Napoleon's Cursed War Cl

In this definitive account of the Peninsular War (1808'14), Napoleon's six-yearwar against Spain, Ronald Fraser examines what led to the emperor'sdevastating defeat against the popular opposition '” the guerrillas '”and their British and Portuguese allies. As well as relating thehistories of the great political and military figures of the war,Fraser brings to life the anonymous masses '” the artisans, peasants andwomen who fought, suffered and died '” and restores their role in thisbarbaric war to its rightful place while overturning the view that thiswas a straightforward military campaign. This vivid, meticulouslyresearched book offers a distinct and profound vision of 'œNapoleon'sVietnam'� and shows the reality of the disasters of war: the suffering,discontents and social upheaval that accompanied the fighting.

Ronald Fraser is the leading oral historian of twentieth-century Spain. He is the author of several books, including In Hiding, In Search of a Past, Blood of Spain and Napoleon’s Cursed War.