Posted on 03/26/2012 9:25:18 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Plans are afoot to build a theme park based on the life and times of the French leader Napoleon Bonaparte. Can it be a tourist magnet to rival nearby Disneyland Paris?
You have heard of Napoleon the emperor, the general, the reformer, the lover. Of the humble Corsican who took destiny by the throat, whose armies marched through Europe, bringing subjugation yet also emancipation.
And how he was stopped at the gates of Moscow, fought a last hurrah at Waterloo, and died in Atlantic exile.
So maybe you will be interested in the latest attempt to memorialise this greatest of Frenchmen. Because coming some time soon at a location not far from Paris, it's Napoleon… the theme park.
Far from being the whim of a madcap entrepreneur, it is an entirely serious project with the backing of government, tourism officials and the Bonaparte family.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
They should build it in San Dimas. He spent a lot of time there.
The Hitler theme park will be next.
As one of Polish heritage, I consider Napoleon to be a liberator, as many in Poland do. There is even mention of Napoleon in the Polish National Anthem.
For obvious geopolitical reasons Poland and France have generally always been allied.
While it is true that Napoleon re-established a Polish state for a time, as with everything he did, it was out of cold, calculating self-interest.
There was an incident in Spain where he callously sent the Polish Lancers into a suicidal attack out of impatience.
Did have a stunningly gorgeous Polish mistress, though.
Or a big sign over the entrance that reads “La Garde recule.”
If i recall my history correctly it was Napoleon who inspired a movement that would eventually become the American Revolution. The idea that all men are created equal. He was a peasant who destroyed the concept of feudalism by rising to power and conquering the lords and kings of virtually every nation in the world.
Indeed, Mazurek Dabrowskiego (Dabrowski's Mazurka), the Polish national anthem, does mention Napoleon:
Dał nam przykład Bonaparte,
Jak zwyciężać mamy.
(Bonaparte has shown us ways to victory)
And if a terrorist then bombs its buildings,
(wait for it)
it will be Linoleum Blownapart...
Sorry..
Napoleon was born in 1769 and although he was certainly a genius I think even he would admit that it was a little bit beyond his powers to be influencing foreign political movements at the age of 7.
Eep! Thanks.
It is a great book that will give you a complete understanding of Napoleon's military genius.
Hmmm. They could feature kiosks selling yummy napoleons...
He had a Polish wife, the father of the ‘Eaget” Napoleon II.
He had a Polish wife, the father of the ‘Eaget” Napoleon II.
Wrong. US Revolution predated French revolution. Thomas Jefferson was US ambassador during part of the Revolution, and contributed to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man.
I looked this up, since it seemed odd that a devoutly Catholic nation would include such a line about a killer whose enormity led to the collapse of European Christianity, and the slaughter of millions.
Sure enough, it’s true, but Poland’s national anthem comes from a weird historical quirk, which you may have known:
Poland had been conquered, and divided amongst Russian, Prussian, and Austrian Empires. Rather than celebrating a state, the song celebrates the persistance of a nation, in spite of the loss of an independent state. With France at war with Poland’s looters, Polish forces in Italy, which had literally been trained by Napoleon himself, planned a liberating battle.
So, yes, the anthem means not (necessarily) that Napoleon is someone to be emulated in character, but literally that Napoleon taught them combat. Ironically, this song was written long *before* Napoleonic forces briefly reconstituted Poland (1807-1815).
So sad.
In reality, Napoleon was one of history’s greatest murderers, unleashing wild, nihilistic crowds to slaughtered by the millions and destroyed Christianity in Europe. Far from inspiring Washington, Napoleon’s antecedents brutally slaughtered those who had helped Washington.
As someone once said, the French revolution achieved two results: a pile of headless corpses, and a tyrant ruling France, the tryrant being Napoleon.
If it ever gets off the ground it will be interesting to see how they handle his final defeat by Wellington at Waterloo. If there was ever any real liberating going on, it was the British Army at that battle liberating europe, and not for the last time either.
I suppose he was a genius but not in a league with Hannibal or Alexander and his speaches are so full of megalomania I can’t finsh them without wanting to puke.
Will you have to be taller than him to be allowed on the rides?
The two are not even close to alike, and if you think so then you really should brush up on your history.
Prior to Napoleon’s rise to power was the French Revolution and the establishment of the French Republic, which frightened the other european countries as they were all established monarchies and the being afraid that they would be overthrown by their people just as the french overthrew their king made them form the first coalition of great britain, prussia, austria, spain, sardinia and naples. In short, France whooped their asses even while having a civil war and General Bonaparte made all of them surrender with the exception of the british who remained diplomatically against france. In 1798, napoleon was having some fun in egypt and the second coalition was formed with Austria, Great Britain, the Kingdom of Naples, the Ottoman Empire, Papal States, Portugal, Russia, Sweden against France. France suffered defeat until napoleon was able to return in 1799 where he took control of the government, formed the consulate,created military reserves, and in short stomped on the austrians, kicked the russians out of the war and forced the austrians to peace which in turn made the british sign for peace, which was the only time peace was achieved in europe for a long time. Britain then breached the treaty by occupying malta, and the french interfered in swiss politics and the treaty was broken and the 3rd 4th 5th coalitions etc formed with the desire over the course of the wars changing from a desire to stop napoleon to restoring the monarchy. So yeah when I classify good guys and bad guys in a conflict i would rank napoleon in the good guy column and give a big f u to king george.
Your recollection of history, then, is inaccurate. The American Revolution had occurred well before that Corsican hill-bandit written large assumed any power whatsoever in France. It probably occurred before Bonaparte even *spoke* French, as that 'gentleman' didn't speak a word of French until young adulthood...
the infowarrior
Well, in his favor, he DID turn cannons on nihilistic crowds and give them a “whiff of grapeshot.”
Something we should be doing to rioters both here and in Afghanistan.
I’m trying to imagine what sort of rides they would have at the Napoleon theme park? Maybe a water ride called “Waterloo?”
"Frankly, we both think that this is a bad idea..."
Unfortunately, Napoleon met his Waterloo--and that resulted in Bonaparte's Retreat.
While Hitler and Napoleon are not exactly alike, it is reasonable to compare the two. It's been done many times before, and Hitler was an admirer of Napoleon who respectfully visited his tomb.
There are many parallels not just between Napoleon and Hitler, but also the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and the Nazi rise to power.
Napoleon was of minor nobility, but he was NOT a peasant.
The world did not need Napoleon to rid itself of feudalism. What Napoleon added to the concept of anti-feudalism was merely the very type of savagery and barbarism that made feudalism look good in comparison. 6.5 million dead, millions more raped, tortured or mutilated. European Christianity in utter tatters. Totalitarian states the norm, not the exception. And the nihilism firmly entrenched which brought forth Hitler and Stalin.
If people really knew what Napoleon did, only the most deranged, atheistic perverts could celebrate him. Let’s not forget that he was even a military failure, too hellbent on destruction to even contemplate how to govern his empire.
As well as a hit song for ABBA.
Good one.
They need to build one for Charles Martel.
Bonaparte's Retreat, referenced in Jackson's opus, is a nineteenth-century fiddle tune that composer Aaron Copland incorporated into his 1942 composition "Hoedown." Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys had a hit version of Bonaparte's Retreat in 1950.
Thanks everyone for your help.
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