The title of the book immediately caused curiosity. Why "more great than Napoleon"? Comparing with Napoleon Bonaparte, the military genius who shook Europe, is not just a shocking way of speaking, but a elaborately constructed argument. According to the author, Scipio won not only with military strength, but also with a broad strategic vision, the ability to reform the army and the art of hitting the opponent's psychological weaknesses.
Scipio Africanus appears in the book not as a rigid statue of the past, but as a living person: young, bold, flexible and creative. He took over the Roman remnants after heavy defeats to Hannibal, sent troops to Spain to cut off Carthage's supplies, and then suddenly moved the battlefield to Africa, forcing Hannibal to leave Italy to save the country. The peak was the Battle of Zama in 202 BC - where Scipio won decisive victory, ending the biggest threat to Rome.
The highlight of the work is not only in the reproduction of battles, but in the way it analyzes the art of war. The author believes that Scipio understands the principle of "fighting against will rather than just force". He emphasizes speed, surprise and mobility - factors that Napoleon made into doctrine centuries later. Therefore, the argument "greater than Napoleon" becomes a persuasive statement.
The strategic analyses in the work published by Bach Viet in Vietnam are presented clearly, logically, combined with the political - social context of the ancient Mediterranean. Readers not only understand why Scipio won, but also see how an individual can change the destiny of an entire civilization.
B. H. Liddell Hart (1895 - 1970) was a British historian and military theorist who participated in World War I. He is famous for his doctrine of "indirect strategy", emphasizing attacking weaknesses instead of direct confrontation. His works have a profound influence on 20th-century military thinking, influencing many leaders and generals. With sharp writing, logical analysis and strategic vision, Liddell Hart is considered one of the most important military minds of modern times.
Scipio Africanus: Greater than Napoleon" is therefore not just a history book, but a journey to discover the nature of military genius, where the past illuminates the present, and a Roman general steps out of the book to dialogue with all eras.
