Napoleon's Similarities And Differences Of Napoleon I And Hitler

BenWhile many historians highly regard Napoleon, Hitler is met with nothing but contempt. On the surface, these men seem to have taken highly different approaches to their rule; however, they had more in common than one would think. Notable similarities include having been born outside of the countries they late ruled, having begun their rule during a republic that they turned into a dictatorship, and having started their fall from power with a failed attempt at invading Russia; while their views on anti-Semitism differ, they are mostly similar. Napoleon Bonaparte, future ruler of France, was born on the Italian island of Corsica shortly after its acquisition by the French. Renouncing his ties to the Corsican rebels, Napoleon’s father, Carlo, accepted a …show more content…
After his father’s death, Hitler moved to Vienna in hopes of attending the Vienna Academy of Art; however, his rejection from both the Academy of Art and the School of Architecture left him lost and unsure. He then turned to the German army, volunteering as a dispatch runner during the First World War. Now that both men have set foot in their prospective countries, they have to take power. Both Napoleon I and Hitler worked their way up governmental ranks in the republic before titling themselves dictators. Napoleon’s climb to power began during the French Revolution, winning not only the battles, but the hearts of his countrymen. During this time, France was ruled by the Directory (a five person governing body). After procuring peace with Austria, the Directory gave the green light for an attack on England. Napoleon believed, however, that France was not yet ready to take on such a strong nation and opted instead to attack British/Indian trade routes in Egypt. While they gained some footing early on, the invasion was a failure, and Napoleon returned to France, leaving behind his troops. Soon following his loss,