ul in Paris. He was given command of an army in training to invade England, but believing that the French were unready for such an invasion, Napoleon instead asked the Director if he could take a large army to Egypt. He proposed that by attacking Egypt, it would threaten England hold on India, amajor source of British wealth. The Director gladly let him go. In May, 1798, Napoleon sailed to Egypt, and won the Battle of the Pyramids. On July 23 he entered the city of Cairo. But the British controlled the sea, and on August 1 Horatio Nelson, a English admiral, lead an attack that destroyed the French Navy in Aboukir Bay. Napoleon could no longer keep in touch with France. The British had successfully cut off supplies from Napoleon's men in Egypt. Napoleon then advanced in to Syria, but was stopped by the British defense of Acre. 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. 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. Barley thirty years old, he became First Consul of France. As First Consul, Napoleon directly controlled the entire executive authority of the government. Napoleon had overwhelming influence over the legislature. He appointed members of the bureaucrach, 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...
