Napoleon's First Campaign: The Defeat of Piedmont 1796

In March 1796, a young Napoleon Bonaparte assumes command of the ill-equipped and demoralized Army of Italy. Despite the army's poor condition, he decides to launch a daring offensive against the confident and well supplied armies of Austria and Piedmont. With this, Napoleon's first campaign begins.

Among the sources we have used are the following:

The Road to Rivoli Napoleon’s First Campaign, by Martin Boycott-Brown;

A Military History and Atlas of The Napoleonic Wars, by Vincent J Esposito & John Robert Elting;

The Campaigns of Napoleon, by David Chandler;

Attack in the West, by W.G.F. Jackson;

Napoleon in Italy, 1796-1797, by Elijah Adlow;

The Armies of the First French Republic and the Rise of the Marshals of Napoleon Volume IV, by Ramsay Weston Phipps;

Napoleon’s 1796 Italian Campaign, by Carl Von Clausewitz.

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This image is used throughout the video to illustrate the location of Austrian units in various battle and campaign maps, and has been altered to look like a waving flag.

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This image is used to represent an aqueduct in Piedmont starting at 18:25 in the video, and it has been grayscale. In addition we have increased its brightness and applied a filter.

[PMF_Productions]

Thank you all for your kind comments. We never thought the documentary would get this much support and interest. This video was initially intended to be a one-time passion project. However, your support has inspired us to continue the series on Napoleon's First Campaign. We have been working on Part 2, which will continue the campaign through the Battle of Lodi, and are confident that it will be completed by the end of the year.

[FieldMarshalYT]

Epic History TV: Doesn't cover the early Italian campaigns of Napoleon

This guy:

[testemunhosdahistoria]

It's visible the influence of epic history TV, and that's a good thing. Nice documentary.

[catoshinakamoto]

I see that Epic History TV has had a profound impact on youtube’s history genere.

[knightofhistory]

A nice little fact from Napoleon's days in Italy. Once he was crowned emperor of France he wanted to be crowned king of Italy in the Duomo of Milan but the facade wasn't finished yet, because of financial issues. So he told the architect to finish the project and said when he is crowned he'll pay for everything. So the architect had the labourers finish the facade and the architect added a little statue of Napoleon to say thank you for financing the project. He was eventually crown king of Italy with the crown of Lombardi but never paid a single cent that he had promised.

I really love this channel, so much so that it inspired me to create my own history channel! Thank you!

[abikusumo]

It's marvellous, I always want to know the visible version of the napoleon campaign in Italy, and you deliver it real good

[Brennan]

I watched this two years ago now, glad to see your channel get involved with EHTV, watched all your episodes of 1796 and recently was aw'd at your work on Eylau, absolutely brilliant stuff and cant wait to see more

[PPM]

This was truly something to behold. Please if you have the time consider doing the rest of the campaign

[sethheristal]

An outstanding video! The detail and different style, compared with more famous Napoleon's recounts, allows us to see the average height general making mistakes, being almost doomed, and suddenly being blessed with luck; but also his being prepared to exploit it. 10/10 want the rest

[jeetjewatspannend]

once in a while you find a hidden gem in the youtubes. today was that day. well done great video! may i sugest since you have been inspired by epichistorytv to cover the battles that they brushed over? perhaps the battle of dresden of the battle at hannau. keep the video's comming one more sub and a like for you

[IraklisGk]

What an episode! I was desperately looking for French Revolutionary Wars series, and this is absolutely what i hoped for! I would be so happy if you continued with the Rhine, Flanders, and Italy campaigns. You have just earned yourselves a subscriber!

[julien]

Here from epic history TV. You've produced good stuff here. Keep it up!

[Zogerpogger]

Ahh darn, one day I was hoping to make such a series, it appears someone more educated and qualified has beaten me to it!
Whatever, I'm going to sit back and enjoy this excellent production. I hope this channel keeps growing!

[jgmaster]

This just poped up in my recommendations and it was 26 minutes well spend. Very well made vid my good sir, I hope you will make more.

[tuppyglossop]

Thank you! I've been listending to the 'Age of Napoleon' podcast and its nice to see things laid out visually

[MattGraves]

I love Epic History TV and everything they have made but I prefer this more detailed format.

[LordImagawaYoshimoto]

That was great dude! Really continue you did an excellent job!

[dragooll]

Didn't know how much detail was invested into the italian campaign.

I knew about napoleon exploiting the weak gap, but i tough it was just two big armies in a medieval-style campaign. Loved the video, liked and suscribed

[Tapsihapsi]

You need to share this to more people. This is really well done. You would get much more views.

[theironknight]

Your work is greatly appreciated, I can barely contain my amusement, and interest.