Napoleon & the French Army of Italy 1796
The French Army in Italy was a failing army but was revitalized in 1796 by the arrival of Napoleon and his dynamic leadership style that allowed his soldiers to realize their potential. The soldiers were unpaid and underfed; they were clothed in rags and often had no shoes. The artillery park was not maintained properly and the cavalry had unsuitable mounts, if any. The soldiers in the army were suffering from malnutrition and illness to such a degree that out of a paper strength of 42,000 only 30,000 soldiers were considered battle ready.[1] The hospitals were overflowing and non-battle deaths numbered in the hundreds per month. … More after the Jump…