- Author
- Dunstan, Timothy, SBLT, NEOC 39 RANC
- Subjects
- Biographies and personal histories
- Tags
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- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- December 2009 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Respect and Relationships
de Bougainville’s ability to form solid relationships with his superiors is no more evident than the relationship he formed with Napoleon. Napoleon granted him a pension, appointed him a senator, a count of the Empire, and a grand officer of the Legion of Honour.
I believe a man can best be described by the respect he has gained from his foes. While de Bougainville was involved heavily in the American Revolution fighting against the British and was one of Napoleon’s senators during a time of hostilities between the French and British, King George III said this of de Bougainville, ‘Cook was a great sailor, but de Bougainville was an inspired one’.
In summing up, de Bougainville deserves to be remembered in history if not for his admirable leadership style but simply for the number of world events he was involved in. For one man to play a significant role in the birth of the United States, the fall of French Canada, the exploration of the Pacific, the French revolution and the crowning of Napoleon shows what an extraordinary individual de Bougainville was.
de Bougainville’s influence on the Pacific region is particularly evident, with his legacy being an island in Papua New Guinea, the straight which separates Bougainville Island from the island of Choiseul and a strait between the island of Espiritu Santo and Mallicollo in Vanuatu. Along with these, is a genus of South American plant and 13 French naval ships which have adopted de Bougainville’s name. I believe de Bougainville had such an influence on historical events and acquired a legacy which lives on due to his ability to act with compassion and empathy to his subordinates.