"The Slaves Who Vanquished Napoleon, or the Officers Who Defeated Themselves?” Review essay on Philippe R. Girard, The Slaves Who Defeated Napoleon: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian War of Independence, 1801-1804, H-France Review 13, no. 18 (Jan. 2013) (original) (raw)

The review essay evaluates Philippe R. Girard's book, which presents a controversial perspective on the Haitian War of Independence, arguing that its leaders were more motivated by greed than ideology. The author contrasts Girard's views with recent scholarship that emphasizes the heroic nature of the revolution and the global significance of the events in Saint-Domingue. The review note's Girard's intent to utilize multi-archival research and his critical stance towards simplified categorizations of race in analyzing the revolution's dynamics.