I dragged my teenage daughter through the museum and tomb about 15 years ago 😅 I don't think she appreciated it then, but it certainly helped fuel her interest in historical places today. The museum was huge and we spent a lot more time there than originally planned. Interesting to see your take on it 👍 Thanks for bringing back some memories. I'll have to dig out my pictures.
I did the same thing to my daughter at Little Bighorn, and then again at Gettysburg, which was a very long day for her. After about 10 hrs of really admirable patience for a teenager she finally blurted "do you have to read EVERY word on EVERY plaque?"
Hahahaha! My mom did the same thing to us when we were kids. Every year we would take a three week rode trip in our pop up camper. We traveled all over the US and Canada. Stopping at every historical location along the way. We would whine every time she wanted to stop and see something. It wasn’t until I got older did I really learned to appreciate it. Now I get to drag my kids to many historical sites while they whine. Lol! Funny how karma works!😂
I went through the same thing with my 22yr old daughter on a trip through Italy, to see all the most famous sites. Zero interest. And as far as I can tell, 20+ yrs later, still no interest. Pretty much a American thing!
I’ve been to this museum. If you’re a history buff, you cannot afford to miss it. So much history, it’ll take you a good half day without rushing. Even then…
Id travel all the way over there just to see that museum, but there are so many great things to see around the region. I wish i could make it over there some day before i get too screwed up in my health.
@@d.aardent9382Same here, missed that, because I dragged my uninterested American brother along, he had absolutely no interest in anything. So it was a big operation to get him to get on a tour bus to see some Normandy sights. What's those big craters in the ground, did some meteors, moon rocks land here? Why all those big, thick walled, poured cement buildings? I'm bored, when we going back to America?
You know, the French had a saying during the First World War: "It takes 10,000 dead to train a general!" You'd think the French would want to forget Napoleon considering how many died serving under him, and maybe some do, but the fact is he's entombed the way he is with such splendor because he made them believe in themselves, he made them win, and he made them proud. There's a lot to be said for that.
just a bunch of guys fearing a lunatic and obey orders military army politics religions big bullshit created in the world just for try to survive day by day in life f world and history
At the beginning of the film, some of the shots if the huge Tricolor of France flying majestically over all - such a simple, yet truly beautiful and magnificent flag. As a Canadian, I respect and honour my country's French heritage. Vivre la France!
The scale models in the attic of cities, their surrounding terrain, and fortifications is worth the price of admission alone. Amazingly detailed scale models from hundreds of years ago.
And all scratch-built, no commercial components available back in those days, not like we have today. I've seen videos of those models and the craftsmanship is astonishing.
Ohhhh thats the building they have the strategic 3D scale models of cities. I watched a little video by one of the other war history channel guys about the large city models and that blew my mind how they built them and to what degree of detail they were done, i mean especially way back in that timeperiod, because werent they made prior to WW1? Amazing.
my Grandmother took me there in 1975. She was very nice and wanted me to see and experience history from a more profound perspective. You are not only showing but educating many people young and older. Thank You
When I was a kid I was fascinated by military uniforms, especially the French, who always seemed to have the most impressive. Going to this museum (The Musée de l’Armée) I was able to see the actual uniforms that I’d only seen in books before.
Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the world's greatest men. No mater what you may think of his worldview and/or politics there is no denying that! Great video, much appreciated.
We have a love/hate relationship with Napoleon in France. No one questions the fact he was a great man though, but we French enjoy very much bashing ourselves, so he's often targeted for all the mistakes or faults he made rather than the "good" stuff. Which I think.. is actually pretty healthy. We are therefore very familiar with the "dark side" of Bonaparte and we probably end up with a more balanced, nuanced and accurate picture of him, compared to those who simply idolise (the Chinese for example) or detest him (Ridley Scott for example lol) abroad.
Yes, a trip to the Hôtel des Invalides is worth a trip to Paris in itself. They have so much to see that it is not shown at other military museums. Another great museum worth a train ride about two hours north is the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels, Belgium. Great video as always J. D.! Keep up the great work!
It has to be said that the Brussels museum is under renovation works right now, i went to visit it this summer and half of the halls were unfortunately closed. But the plane hangar is well worth a visit. Another museum in Paris is the marine museum that just reopened after five years of being closed. Magnificent museum
Capturing the image of the chest plate with the massive cannon ball hole in it should be a reminder to everyone that war itself is horrific… and no one leaves it, emotionally, physically or via the ultimate sacrifice without damage… 💜
The only positive thing I can think of about those shattered pieces of armor is the poor guy wearing them never knew what hit him, it was over with quick.
NBCe sont les Anglais qui ont financé les guerres contre Napoléon. Car ils voulaient continuer à faire main basse sur les richesses du monde. Napoléon les gênait...Ils ont financé les guerres contre Napoléon Lisez Napoléon et la Paix d'Arthur LEVY
The beauty of the architecture , clothing and weaponry is truly elegant and fascinating. I think modern humanity has taken steps back in what is considered luxury
A bit of trivia about Napoleon's tomb. Napoleon's son (Who would have been Napoleon II had things turned out differently) is entombed near his father. The son was raised in Austria (His mother was Austrian) and went into the Austrian army as a young man. However he took sick and died in his early 20's. Originally buried in Austria his remains were later removed in the 20th Century and entombed near his father. Know who gave the order to have that done? Adolf Hitler.
@@Strength-in-Union Napoleon's logistical failure in 1812 I can understand, but not Hitler's in 1941. The Germans HAD fought the Russians in World War One (beat them too) and so should have been well aware of the severity of Russian winters. Didn't they read their own after-action reports from WW1? The total unpreparedness is just astounding. Yes, they expected the campaign to be over by the time winter set in but the country would still have to be garrisoned by occupation forces who'd need winter clothing, lubricants, rations, shelter from the elements, and all the other ancillary items you need to survive winters. I'm not a religious man, but I can't help but think that German logistical failure had the hand of God behind it. Before Operation Barbarossa it seemed the Germans could do nothing wrong, starting with Barbarossa they seemed to do nothing right. God had had enough.
Was there once as a child of 12, and oh boy that museum at that time was totally mind-blowing. Thanks J.D for helping me remember a better time in life. All thanks to my parents at that time in life on a school trip to France. Loved it then and you reawakened all those good memories. Thank you once again and anyone ever going to Paris. Give yourself a good few days to absorb the museums in full. Often wondered, how the men fitted into some of the armoury within the displays? That was me as a kid thinking it has anyone else thought it? They had to be incredibly thin but strong, and that’s without swinging a sword in battle for maybe hours at a time. Did they ask for timeouts to refresh?😂
@@paulmcdonough1093 Let's try a bit of education here. FYI, a text extracted from a British newspaper, not a French one: From Daily Telegraph - UK (2010). Which country is the most successful military power in European history? France. According to the historian Niall Ferguson, of the 125 major European wars fought since 1495, the French have participated in 50 - more than Austria (47) and England (43). Out of 168 battles fought since 387BC, they have won 109, lost 49 and drawn 10. The British tend to be rather selective about the battles they remember. Every English schoolboy was once able to recite the roll call of our glorious wins at Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415), but no one’s ever heard of the French victories at Patay (1429) and (especially) at Castillon (1453), where French cannons tore the English apart, winning the Hundred Years War and confirming France as the most powerful military nation in Europe. And what about the Duke of Enghien thrashing the Spanish at Rocroi late on in the Thirty Years War in 1643, ending a century of Spanish dominance? Or the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, when General Comte de Rochambeau and American forces prevailed? The British always prided themselves on superiority at sea, but knew they could never win a land war on the Continent. France’s achievements help to explain another French “military victory”. Whether it is ranks (general, captain, corporal, lieutenant); equipment (lance, mine, bayonet, epaulette, trench); organisation (volunteer, regiment, soldier, barracks) or strategy (army, camouflage, combat, esprit de corps, reconnaissance), the language of warfare is French.
I’m so glad your other plans fell through!! This building and museum and interior is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen!!! I think I could spend days looking at every single detail. Weapons were so beautiful back then. Lol. Not like the cold ones made now. Crazy cool!! Thank you for taking us along.
If you ever go back there, make sure to visit the WWII section. It is incredible. They have *all* the weapons used by each army beautifully displayed, and even a V2 rocket!
@@boxsterman77No but they have your brains, that you certainly forgot there, and your balls, which your parents omitted to give to you when you were born.
@@boxsterman77 Yes they have it, the flag of the most powerful kingdom in Europe, building a reputation of invincibility in the 17th century and waived by its ennemies to surrender.
@@boxsterman77Votre commentaire montre votre ignorance. La France a gagné contre l'Allemagne à la première guerre mondiale (WW1). La France a plus de 1500 ans d'histoire. La France est la nation qui a le plus de victoires militaires de toute L'HISTOIRE DE L'HUMANITÉ. Etudiez l'Histoire !!!
Wow, "The Tomb of Napoleon & A Huge Military Museum" sounds like a fascinating episode for history enthusiasts! The story of Napoleon Bonaparte is such an intriguing part of European history, filled with dramatic battles, political intrigue, and significant cultural impacts. Exploring his tomb must offer a unique glimpse into the past. And a huge military museum? That's like a treasure trove for anyone interested in military history! The artifacts and exhibits in such a museum provide an incredible way to connect with the past and understand the complexities of historical conflicts. It's amazing how history can be brought to life through these kinds of experiences. 🌟🏛📚
If you have ANY interest in the Napoleonic Era, this museum is a MUST SEE. I will never forget staring down on Napoleon's tomb, or the expansive displays of Grande Armée uniforms and artifacts. I spent a whole day in this museum and could have easily done a day or two more.
Woah ! That is for me your coolest video, as I am french. I visited The Invalides almost 2 decades ago, but did not remember that Napoleon's resting place was there. Very very cool !!
Hi ! I'm.French too! You said you came to the Invalides 2 decades ago! And you say that you don't remember that the final resting place of Napoleon was there? You are Joking!!!
@denislacombe4103 I visit paris 10 years ago. Pre Google Maps, we asked many locals where Napoleon was buried, No one could tell us. We were delighted when we finally found it, We were amazed at the visit. O b t w there was hardly anyone there.
This was SOOOOO AWESOME to see Napoleon's final resting place, and how elaborate it is. Its beautiful. Everything you showed us here is stunning. I hope one day to visit this place too. I could spend all day in there. Thanks for yet another AWESOME video!!!
JD your leading the life I would have loved to live and I'm very happy for you. Thank you so much for sharing it with so many. Keep up your great work.
In person the Marchal Foch tomb is really very moving. The casket being carried by the Poulons is very touching. You could spend days in the museum but be sure to also see the Resistance museum and the taxi used to carry French troops to the front in the early days of wwi. Also the eternal flame at the Arc de Triumphe est magnifique!
Thanks for the wonderful video. In Autumn 2010, I visited Paris, walked to the Invalides from the Norte Dame. The museum displays many historical military items, such as the uniforms Napoleon had worn and the guns he had used during the Napoleonic war. From the museum, it's a short walk to Napoleon's tomb. I heard the coffin on display is an empty coffin. Napoleon's remains are buried 6 feet under. I have read many books about Napoleon. It's amazing standing in front of his tomb and thinking about the historical events during his life.
The Army Museum of the Invalides is a wonderful place, almost impossible to visit in one day. One of my favorite pieces is the armor of the king François the first (Francis for you... 😉). It is absolutely stunning and impressive since the man was very tall, almost 2 meters! As for Napoléon's tomb, above the door which opens to the crypt, there is sentence written by Napoléon in his last will : "I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine River, among the French people whom I loved so much". Next to Napoléon, there is his son's tomb. His body was given back by Hitler in December 1940. The Parisians joked: the Germans take our coal and they give back the ashes! The King of Rome's heart is still in Austria, in the Herzgruft crypt in Vienna with rests of his Habsburg family. You can spot the jar containing his heart because of its French tricolor ribbon.
Absolutely mesmerizing. I cannot thank you enough for this presentation. So much we Americans don't know about history. I really do wish it was taught with your videos as a jumping off place. To see and hear about the actual people and events is truly inspiring. I am understanding that as we grow older we really need a refresher course in the history of humans. What we did and what we suffered. It just makes me more grounded and appreciative of what my ancestors went through. I'm sure most of my teachers did the best they could do, but as teens and preteens, we are more interested in what the lunch cafeteria is serving for lunch and what Tommy Smith did during recess. I don't believe children at that age have the wherewithal to understand and truly appreciate history and our place in it. Your series are my most favorite in all of the things I watch on the internet. I anxiously await each and every episode. p.s. - it doesn't really matter that you can't speak French.
Great stuff and it is a must visit if you are in Paris. Next time you are in London, visit the Wallace Collection museum. It has one of the largest private armouries in the world. Stunning to see.
I’ve been to Napoleons tomb at the hotel de invalids. It was amazing how small the cover of the lead lined casket within. I stood on the second floor and looked down upon the tomb.
Really cool, glad you got to stop by here! I do not know if you noticed (as they do not have it marked) but if you look out the window from the corridor in between the Dôme Church and the courtyard, you can see Napoleon's original tombstone from St. Helena. I lived in Paris earlier this year and got to spend a great deal of time here, unfortunately the WWI-WWII display was closed the entire time. You will certainly want to return for that plus the Musée de l'Ordre de La Libération there is rather interesting. Additionally, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs (which is on the top floor of the section with the Napoleonic Wars display) is awesome! It features some intricate 17th-18th century dimensional maps of fortified towns around France (many of the fortifications designed by Vauban.) Great episode!
You should check out St. Augustine, Florida. The Castillo de' San Marcos is stunning. It ihas lots of original cannon from the same time periods. 1500's-1600's. Lots of ornate decorations.
You can't do the Musee De L'Armee in a day. I visited it 3 days running and still never saw it all. A fantastic experience. A must for military History buffs.
I had an opportunity to see the museum during the 80's when I was stationed in europe and a group of friends and I went to Paris on leave. Unfortunately, we spent all our time in the Parisian bars chasing french girls. Not a bad way to spend your leave but looking back now I wish I had taken the time to see some of the history like we had planned to do. Oh well, maybe next lifetime. Thanks JD.
Really grateful that you got to go there and that you could share even a fraction of it. You were absolutely giddy. There is an art museum here in Berlin that affects me that way - I refer to it as Disneyland for medievalists (it houses 12th thru 17th Century Northern European art - and is one of our many amazing museums). This video made me think of that. Please do some research on the Napoleonic wars - so you can go back to Europe and visit the many sites and museums. Thanks for all your work!!
Thank you for sharing, I hope to go there in person some day!! I can't help but to think of the military orders and letters to Josephine that were written on that table. I'm starting my own dive into Napoleon and French Napoleonic history.
Thoroughly enjoyed this! I love your channel and continue to be amazed at the information you have to keep educating us on the past. Did you ever catch the thieves that stole from you? I hope so. Keep on traveling into the past!❤
One of the most interesting tours yet. Poor guy that got hit with the cannon ball. The guns were great. As well the leaders of France. Loved the tour JD I assume you’re feeling a lot better. 💯👍👊🙏🏻
Glad you got to see this magnificent place. Thanks for pointing out the interesting markings on the cannons. I enjoyed your video. That Waterloo breastplate was awesome.
Super cool. I did a grand tour of Europe years ago when I was in college and worked for a hotel company--no staying in crappy hostels for me, thank you--and although I was on the continent for a month and a half, due to scheduling, budgets, and the availability of free or nearly free rooms in hotels owned by the company I worked for, I was only able to stay in Paris for one night. Just a long layover, really. And although I've been back to Europe a couple times since, I've never been able to include a stop in Paris on the itinerary. A proper exploration of that city is one of my top priorities just as soon as the kids are old enough to be left alonw for a few weeks, and aren't draining all my money. So I'll probably get the wheelchair tour of Paris in about 50 years.
Great Job as always JD, the Music, the editing, the story line, the HISTORY is Awesome! Thank you for all you do! Maybe there was a reason plans fall through???
Napoleon, from my reading, was quite good at tactics on the battlefield, he used his artillery with maneuverability, surprising most and made good use of Calvary for quick strikes and follow up with infantry, so multi-pronged, his big weakness and eventually led to his demise was his supply lines, which were abysmal.
Napoleon's tactics were more than "quite good". He revolutionized warfare as we know it, and is the biggest catalyst in switching between static frontlines of the Rennaissance wars to the wars of movement that would come later. He is easily in the top 3 greatest military minds in the history of the world. To think that he lived only 200 years ago and we can visit his resting place is incredible
This is so cool. I definitely need to go check this out. It’s wild how fancy the British and French are compared to the US. Washington’s tomb at Mt. Vernon is so modest, I mean, it pales in comparison. Washington was originally buried only in lead, and later reinterred in a marble sarcophagus.
Modest was what General Washington wanted. He even wanted to be buried without any fanfare but of course he was too important a man for that to happen.
Amazing tour of this Beautiful structure and the most unexpected detail given in which Napolean lies inside his multiple coffins I find this incredibly interesting that such a detailed record is kept. I wonder JD if you would ever consider travelling to the UK to investigate the Tomb of Nelson ,perhaps there is a detailed account of his burial
Wanted to reach out today and you thank you. I was a history major in school. I am fully disabled so it’s hard for me to get around. I truly enjoy your content I just wanted to say thank you God bless.
Great video, you forgot to film one of my favorite citation from Napoleon just at the top of the stairs that lead to his tomb (at 16:55): "I want my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine, in the middle of these French people that I loved so much". So powerful
Thank you for doing this video and showing us Les Invalides! Awesome. Let us not forget, Napoléon needed financing for his war efforts and hence the great deal for Thomas Jefferson and the United States to do the Louisiana Purchase, doubling our country.
Napoleon fought 60 major battles and won all but 7 of them. He controlled most of Europe by the time he was 34. But the changes he made to the lives of ordinary French civilians were even more profound than his military accomplishments and some endure to this day. The metric system, the abolition of slavery, the abolition of religious discrimination, equality before the law, the napoleonic civil code and on and on. Really worth reading about.
Thank you for the video and the brief tour of the museum. My wife's eyes went wide seeing the cannonball hole in the breast plate. I work in healthcare and feel for people who suffer. As horrible as this may seem, I hope the poor fellow went quick.
Been here myself and if in Paris it is a must see. In fact, they use to allow military members, from all countires, into the museum at zero cost if you have an ID.
Thanks for an interesting video! I've visited Paris twice, and while I've planned to visit Les Invalides each time, it did not happen. Maybe next time. Napoleon was 5'2" tall, but this was measured in the French standard inch of the time, which was larger than the Imperial inch. So he was about 5'7" in that measure.
I dragged my teenage daughter through the museum and tomb about 15 years ago 😅 I don't think she appreciated it then, but it certainly helped fuel her interest in historical places today. The museum was huge and we spent a lot more time there than originally planned. Interesting to see your take on it 👍 Thanks for bringing back some memories. I'll have to dig out my pictures.
I did the same thing to my daughter at Little Bighorn, and then again at Gettysburg, which was a very long day for her. After about 10 hrs of really admirable patience for a teenager she finally blurted "do you have to read EVERY word on EVERY plaque?"
Hahahaha! My mom did the same thing to us when we were kids. Every year we would take a three week rode trip in our pop up camper. We traveled all over the US and Canada. Stopping at every historical location along the way. We would whine every time she wanted to stop and see something. It wasn’t until I got older did I really learned to appreciate it. Now I get to drag my kids to many historical sites while they whine. Lol! Funny how karma works!😂
@@hatuletohmy entire family does this to me all the time. Now that I just retired, I am going to revisit many of those places alone. Lol
Nonce
I went through the same thing with my 22yr old daughter on a trip through Italy, to see all the most famous sites. Zero interest. And as far as I can tell, 20+ yrs later, still no interest. Pretty much a American thing!
I’ve been to this museum. If you’re a history buff, you cannot afford to miss it. So much history, it’ll take you a good half day without rushing. Even then…
Id travel all the way over there just to see that museum, but there are so many great things to see around the region.
I wish i could make it over there some day before i get too screwed up in my health.
@@d.aardent9382Same here, missed that, because I dragged my uninterested American brother along, he had absolutely no interest in anything. So it was a big operation to get him to get on a tour bus to see some Normandy sights. What's those big craters in the ground, did some meteors, moon rocks land here? Why all those big, thick walled, poured cement buildings? I'm bored, when we going back to America?
The one thing that I have learned from studying history is, it takes a lot of dead heroes to make one man a legend. Thanks for the tour.
You know, the French had a saying during the First World War:
"It takes 10,000 dead to train a general!"
You'd think the French would want to forget Napoleon considering how many died serving under him, and maybe some do, but the fact is he's entombed the way he is with such splendor because he made them believe in themselves, he made them win, and he made them proud. There's a lot to be said for that.
just a bunch of guys fearing a lunatic and obey orders military army politics religions big bullshit created in the world just for try to survive day by day in life f world and history
Yes any time I see a memorial to one of these generals I can only think about how many people had to die to make them that famous and revered.
100%
A
At the beginning of the film, some of the shots if the huge Tricolor of France flying majestically over all - such a simple, yet truly beautiful and magnificent flag.
As a Canadian, I respect and honour my country's French heritage. Vivre la France!
Merci mon frère. Vive le Canada !
The scale models in the attic of cities, their surrounding terrain, and fortifications is worth the price of admission alone. Amazingly detailed scale models from hundreds of years ago.
And all scratch-built, no commercial components available back in those days, not like we have today.
I've seen videos of those models and the craftsmanship is astonishing.
Very true!
Ohhhh thats the building they have the strategic 3D scale models of cities. I watched a little video by one of the other war history channel guys about the large city models and that blew my mind how they built them and to what degree of detail they were done, i mean especially way back in that timeperiod, because werent they made prior to WW1?
Amazing.
my Grandmother took me there in 1975. She was very nice and wanted me to see and experience history from a more profound perspective. You are not only showing but educating many people young and older. Thank You
Went about 20 years ago, spent all day there. This museum is the best military museum I have ever been in and I've been to a lot. Absolute must see
Tons of stuff there.
@@TheHistoryUnderground glad you went, thank you for the video!
Better than the Imperial War in London?
@@williamcurtin5692 very much so in my opinion
@@williamcurtin5692 I've been to both several times while I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford in the USAF. Both are Do Not Miss Military Museums!
When I was a kid I was fascinated by military uniforms, especially the French, who always seemed to have the most impressive. Going to this museum (The Musée de l’Armée) I was able to see the actual uniforms that I’d only seen in books before.
Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the world's greatest men. No mater what you may think of his worldview and/or politics there is no denying that! Great video, much appreciated.
He was very great for sure .
We have a love/hate relationship with Napoleon in France. No one questions the fact he was a great man though, but we French enjoy very much bashing ourselves, so he's often targeted for all the mistakes or faults he made rather than the "good" stuff. Which I think.. is actually pretty healthy. We are therefore very familiar with the "dark side" of Bonaparte and we probably end up with a more balanced, nuanced and accurate picture of him, compared to those who simply idolise (the Chinese for example) or detest him (Ridley Scott for example lol) abroad.
Yes, a trip to the Hôtel des Invalides is worth a trip to Paris in itself. They have so much to see that it is not shown at other military museums. Another great museum worth a train ride about two hours north is the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels, Belgium. Great video as always J. D.! Keep up the great work!
It has to be said that the Brussels museum is under renovation works right now, i went to visit it this summer and half of the halls were unfortunately closed. But the plane hangar is well worth a visit. Another museum in Paris is the marine museum that just reopened after five years of being closed. Magnificent museum
@@thibaudduhamel2581 Thank you for that information about the Brussels museum.
Capturing the image of the chest plate with the massive cannon ball hole in it should be a reminder to everyone that war itself is horrific… and no one leaves it, emotionally, physically or via the ultimate sacrifice without damage… 💜
The only positive thing I can think of about those shattered pieces of armor is the poor guy wearing them never knew what hit him, it was over with quick.
NBCe sont les Anglais qui ont financé les guerres contre Napoléon. Car ils voulaient continuer à faire main basse sur les richesses du monde. Napoléon les gênait...Ils ont financé les guerres contre Napoléon
Lisez Napoléon et la Paix d'Arthur LEVY
The beauty of the architecture , clothing and weaponry is truly elegant and fascinating. I think modern humanity has taken steps back in what is considered luxury
Classical things are beautiful. Unfortunately we have forgotten that now
I love Arlington, but Europe really knows how to send off their heroes in style. Great info and video, JD, the World traveler. 😊
👍🏻
Abe Lincoln has pretty similar tomb as this one.
A bit of trivia about Napoleon's tomb.
Napoleon's son (Who would have been Napoleon II had things turned out differently) is entombed near his father. The son was raised in Austria (His mother was Austrian) and went into the Austrian army as a young man. However he took sick and died in his early 20's. Originally buried in Austria his remains were later removed in the 20th Century and entombed near his father. Know who gave the order to have that done?
Adolf Hitler.
His admirer because of his conquest of Europe
...and both encountered 'challenges' with the Russian weather.
@@Strength-in-Union Napoleon's logistical failure in 1812 I can understand, but not Hitler's in 1941. The Germans HAD fought the Russians in World War One (beat them too) and so should have been well aware of the severity of Russian winters. Didn't they read their own after-action reports from WW1? The total unpreparedness is just astounding. Yes, they expected the campaign to be over by the time winter set in but the country would still have to be garrisoned by occupation forces who'd need winter clothing, lubricants, rations, shelter from the elements, and all the other ancillary items you need to survive winters.
I'm not a religious man, but I can't help but think that German logistical failure had the hand of God behind it. Before Operation Barbarossa it seemed the Germans could do nothing wrong, starting with Barbarossa they seemed to do nothing right. God had had enough.
Wtf. Wow. Thanks for sharing this. Very interesting 👍
@@WendiintoancientHistory You're welcome!
I visited the hotel des invalides 60 years ago. This brought back many good memories. Thank you J D excellent show as always.
Was there once as a child of 12, and oh boy that museum at that time was totally mind-blowing.
Thanks J.D for helping me remember a better time in life. All thanks to my parents at that time in life on a school trip to France. Loved it then and you reawakened all those good memories.
Thank you once again and anyone ever going to Paris. Give yourself a good few days to absorb the museums in full.
Often wondered, how the men fitted into some of the armoury within the displays? That was me as a kid thinking it has anyone else thought it?
They had to be incredibly thin but strong, and that’s without swinging a sword in battle for maybe hours at a time. Did they ask for timeouts to refresh?😂
This is an incredibly cool museum. The captured artillery in the courtyard shows off French military victorys. I can't wait to return.
show frances miltary defeats museum would be 50 times bigger ha
@@paulmcdonough1093you are wrong, France is the country with the greatest number of military victories throughout the ages.
I'm quite sure the French would prefer to not highlight that.@@paulmcdonough1093
@@paulmcdonough1093 Ignorant comment... France is very old, try to read more a part some memes...
@@paulmcdonough1093 Let's try a bit of education here. FYI, a text extracted from a British newspaper, not a French one: From Daily Telegraph - UK (2010).
Which country is the most successful military power in European history? France. According to the historian Niall Ferguson, of the 125 major European wars fought since 1495, the French have participated in 50 - more than Austria (47) and England (43). Out of 168 battles fought since 387BC, they have won 109, lost 49 and drawn 10. The British tend to be rather selective about the battles they remember. Every English schoolboy was once able to recite the roll call of our glorious wins at Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415), but no one’s ever heard of the French victories at Patay (1429) and (especially) at Castillon (1453), where French cannons tore the English apart, winning the Hundred Years War and confirming France as the most powerful military nation in Europe. And what about the Duke of Enghien thrashing the Spanish at Rocroi late on in the Thirty Years War in 1643, ending a century of Spanish dominance? Or the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, when General Comte de Rochambeau and American forces prevailed? The British always prided themselves on superiority at sea, but knew they could never win a land war on the Continent. France’s achievements help to explain another French “military victory”. Whether it is ranks (general, captain, corporal, lieutenant); equipment (lance, mine, bayonet, epaulette, trench); organisation (volunteer, regiment, soldier, barracks) or strategy (army, camouflage, combat, esprit de corps, reconnaissance), the language of warfare is French.
I was there with my wife in 2018. I got chills looking at Napoleon's tomb. Amazing history.
I’m so glad your other plans fell through!! This building and museum and interior is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen!!! I think I could spend days looking at every single detail. Weapons were so beautiful back then. Lol. Not like the cold ones made now. Crazy cool!! Thank you for taking us along.
Me, too. Next trip to Paris, I'm spending a day or 2 here again
If you ever go back there, make sure to visit the WWII section. It is incredible. They have *all* the weapons used by each army beautifully displayed, and even a V2 rocket!
Do they have the white flags there as well?
@@boxsterman77No but they have your brains, that you certainly forgot there, and your balls, which your parents omitted to give to you when you were born.
@@boxsterman77 Yes they have it, the flag of the most powerful kingdom in Europe, building a reputation of invincibility in the 17th century and waived by its ennemies to surrender.
@@boxsterman77Votre commentaire montre votre ignorance. La France a gagné contre l'Allemagne à la première guerre mondiale (WW1). La France a plus de 1500 ans d'histoire. La France est la nation qui a le plus de victoires militaires de toute L'HISTOIRE DE L'HUMANITÉ. Etudiez l'Histoire !!!
@@boxsterman77 Pauvre imbécile ignorant, t'es pas le couteau le plus affûté du tiroir pour être aussi con à ce point 🐓 🇨🇵
Been here and was in draw-dropping awe the whole time. A fantastic episode!
Wow, "The Tomb of Napoleon & A Huge Military Museum" sounds like a fascinating episode for history enthusiasts! The story of Napoleon Bonaparte is such an intriguing part of European history, filled with dramatic battles, political intrigue, and significant cultural impacts. Exploring his tomb must offer a unique glimpse into the past. And a huge military museum? That's like a treasure trove for anyone interested in military history! The artifacts and exhibits in such a museum provide an incredible way to connect with the past and understand the complexities of historical conflicts. It's amazing how history can be brought to life through these kinds of experiences. 🌟🏛📚
Merci 👍 🥐 🥖 ☕️ 🗼 🐓 🇨🇵
If you have ANY interest in the Napoleonic Era, this museum is a MUST SEE.
I will never forget staring down on Napoleon's tomb, or the expansive displays of Grande Armée uniforms and artifacts. I spent a whole day in this museum and could have easily done a day or two more.
Those cannons are works of art. The craftsmanship that went into them is amazing. Beautiful museum. 👍😁Another cool museum trip. Thank you.👍
Fantastic weapons on display, the museum looks absolutely incredible thank you for showing this JD
Woah ! That is for me your coolest video, as I am french. I visited The Invalides almost 2 decades ago, but did not remember that Napoleon's resting place was there. Very very cool !!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi ! I'm.French too! You said you came to the Invalides 2 decades ago! And you say that you don't remember that the final resting place of Napoleon was there? You are Joking!!!
@@denislacombe4103 Hi ! Not at all. I was only 15 at the time. History was not something that would keep my interest back then ☺️
@denislacombe4103 I visit paris 10 years ago. Pre Google Maps, we asked many locals where Napoleon was buried, No one could tell us. We were delighted when we finally found it, We were amazed at the visit. O b t w there was hardly anyone there.
@@TheHistoryUndergroundcan you go to thomas jefferson's monticello and james madison's montipelier
I love all the facts you give about everything. Its like having a personal museum tour guide
This was SOOOOO AWESOME to see Napoleon's final resting place, and how elaborate it is. Its beautiful. Everything you showed us here is stunning. I hope one day to visit this place too. I could spend all day in there. Thanks for yet another AWESOME video!!!
JD please do a deep dive in this place and bring us more, more, more! I think I would have to spend a week there if I ever went.
This is why i love History. To have the chance to see this kind of things is amazing...THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR SHARING IT!! It was awesome!
JD your leading the life I would have loved to live and I'm very happy for you. Thank you so much for sharing it with so many. Keep up your great work.
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Finished a book about Napoleon the other week, and now on a book about the Napoleonic wars. This video came at a good time.
In person the Marchal Foch tomb is really very moving. The casket being carried by the Poulons is very touching. You could spend days in the museum but be sure to also see the Resistance museum and the taxi used to carry French troops to the front in the early days of wwi. Also the eternal flame at the Arc de Triumphe est magnifique!
"Poulons"?
🤔
@@frontenac5083 I'm sure he meant poilus but wasn't sure how to spell it. Hey, it just took me five tries to get it right. And even now I'm not sure!
@wayneantoniazzi2706 I'm french and it's Poilus
@@JosephBara1793 Merci!
@@frontenac5083 "Poilus" it was the nicknama of the WW1 soldiers 😀
That s my favorite museum in Paris! I first visited it as a toddler with my mother. Great video!
Thanks for the wonderful video. In Autumn 2010, I visited Paris, walked to the Invalides from the Norte Dame. The museum displays many historical military items, such as the uniforms Napoleon had worn and the guns he had used during the Napoleonic war. From the museum, it's a short walk to Napoleon's tomb. I heard the coffin on display is an empty coffin. Napoleon's remains are buried 6 feet under. I have read many books about Napoleon. It's amazing standing in front of his tomb and thinking about the historical events during his life.
The one place I didn't have a chance to visit during my trip to Paris. Certainly wish I had. Thanks JD for bringing us along!
Visited in 2001 and was just overwhelmed by the shear volume of artifacts. Very impressive!
I'm glad you didn't skip this one and those other plans fell through. Thank You!
My dad took us there to see his tomb when I was a kid. Dad was really big on military history like myself.
After just watching Napoleon on Tuesday this was a nice treat JD.
The Army Museum of the Invalides is a wonderful place, almost impossible to visit in one day.
One of my favorite pieces is the armor of the king François the first (Francis for you... 😉). It is absolutely stunning and impressive since the man was very tall, almost 2 meters!
As for Napoléon's tomb, above the door which opens to the crypt, there is sentence written by Napoléon in his last will : "I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine River, among the French people whom I loved so much".
Next to Napoléon, there is his son's tomb. His body was given back by Hitler in December 1940. The Parisians joked: the Germans take our coal and they give back the ashes!
The King of Rome's heart is still in Austria, in the Herzgruft crypt in Vienna with rests of his Habsburg family. You can spot the jar containing his heart because of its French tricolor ribbon.
That was awesome! Glad your plans changed. We need more on this place. Thank you!
I am so glad that your earlier plans fell through...this is historic gold!!!
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Truly amazing museum and a gem to visit in France.
Absolutely mesmerizing. I cannot thank you enough for this presentation. So much we Americans don't know about history. I really do wish it was taught with your videos as a jumping off place. To see and hear about the actual people and events is truly inspiring. I am understanding that as we grow older we really need a refresher course in the history of humans. What we did and what we suffered. It just makes me more grounded and appreciative of what my ancestors went through. I'm sure most of my teachers did the best they could do, but as teens and preteens, we are more interested in what the lunch cafeteria is serving for lunch and what Tommy Smith did during recess. I don't believe children at that age have the wherewithal to understand and truly appreciate history and our place in it. Your series are my most favorite in all of the things I watch on the internet. I anxiously await each and every episode. p.s. - it doesn't really matter that you can't speak French.
Excellent video JD, you make us all world travelers with your visits. The rifles in the museum definitely caught my eye but that place looks amazing!
Great stuff and it is a must visit if you are in Paris. Next time you are in London, visit the Wallace Collection museum. It has one of the largest private armouries in the world. Stunning to see.
Very Kool. I was there in 1969. The lilies are called "Fleur De Lis" and are the symbol of the Kings of France.
Such an underrated channel! Continue to do great work! Thank you!
Wow! Such an amazing place with incredible artifacts. The tombs there are so beautiful
I’ve been to Napoleons tomb at the hotel de invalids. It was amazing how small the cover of the lead lined casket within. I stood on the second floor and looked down upon the tomb.
The military museum is great , I love that they have a enigma on Display
Really cool, glad you got to stop by here! I do not know if you noticed (as they do not have it marked) but if you look out the window from the corridor in between the Dôme Church and the courtyard, you can see Napoleon's original tombstone from St. Helena.
I lived in Paris earlier this year and got to spend a great deal of time here, unfortunately the WWI-WWII display was closed the entire time. You will certainly want to return for that plus the Musée de l'Ordre de La Libération there is rather interesting. Additionally, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs (which is on the top floor of the section with the Napoleonic Wars display) is awesome! It features some intricate 17th-18th century dimensional maps of fortified towns around France (many of the fortifications designed by Vauban.) Great episode!
When i was much younger I was awestruck at York Minster. This is the second awestruck from a building moment I've had.
Great video. Hope you had a chance to walk through the entire museum. Very informative. Thanks
Was just in France last month and did not make it there so thank You for this! Amazing!
You should check out St. Augustine, Florida. The Castillo de' San Marcos is stunning. It ihas lots of original cannon from the same time periods. 1500's-1600's. Lots of ornate decorations.
I was there as a kid in the mid-1960s. Do they still fire one of the cannons as a demonstration? They did when we were there and it was oh-so-cool!
Dude, that was awesome! Thanks for the tour ! Incredible!! Thank you ! 🙏
You can't do the Musee De L'Armee in a day. I visited it 3 days running and still never saw it all. A fantastic experience. A must for military History buffs.
I had an opportunity to see the museum during the 80's when I was stationed in europe and a group of friends and I went to Paris on leave. Unfortunately, we spent all our time in the Parisian bars chasing french girls. Not a bad way to spend your leave but looking back now I wish I had taken the time to see some of the history like we had planned to do. Oh well, maybe next lifetime. Thanks JD.
🙂
Really grateful that you got to go there and that you could share even a fraction of it. You were absolutely giddy. There is an art museum here in Berlin that affects me that way - I refer to it as Disneyland for medievalists (it houses 12th thru 17th Century Northern European art - and is one of our many amazing museums). This video made me think of that. Please do some research on the Napoleonic wars - so you can go back to Europe and visit the many sites and museums. Thanks for all your work!!
Thank you for sharing, I hope to go there in person some day!! I can't help but to think of the military orders and letters to Josephine that were written on that table. I'm starting my own dive into Napoleon and French Napoleonic history.
I remember seeing this on my trip to Paris. What a beautiful tomb. Thanks for the tour.
Thoroughly enjoyed this! I love your channel and continue to be amazed at the information you have to keep educating us on the past. Did you ever catch the thieves that stole from you? I hope so. Keep on traveling into the past!❤
The designs on those cannons were so stinking cool and nuts to see! Awesome episode man!
One of the most interesting tours yet. Poor guy that got hit with the cannon ball. The guns were great. As well the leaders of France. Loved the tour JD I assume you’re feeling a lot better.
💯👍👊🙏🏻
What an amazing place, if I'm ever in Paris I'll definitely pop by.
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Glad you got to see this magnificent place. Thanks for pointing out the interesting markings on the cannons. I enjoyed your video. That Waterloo breastplate was awesome.
Super cool. I did a grand tour of Europe years ago when I was in college and worked for a hotel company--no staying in crappy hostels for me, thank you--and although I was on the continent for a month and a half, due to scheduling, budgets, and the availability of free or nearly free rooms in hotels owned by the company I worked for, I was only able to stay in Paris for one night. Just a long layover, really. And although I've been back to Europe a couple times since, I've never been able to include a stop in Paris on the itinerary. A proper exploration of that city is one of my top priorities just as soon as the kids are old enough to be left alonw for a few weeks, and aren't draining all my money. So I'll probably get the wheelchair tour of Paris in about 50 years.
Great Job as always JD, the Music, the editing, the story line, the HISTORY is Awesome! Thank you for all you do! Maybe there was a reason plans fall through???
William the Conquers tomb in Normandy is impressive. As a Brit. I was taken there by my school.
Perfect timing. It blows my mind that this building went up in three years.
Napoleon, from my reading, was quite good at tactics on the battlefield, he used his artillery with maneuverability, surprising most and made good use of Calvary for quick strikes and follow up with infantry, so multi-pronged, his big weakness and eventually led to his demise was his supply lines, which were abysmal.
Napoleon was famous for foraging instead of instead of maintaining supply lines.
Napoleon's tactics were more than "quite good". He revolutionized warfare as we know it, and is the biggest catalyst in switching between static frontlines of the Rennaissance wars to the wars of movement that would come later. He is easily in the top 3 greatest military minds in the history of the world. To think that he lived only 200 years ago and we can visit his resting place is incredible
This is so cool. I definitely need to go check this out. It’s wild how fancy the British and French are compared to the US. Washington’s tomb at Mt. Vernon is so modest, I mean, it pales in comparison. Washington was originally buried only in lead, and later reinterred in a marble sarcophagus.
Modest was what General Washington wanted. He even wanted to be buried without any fanfare but of course he was too important a man for that to happen.
All war heroes are that only because of the 1000s of dead soldiers. The real heroes.
Amazing tour of this Beautiful structure and the most unexpected detail given in which Napolean lies inside his multiple coffins I find this incredibly interesting that such a detailed record is kept. I wonder JD if you would ever consider travelling to the UK to investigate the Tomb of Nelson ,perhaps there is a detailed account of his burial
So glad to be able to see this museum I knew nothing of. So very interesting because I know I’ll never get there to see it in person.❤
Wanted to reach out today and you thank you. I was a history major in school. I am fully disabled so it’s hard for me to get around. I truly enjoy your content I just wanted to say thank you God bless.
Great video, you forgot to film one of my favorite citation from Napoleon just at the top of the stairs that lead to his tomb (at 16:55): "I want my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine, in the middle of these French people that I loved so much". So powerful
Very fascinating sir, now I have something to add to the list of places to visit when my wife and I travel to Paris. Thank you so much for sharing.
After watching the movie I started to get more curious about Napoleon. This video was awesome!
Thanks!
One of the most beautiful videos I have ever seen. Thank you!
We French love ❤️ Napoleon Bonaparte.
He brought us pride and confidence. Ah yes, Waterloo. A pity.
WOW thank you for that tour. I only read about Napolean in books. but seeing his tomb and artifacts the man was real.
What a treat! Thanks for sharing and your hard work!
That was very interesting. Thank you for taking us along
Thank you for doing this video and showing us Les Invalides! Awesome. Let us not forget, Napoléon needed financing for his war efforts and hence the great deal for Thomas Jefferson and the United States to do the Louisiana Purchase, doubling our country.
I visited this museum when I was about 15 and I remember seeing a small tube with a folding motorcycle with a parachute attached very cool museum
Napoleon fought 60 major battles and won all but 7 of them. He controlled most of Europe by the time he was 34. But the changes he made to the lives of ordinary French civilians were even more profound than his military accomplishments and some endure to this day. The metric system, the abolition of slavery, the abolition of religious discrimination, equality before the law, the napoleonic civil code and on and on. Really worth reading about.
The Napoleon statue in the courtyard is cool.
It was thrown in the Seinne river and was restored to the courtyard.
*Seine
Wow that is an absolutely wonderful place I would love to visit it one day. I bet I could spend 2 or 3 days there. Thank you JD
Great job putting this together... thank you
Thank you for the video and the brief tour of the museum. My wife's eyes went wide seeing the cannonball hole in the breast plate. I work in healthcare and feel for people who suffer. As horrible as this may seem, I hope the poor fellow went quick.
Excellent episode. I learned so much. Thank you
I’ve been here. Very impressive .I also visited Grants Tomb in New York, which was modelled on this tomb.
Wanted to check that out last year but didn’t have the time, totally awesome. Thanks JD.
Awesome! Very nice change of pace. "Mispronounced it correctly". Love it!!! Could be a new hook for you, JD.
Fascinating! Thanks for the video! Great work!
Been here myself and if in Paris it is a must see. In fact, they use to allow military members, from all countires, into the museum at zero cost if you have an ID.
Fantastic episode, keep them coming and thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks for an interesting video! I've visited Paris twice, and while I've planned to visit Les Invalides each time, it did not happen.
Maybe next time.
Napoleon was 5'2" tall, but this was measured in the French standard inch of the time, which was larger than the Imperial inch. So he was about 5'7" in that measure.