One theory I've heard for this, and sorry I don't remember the source, is that Napoleon suspected if he truly did take down the Russian royalty then he expected the rest of European royalty to unite and attack attack him.
> Also what surprises me, after years of several revolutions and chaos in France, how could Napoleon gather such a large army.
Conscription + France was basically the China of Europe at that point: it was almost as populated as the rest of Europe combined.
France then had a very, very, early demographic transition which dramatically limited its population. Had France followed the demographic path of England or Germany, France would have around 250M inhabitants today.
he essentially invented the modern concept of conscription. there were press gangs and conscription-like things all through history but for the most part soldiers were professionals
codedokode|4 months ago
Also what surprises me, after years of several revolutions and chaos in France, how could Napoleon gather such a large army.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_First_Coalition
littlestymaar|4 months ago
Conscription + France was basically the China of Europe at that point: it was almost as populated as the rest of Europe combined.
France then had a very, very, early demographic transition which dramatically limited its population. Had France followed the demographic path of England or Germany, France would have around 250M inhabitants today.
itsnowandnever|4 months ago