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Rastatt Revealed Peace Was Fragile
- The Congress of Rastatt deadlocked because France treated long-occupied territories as permanent gains.
- That impasse helped set the stage for renewed war before formal peace terms were ratified.
Ambitious Invasion, Weak Means
- The Directory sought a dramatic invasion of Britain to finish off its last major enemy.
- Resource shortages and the poor quality of many troops made that plan unrealistic.
Napoleon Chooses Egypt Over England
- Napoleon refused to risk his reputation on a risky Channel invasion and delayed action until late 1798.
- He proposed an alternate strategy: attacking Egypt to threaten British access to India.