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Posted by faran1 (U2570961) on Monday, 22nd May 2006
Hello evryone
I ask my self simple question what was the key of the victory in the battle of waterloo?
we all know that napoleon's forces were not ready for onther war aginst the british.and during the battle ta self the prussians arrivrd in time and saved the british forces.
my question is why didn't napoleon sent the imperial guard in time to save his own forces?
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Napoleon went for a lie down during the battle as he was feeling unwell. Allegedly he was suffering from piles. Ney frittered away his cavalry in pointless, unsupported attacks on allied infantry squares. Napoleon was then faced with the defeat of the Old Guard coinciding with the arrival of the main Prussian army on his flank. Game over.
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faran
My dear chap. The French came on in the same old way, and we saw them off in the same old way.
Just.
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was this the first time the Old Guard had been actually smashed in battle in a full frontal assault ??
st
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The Middle and Old Guard may have been beaten in their attack, and had suffered heavy losses but they were not smashed, the majority of the survivors retreated in good order back towards the French lines where near Rossome the 1st Grenadiers beat the "Grenadiers" and "Carabiniere" to call in stray Grenadiers and Chasseurs who filled the squares that were there.
On the 24th over 6000 men answered the roll call in the foot Guard including 5,000 Grenadiers and Chasseurs.
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faran1,
A simple question with many answers.
The weather, overnight rain meant that Napoleon delayed his artillery bombardment, thus gaining valuable time for the Anglo Allied and prussian Armies to combine.
Wellington did have a good eye for a defensive position.
Wellington was confident that Blucher would march to him, Blucher was confident Wellington would wait for him.
Most compelling, Napoleon had an absolute mare of a day. For whatever reason, and illness of one sort or another is usually given, he does not seem to have had his usual flair even when in charge. The Guard were traditionally only committed on the direct orders of Napoleon. When Napoleon went for his "lie down" Ney had no authority to commit the Guard.
The Guard were traditionally the last throw of the dice for the French in Napoleonic battles. Possibly Napoleon was reasoning he needed to save this asset for the upcoming clash with the Austrians and / or Russians who had also mobilised against him. Possibly he feared them more than the Anglo Allied Army and the Prussians, he didn't rate Wellington and had beaten Blucher before.
Cheers AA.
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, in reply to message 6.
Posted by The Earl of Suffolk (U1888243) on Thursday, 25th May 2006
I did read that the French didn't open fire with their cannon until midday because of the rain & boggy ground from the day before.
Does anyone think that if they had opened fire with all their cannon at dawn to midday they would have won?
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Nope - the bulk of Wellington's forces would still have been protected by being on a reverse slope.
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, in reply to message 8.
Posted by The Earl of Suffolk (U1888243) on Thursday, 25th May 2006
But if he'd have started the battle at Dawn he could have sent more forces against the ridge rather than sending part of his army to fend off Bluchers advance brigade.
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The French had a tried and tested way of fighting and it usually worked (except againstWellington's armies). Their artillery was the best in Europe, so I'd say if they reckoned they had to wait for the ground to dry out, who ae we to argue?
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, in reply to message 3.
Posted by marduk-slayer of tiamat (U2258525) on Thursday, 25th May 2006
faran
My dear chap. The French came on in the same old way, and we saw them off in the same old way.
Just.
c3sq.
jolly well said old boy....gave those bally frogs a damn good thrashing did we not old boy??
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, in reply to message 11.
Posted by marduk-slayer of tiamat (U2258525) on Thursday, 25th May 2006
mssge 4
yes it was the 1st and only time the gaurds where defeated....and it was done by the british.....RULE BRITANNIA!!!!!!!!!!!
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did read that the French didn't open fire with their cannon until midday because of the rain & boggy ground from the day before.
Does anyone think that if they had opened fire with all their cannon at dawn to midday they would have won?
There is a series on tv called battlefield detectives where they got modern day artillery men to slog cannons around in a wet field for fifteen minutes. 15 minutes in a wet field. They were absolutely knackered. Suggesting if Napoleon had opened the battle early his artillery would have been fairly ineffective and tired the gunners out for the rest of the day.
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Not only would the gunners be knackered but the cannon balls would have been completely useless anyway unless they scored a direct hit as they would just sink into the mud on impact instead of bouncing along the ground if it was dry.
I feel the battle was won before it even started. Wellington fought the battle knowing the Prussians were coming, Napoleon fought it thinking he had knocked the Prussians out of the picture at Ligny.
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I do not think it was won before it started, as many points were touch and go during the afternoon, although the info about Blucher was very important.
The fact is, Napoleon had not fought Wellington before, and underestimated him. He assumed that the British line could be broken at will, same as any ohter line he had encountered in his career, so there was no real problem in leaving ney to get on with it. If his attacks had been co-ordinated he would probably have won, as only Wellington's personal presence saved the day on a few occasions. Wellington was a much better tactical battlefield commander than Napoleon thought, and he paid the price for his error.
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