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Primary sourceSpeech15 May 1796

Second speech to his troops in Italy

Napoleon · 15 May 1796

Napoleon's rallying speech to the Army of Italy during his 1796 campaign, praising his soldiers' victories.

Napoleon's own words rallying his troops at the start of his first major military campaign.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is a speech given by Napoleon Bonaparte to his soldiers on 15 May 1796, during his first campaign in Italy. The text is preserved and published among his collected works, listed on Wikisource among his speeches.

Why it matters

This speech shows Napoleon's skill as a military leader who used stirring words to inspire loyalty and pride in his troops. It reflects the early stage of his rise to power, built on battlefield success in Italy, and shows how he connected soldiers' victories to the glory of France itself.

Look closer

  • What words does Napoleon use to make his soldiers feel proud?
  • Why might a general want to publicly praise his troops like this?
  • What does the speech leave out about the human cost of these victories?

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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