Nelson was born in the mid-eighteenth century to a well-to-do family in Norfolk, England. At the age of twelve, he joined the army at the recommendation of relatives and friends and became a British navy.
The famous "soul of the British Navy" became famous at a young age, and at the age of twenty he was appreciated by the British military high command and promoted to captain. However, due to his youthful madness, the young Nelson violated military orders while leading his troops to the West Indies and was court-martialed.
After investigation by the British authorities, Nelson was not convicted. During the interrogation, however, Nelson neglected to coordinate with the army, so much so that he was removed from his post. Another theory is that it was a time of peacetime, and the number of warships in service in the navy exceeded the standard, so the British navy at that time was undergoing disarmament, and Nelson, who was implicated in the case, naturally bore the brunt of the situation and became the target of the reduction.
After the outbreak of the French Revolution, the international relations between Britain and France deteriorated day by day, and the international situation was not optimistic. At this critical juncture when a major war could break out at any time, the British military thought of the young and promising Nelson. As a result, Nelson was recalled to the army, and as an officer again, he was sent to serve in the Mediterranean. During this time, Nelson fought several battles with the French and excelled in the Battle of Corsica.
It just so happened that the British authorities at that time needed a hero as a benchmark to boost the morale of the army. Therefore, Nelson, who had distinguished himself in battle, became the object of propaganda, and under the media's rendering, Nelson's exploits were infinitely magnified and became a young hero in the minds of the British. Regarding Nelson's early fame, many friends think that he was promoted to an officer through the "back door", but this is not the case. Nelson was able to enter the army because of the influence of his uncle, which is recorded in his biography.
At that time, his uncle, who was the captain of the ship, arranged for him to intern on his own warship in order to take care of his nephew. During this period, Nelson's uncle taught him all his skills, making Nelson one of the more prominent in the navy. Under the cultivation of his uncle, Nelson's seafaring experience was very rich, so he was able to quickly promote to become the youngest naval officer at that time. It can be said that Nelson's promotion opportunities were won by himself, not because his uncle was a captain of the Navy.
Some friends also believe that Nelson's honor of "the soul of the British navy" is in vain, which was completely touted by the British media at that time, and I do not agree with this statement.
First, there is no doubt that Nelson was indeed the youngest officer in the Navy at the time. After all, the captains in service at the time were all middle-aged navies with experienced navigation, and it was rare for an officer like Nelson to start commanding battleships at the age of twenty.
Regardless of whether ancient or modern, Chinese or foreign, people always like to take the genius of "young fame" as a typical example, and Nelson is more suitable to be set as a benchmark for praise and boost naval morale than other warship captains.
Second, during the Battle of Spain, Nelson was wounded honorably by the enemy's right hand broken. Heroes of any country often have scars that symbolize honor. Nelson donated his right arm for the country, so he deserved to be praised.
Again, at the Battle of St. Vincent, Nelson showed his heroic side. In order to encourage his soldiers to fight bravely, Nelson took the lead twice in one battle, the first to jump on the enemy ship and fight the enemy side. In the flesh-and-blood hand-to-hand combat, Nelson killed a bloody road, which greatly boosted the morale of the British army.
In the end, Nelson's achievements are not only shown in the military. Because of his good middle-aged character and ability to restrain himself with strict ethics, he was awarded the title of honorary citizen. In addition, he did not forget to teach himself in addition to the war, and even obtained a doctorate in civil law from Oxford University.
What really immortalized Nelson was the War of France in 1805.
In this war, Nelson led his men to a beautiful battle with rich combat experience and courage as a pioneer. However, because Nelson did not hide his identity on the battlefield, he was targeted by enemy snipers and accidentally shot by the enemy.
Although the British government at the time was desperate to create a heroic role to boost the morale of the soldiers, and the media exaggerated Nelson, his credit was unquestionable. The author believes that what put Nelson on the altar is not just the propaganda of the media.
From the time he joined the army at the age of twelve, Nelson dedicated his life to the battlefield. Whether his reputation was worthy of the name or excessive, it became irrelevant. Since he dedicated his life to the army, he has been a hero of Britain. Therefore, to this day, there are still many avenues in Britain that are named after him, and the bronze statue of him still stands on the Tefalgar Square.
Resources:
"The Greatest 100 Britons", "British Admiral - Horatio Nelson"]