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Primary sourceSpeech27 March 1796

Proclamation to the Army of Italy

Napoleon Bonaparte · 27 March 1796

Napoleon Bonaparte's address to his soldiers on 27 March 1796, before leading them into the Italian campaign.

This is Napoleon's own proclamation to his troops, showing his leadership and rhetoric as a young general.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is a proclamation delivered by General Bonaparte to his troops on 27 March 1796, preserved in French on Wikisource among his speeches and proclamations.

Why it matters

In this speech, Napoleon tells his poorly supplied soldiers that greater rewards await them in the rich lands of Italy. It is an early example of the persuasive, motivating language he used as a military leader, and shows the hardships soldiers faced under his command.

Look closer

  • What words does Napoleon use to inspire his soldiers despite their poor conditions?
  • What does this proclamation suggest about his leadership style?
  • What does the speech not mention about the costs of the coming campaign?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Napoleon Bonaparte on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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