WI: No Napoléon Bonaparte, how soon do things go differently for France

[SPJ]

Without Napoleon Bonaparte around during the French revolution how would things have gone differently for France? Could the blockade at Toulan have been broken by someone else? Could Tallyrand find another to capture Egypt?

 

[Derek Pullem]

Without Napoleon Bonaparte around during the French revolution how would things have gone differently for France? Could the blockade at Toulan have been broken by someone else? Could Tallyrand find another to capture Egypt?

Toulon wasn't really going to affect the outcome of revolution - it was untenable as an outpost of Roylaist sympathies and would eventually have fallen.

Egypt was an unmitigated disaster so not carrying it out is actually a plus point (an entire fleet and army lost - 13 ships and 30,000 men)

Having France led by a military dictator is not an unreasonable conclusion from the revolution so perhaps another General (Moreau? Jourdan?) could have tried to seize power more along the lines of Cromwell's Lord Protector than Napoleon's Emperor.

It would be unlikely that France would gain more than the Rhine and the Alps (which would be a huge achievement given that being Louis XIV's ambition for almost his entire reign!) and it is likely that a revolutionary war would rumble on but perhaps more as a "cold war" than a continent spanning conflict.

Ultimately the revolution may burn itself out or may stabilise along the lines of the American one. If it stabilises then maybe the special relationship will be between France and the USA rather than Britain.

 

[Gannt the chartist]

Or the General ( add Bernadotte to the mix) turns out to be a Monck and restores the monarchy.

13 Vendemaire suppresses a Royalist mob in Paris without someone in charge to blow away the idea of revolution the cycle continues and a restoration of some kind becomes more probable.

A revolutionary Victory in the coalition wars is unlikely. Without Napoleons Italian Campaign in 96 (or 02) the Austrians are going to push back to At least the Rhine and possibly into southern France.

These are Napoleon's victories. A.N. Other competent general will not match the genius.

Britain will not accept French Occupation of the low countries and Austria has no reason to either unless compelled to.