Presents a compact overview of these pivotal wars, beginning with the French Revolution and the French Revolutionary wars of 1792-1803, which set the stage for the rise of Napoleon. The author then examines the Napoleonic Wars in two acts--the years in which the French dominated the European landscape and the years when an allied Europe fought back, leading to Napoleon's final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Rapport sheds light on the social, political, and institutional aspects of warfare in the Napoleonic era, and he provides a fascinating discussion of the ways and means with which these wars were fought, looking at the tactics, strategies, and weaponry of the time. Finally, he illuminates the significance of the wars, and their legacy, in both specific national contexts and from a wider global perspective.

Origins -- Course -- A revolutionary war -- Soldiers and civilians -- The war at sea -- The people's war -- Legacies.