Napoleon's Defeat

Napoleon’s Defeat On 18 June 1815, the great Emperor of France Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. This would be the last battle for France’s leader and would bring to an end an era of European dominance for the country. The purpose of this paper is to apply the four steps of battle analysis to provide an alternate outcome to this battle. Although a great military strategist, Napoleon’s defeat was a result of a fatal blunder. On June 16, 1815 after defeating the Prussians Army at Ligny, Napoleon sent one-third of his total force in pursuit of the retreating Prussians. Two days later, Napoleon made a decision to pit his remaining 72,000 troops against the Duke of Wellington’s 68,000-man allied army in the Quatre

Waterloo is a flatlands area south of Brussels called Quatre-Bras, which translates to English as “four arms.” Seen as aggressors, the First French Empire commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte faced off against the Allied Army commanded by the Duke of Wellington. The allied force was comprised of troops from the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Hanover, Nassau, and Brunswick. In addition, the 30,000 – man Prussian Army led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher played a critical in this historic battle. The aim of Napoleon’s campaign was to regain dominance of all of Europe after returning from exile years earlier. Much like World War

BATTLE ANALYSIS “Battle of Waterloo” 3

II, the Allied Army’s strategic goal was to stop Napoleon and his army from gaining dominance in the region. The weather the night before the Battle of Waterloo played an important role in the outcome.

It was a miserable night. The continuous rain fell in torrents, soaking everything that was exposed to the elements, including the two armies on the opposing heights. The ferocious downpour saturated the ground, turning the soil in the fields to a river of mud, which meant it was impossible for the officers and men to lie down. (Franklin,