The Fall of Toussaint L'Ouverture

Haitian Struggle Against French Colonization

• Napoleon dispatched 46 ships and an army of 46,000 to Haiti to defeat Toussaint L'Ouverture.
• The initial size of the French army intimidated the Haitian population.

Scorched Earth Strategy

• Toussaint L'Ouverture implemented a scorched earth strategy to resist the French.
• He advised his successor, Dessalines, to deny resources to the enemy, emphasizing the importance of their struggle for freedom.

Factors Leading to French Defeat

• The French suffered heavy losses due to yellow fever and dysentery combined with the Haitian resistance.
• Napoleon ultimately withdrew from Haiti and Louisiana after an estimated loss of 600,000 men.

Betrayal and Capture of Toussaint

• Toussaint L'Ouverture was betrayed by French General Brunet, resulting in his kidnapping.
• He was transported to France, where he expressed enduring hope for Haiti's future.

Legacy of Toussaint L'Ouverture

• Before his death, he famously asserted that the struggle for liberty would continue in Haiti despite his overthrow.
• Toussaint died in a fortress in the Jura mountains ten months after his capture.

Independence of Haiti

• Haiti achieved independence in 1804, symbolizing the persistence of the Haitian people's struggle for freedom.