and the utter collapse of his nation. Hitler's motivation was ideological and philosophical, however dark his ideas seem to us now. Napoleon was motivated solely by personal power, as evidenced by his remark that he had an income of a million soldiers lives a year. Hitler lived a much more ascetic and simple life than Napoleon, who was an epicure and a womaniser

He did no such thing. Blitzkrieg tactics were developed by younger Heer generals not by Hitler. He basically backed daring strategies made by others because it appealed to him as being new and fresh instead of old and stale. I doubt very much he understood them well. There was a reason why he only made corporal.

Napoleon on the other hand fought on the field of battle and directed them. Napoleon very much knew warfare and tactics. If they were developed before him he put them to better use than anyone else did. Napoleon earned the rank of general it wasn't just handed to him.
 
several folk mentioned Nap listened to his military advisers. I'm not so sure he's all that different from Hitler. Some of the big blunders (such as Russia) were against the advice of his underlings, and I've read of some victories where the underlings went against Nap's instructions. (especially in the later years, Nap started getting sloppy)

Hitler and Nap both share this: it was their daring and reach which enabled temporary magnificent expansion, and while Nap is undoubtedly far superior military mind, both of them bear full responsibility for the military and political blunders that sunk their nations.

and while Hitler was certainly a homicidal maniac, he had plenty of company. It wasn't Hitler's holocaust. It was germany's holocaust. too many people want to pin it all on Hitler as though he was the sole driver. He was the head cheerleader, but he had a whole cheerleader squad and an entire country wholeheartedly cheering with him.
 
unprincipled peter said:
several folk mentioned Nap listened to his military advisers. I'm not so sure he's all that different from Hitler. Some of the big blunders (such as Russia) were against the advice of his underlings, and I've read of some victories where the underlings went against Nap's instructions. (especially in the later years, Nap started getting sloppy)
The major victories of Napoleon were generally the result of his own genius though. At Austerlitz, he was the only one in charge and the battle went just as he had planned it.

There is also Napoleon's French Campaign, the last he did before 1814, where he used several of his best strategies if I remember what I read right. That wouldn't be surprising if that were true though considering Napoleon was working with an army mainly made of Marie-Louises, young and inexperience French soldiers.
unprincipled peter said:
and while Hitler was certainly a homicidal maniac, he had plenty of company. It wasn't Hitler's holocaust. It was germany's holocaust. too many people want to pin it all on Hitler as though he was the sole driver. He was the head cheerleader, but he had a whole cheerleader squad and an entire country wholeheartedly cheering with him.
Can't argue against that. But the leader is generally also the man who carries the most responsabilities in what happened. Thus Hitler is still the main responsible for the Holocaust.
 
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