In this definitive account of the Peninsular War (180814), Napoleons six-year war against Spain, Ronald Fraser examines what led to the emperors devastating defeat against the popular oppositionthe guerrillasand their British and Portuguese allies. As well as relating the histories of the great political and military figures of the war, Fraser brings to life the anonymous massesthe artisans, peasants and women who fought, suffered and diedand restores their role in this barbaric war to its rightful place while overturning the view that this was a straightforward military campaign. This vivid, meticulously researched book offers a distinct and profound vision of Napoleons Vietnam and shows the reality of the disasters of war: the suffering, discontents and social upheaval that accompanied the fighting.