n "European" style battlefield where his masterful military mind could think. The battle he lost at ,was simply, a fort, which still stands today. Though he went to Paris he later and said he had won the battle, he even had coins produced showing his victory. With no way of getting supplies from France, Napoleon's men started dying from disease and heat. With his dreams of the Asiatic Empire ended, he retreated to Egypt. On his way back to Egypt he came across the first French papers, he had seen in ten months. He learned that Italy had been lost to the Austrians, and the Directory was unpopular. Seeing no future and certain defeat,Napoleon did not hesitate to abandon his army and return to Pairs. He left his army in the hands of General Jean Kleber, which he did not have the nerve to even tell him himself that he was leaving in person. Napoleon sailed home along with three other ships, and on October 16, 1799, he arrived in Paris. Napoleon then participated in the coup d'etat that ultimately led to his virtual dictatorship of France. Barely thirty years old, he became First Consul of France. As the First Consul, Napoleon directly controlled the entire executive authority of the government. Napoleon had overwhelming influence over the legislature. He appointed members of the bureaucracy, controlled the army, and conducted foreign affairs. In May 1800, Napoleon invaded Italy. He crossed the path known as "Great Saint Bernard", and occupied Milan. The Austrians had guarded every Pass in to Italy but this one. It was said to be impossible far an arm to cross this pass, but Napoleon proved the Austrians arrogant, and wrong. On June 14, the Austrians attacked him in the plains of Marengo where he only had a portion of his army. At four in the afternoon, the French had seemed to be beaten, but Napoleon remained calm. His reinforcements came, and he led a final charge to win the Battle of Marengo. Napoleon had them reorganized almost everythin...
