3. Sending an Army to Recapture a Deserted Island
When the British took the tiny, nearly deserted island of Lampedusa, Napoleon’s reaction was classic pettiness. Despite its minimal strategic importance, he ordered troops to reclaim it—just to prove a point. This over-the-top response showed his unwillingness to let any slight go unanswered, no matter how trivial. For Napoleon, every inch of lost territory, even a barren rock, was an affront to his pride that demanded retribution.
