At some point in your life, you may have heard the phrase "he suffered his Waterloo", which means that the person has suffered a devastating defeat and his ambitions have been dashed from then on. And such a fate befell the 46-year-old Napoleon Bonaparte on June 18, 1815, in the small town of Waterloo, Belgium. Faced with a flanking attack by the combined British and Prussian forces, the French general lost the decisive battle of his legendary career. The war not only ended Napoleon's hopes of returning from exile, but also heralded the end of the brief splendor of the First French Empire.
Back at his coronation in 1804, Napoleon proudly declared to the Pope: "It is far safer to wear this crown on your head than to put it on your hand." His life was marked by numerous battles, the most famous of which was the Battle of Austerlitz in December 1805. In this battle, he won more with less and outwitted, becoming a model of bold tactics in the history of warfare. However, on that day at Waterloo, his tactical genius failed to save his fate.
Napoleon's military thought.
In the face of the large strength of the Russian-Austrian army, Napoleon skillfully weakened his right flank, luring the enemy to attack like a decoy. This was not only a trap, but also a brilliant plan to turn the tide of the battle. His counterattack pierced the night sky like lightning and split the Russian-Austrian army in two. In this battle, France won a resounding victory, with 26,000 enemy soldiers killed, wounded or captured, while he managed to control much of the European continent at a cost of almost no soldiers, leaving only a handful of countries standing.
However, Napoleon's military empire did not last as a result. His arrogance became an insurmountable obstacle. In 1812, he made a disastrous decision - to invade Russia. However, he did not prepare his army for the harsh Russian winter, which resulted in the death of 300,000 soldiers in the cold winds. After that, France gradually went into decline under the combined blows of England, Portugal and Spain.
The Peninsular War broke out in 1814, and the British captain drove straight into France and occupied Paris. Napoleon was forced to abdicate and exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean. However, less than a year later, he escaped from his cage and returned to France. He issued a proclamation calling on the French to unite and restore his power in the name of liberating France. "Victory will go at double speed"He assured them.
When the allies opposed him amassed troops on the French border, Napoleon preemptively attacked, leading his army into Belgium, planning to defeat the opposing armies one by one before they united against him.
Waterloo was doomed from the start.
One thing is for sure, even if Napoleon had won the Battle of Waterloo, he would not have won the entire war. Napoleon faced a complex situation, with Britain, Prussia, Russia, Austria, and other small nations forming an alliance against him. The defeat of Wellington may only be a temporary victory, as most European countries are on his side and defeat is only a matter of time.
At the moment when Napoleon held Prussia, he sent a third of his army to pursue the retreating Prussian army, while he led the remaining 72,000 men into a fierce battle with a coalition army led by 68,000 British generals. The battle took place near Waterloo, more than ten miles from the Belgian city of Brussels.
Tom Mocatis noted"The British and French were evenly matched in numbers"But fate played a key role in this moment. As the French historian Thierry Lentz recounts, the night before Napoleon planned to attack the British, a sudden heavy rainstorm completely drenched the ground. The next morning, the French had to wait until 11 a.m. before they were able to move the artillery to their positions. The rainstorm deprived Napoleon of a chance to win by surprise.
Did Napoleon get sick in battle?
To make matters worse, Napoleon was unable to sleep due to a mysterious illness. Some biohistorians believe that this may have caused Napoleon so much pain while riding his horse on the day he commanded the army that it was difficult to think clearly at critical moments. According to Lenz's **, Napoleon's plan was to lock Wellington's army in their strongest position, the right flank, and then withdraw to the left flank. Ideally, this would force Wellington to withdraw from the battlefield to the north-west, uniting with Wellington before the arrival of the Prussian army led by Brantacher.
However, Napoleon did not anticipate the tenacity of the army led by Wellington. As an expert in defensive warfare, Wellington used the ridge to protect his soldiers from French bombardment, and their lines were not broken. Failing to overtake the allies, Napoleon's ingenious plan would have come to naught, turning into a frontal attack. By the afternoon, Napoleon could see Broucher's army approaching in the distance. The French Cafariflians desperately attacked Wellington's army, but the latter held their ground and did not back down.
The battle was supposed to be a tactical draw, but later in the day, Bloch's Prussian army arrived, and the situation was extremely unfavorable for the French. Mocatis said. When the Prussian army finally arrived, the French defense line collapsed instantly. According to David Egenberg, Napoleon's army of 72,000 men had 26,000 men**, with another 9,000** and 9,000 missing. The Encyclopedia of War records: "The return of the Emperor is over. Four days later, he abdicated for the second and final time. ”
Even after his defeat, Napoleon was feared. This time, the Allies exiled him to St. Helena, located on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic. This island is located 1,200 miles (1,931 km) off the coast of Africa. He was placed there and lived under the watchful eye of Governor General Mr. Hudson Lowe. Although Mr. Lowe refused to address him emperor, he agreed to build a new house for him. Napoleon died there on May 5, 1821.