Napoleon- Hero or Tyrant?

Yes, leaving his men was bad, but he had no choice. He had the decision to stay with his men and wait for France to be defeated and all of them die out, but he choice to save France from the Austrians. Napoleon staying in Egypt wouldn't have helped them to live any longer, so why would he when he was needed to save France from Austria.

What by leaving at night, on a boat in secret? That is not being a coward that is being smart. If he had announced he was going back to France the Royal Navy would have swooped in and sunk the future Emperor. Napoleon proved many times he was not a coward. He led a charge across a bridge in the Battle of Arcola. Various times he mained artillery batteries with his troops, getting just as dirty as his soilders. He stood next to them as they discharged there guns into the enemy. Everytime it was physically possible Napoleon was braved his foes and never ran if he could help it, or if he could see staying would result in a military disaster.

He was ORDERED to leave North Africa.

So in a way it's like MacArthur in the Philippines.

Exactly. He would be doing more harm than good staying there. And it's not like he could ship his entire army back. There was a thing called the British navy just waiting to get a shot at him.

Does claiming victory make you a coward.

That still does not make you a coward.

How can a definition of a coward change? A coward is someone who runs from battle, who backs away when challenge. A coward is somebody who talks a lot of shit but when it comes down to actually doing something, he goes and hides in a corner. Napoleon was anything but a coward.

If he was a coward, he would have gave up when he was put in charge of the laughing stock of an army in Italy. If he was a coward he would have gave up when the whole of Europe declared war on him. If he was a coward he would have gave up after his army was virtually destroyed in Russia. If he was a coward he would have given up when he was sent into exile the first time. Napoleon could be in no way a coward.

Ok then.

Hero and Tyrant <3 Why would the two be unable to unite?

Much of the rights we have are still drawn from the 'Code Napoleon'. We also owe much of our educational system to him. There was no way Napoleon could have spread this through a Europe controlled by the aristocracy just by saying 'hey guys, implement this!'

By his acts, directly as well as indirectly, he put Europe ahead of the bunch. Napoleon is the greatest man in all of history.

Just look at how so many would still fight for him, even after they'd been to Russia and back, even after his defeat at Leipzig. Only a great man can instill such loyalty.

I LOLed at people saying he was a coward... I hope you're just trolling. No cowardly general could ever instill the confidence required to win the battles Napoleon did in his men. A coward would wet himself on the eve of battle, not stand before his men and give an inspirational speech, then proceed to kick ass.

Oh, and he didn't lose the battle of Waterloo. Ney did.

EDIT:

Btw, I forgot to say, Tyrant, yes, but... benevolent. In fact, many of the German states were given so much autonomy that that was what turned against him in the end, since they were able to rise up again because of the lack of oppression. It was mostly the aristocracy that hated him for the changes he brought. The people loved him. Men from every nationality he had conquered fought in his army. Why is it, you think, that they banished him, rather than lop off his head? Exactly, the people still loved him and the aristocracy was unable to make a martyr out of him. In the years after Napoleons reign, they tried to re-institute the 'Ancien Regime', luckily this led to another revolution... His ideas persist, so in the end, Napoleon wins.

PS I'm a history student.

What people forget is the meaning of the word 'tyrant'. In ancient Greece, it simply meant dictator (more or less) and had no negative connotations. So basically Enjoythestruggle is right.

Well to be honest Napoleon was a many things but not a coward. When you say tyrant I will assume (which you shoulden't) That you mean he was cruel if you'll remember he was voted as Emperor in 1805 by the very people of France. And never once did the people in France revolt against Napoleon. All in all he was a bit of a mixed bag he should have stayed out of Spain. And when he invaded Russia he did it to protect Poland. The wars against Austria, Prussia and Great Britian were to defend France because France was allready at war with these countries.

Tyrant. Execution aren't qualities of a good leader.

At the very least he was an enlightened despot.

Lol. Enlightened Despot is a very nice phrase.

What the fuck. Wasnt Otto Von Bismarck banned a long time ago for being a Napoleon account?

Care to explain.

Yes but he came back for day. This should explain.
http://www.josefvstalin.com/threads/bonjour.6270/