The Moral Vision
Keeping Calm in the Face of Adversity
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KEEPING CALM IN THE FACE OF
ADVERSITY
When Napoleon Buonaparte (1769-1821) escaped
from the Island of Elba after his first term of
imprisonment, he was accompanied only by a small
group of loyal soldiers. Once dethroned, he now
again aspired to the throne of France. But in the
very first encounter, he found himself face to face
with 20,000 French soldiers.
Napoleon, although considered one of the most
courageous leaders the world has known, avoided a
direct confrontation with his opponents. He did not
make the mistake of foolishly ignoring his own
military weakness. At the crucial moment, when he
and his little band of men stood face to face with
this enormous army, he stepped forward,
completely unarmed and stood calmly before his
enemies. Then with great composure he unbuttoned
his coat and bared his chest. In a voice now charged
with emotion he addressed the great throng of
soldiers—many of whom had served under him in
the past: “Which one of you is willing to fire at the
naked chest of his father?” The battlefield rang with
