Happy Holidays!

Napoleon Recognition Programs

"Another of Napoleon's innovations was to award to the hundred bravest men in his army damascened swords inscribed: Given on behalf of the executive Directory of the French Republic, by General Buonaparte to Citizen....

He also took special care to commemorate the fallen brave, ordering part of the Milan Catherdral Building Fund to be used for the construction of eight pyramids, to be inscribed with the names of fallen heroes, grouped according to demi-brigate."

Vincent Cronin

Can you imagine the lengths men would have gone to earn one of those swords? I wonder where all those swords are today. I must check the next time I go to Museum of the Armies of France.

The Trees of Paris - Thank Napoleon

I often take picture of the cracks and patterns in the tree trunks I see in Paris.

I am certain that the car pollution is causing this.

But Paris is lucky to have so many trees in a major modern city.
We can thank Napoleon for that.

Within France between 1804 and 1813 Napoleon spent 277 million on roads, and to ensure that they were protected from the sun, in 1811 he initiated a law declaring that all roads "not planted with trees and capable of being, shall be palnted." More than any other royal decree or royal palace this simple law was to change the look of France. - Vincent Cronin