Napoleon's tactics at Waterloo - the post mortem

[davefb]

Clearly had Grouchy used his brain and followed the sound of canon fire he would have prevented or delayed the Prussians. Instead of following the break he merely stuck to the original plan.

One Le Hay-Saint farm fell it was over for the British as the centre of their ranks was broken... had Grouchy's men appeared on Napoleon's right flank, instead of Blucher (neigh) then it would have been the end for the dastardly Wellington. Instead of the peloton rejoining it was split further by the breakaway Prussians.

Napoleon spent most of the battle away from the field, allowing Ney to direct the action... he was the bravest of the brave, but also the stupidest of the stupid... cavalry charges unsupported by infantry? what was he thinking? the men were out front and vulnerable, no one rode to help them.

indeed grouchy does seem to have messed up , but massive credit to the 72yr old blucher..

anyway rich p is jomini and i claim google/wikipedias five pounds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Waterloo#A_French_view_of_the_reasons_for_Napoleon.27s_defeat

 

[Beebo]

...

This is all wong, you need a pair of good old stout Wellington boots to defeat Napoloen, not some kinky thigh length leather ones.

 

[Paulus]

This is all wong, you need a pair of good old stout Wellington boots to defeat Napoloen, not some kinky thigh length leather ones.

Unless Raquel Welch is wearing them!!!

 

[asterix]

Too much reliance on the Old Guard. He should have given Froome his head, if you'll excuse the expression.*

*This may not be historically accurate.

 

[byegad]

I thought it was because he had a touch of the farmers.

 

[lukesdad]

Unless Raquel Welch is wearing them!!!

I thought it was Raquel < must remember to use glasses in future>

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Look at the sprint finish here...that's one hell of a lead-out too, I can't see any other team in the mix?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Look at the sprint finish here...that's one hell of a lead-out too, I can't see any other team in the mix?

Suicide if you ask me, they are miles from the finish and even with a train like that, where are the World Champion's stripes, eh? He's nowhere...

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Good point FM, but I think 'The Cav' is looking for a friendly showdown with General Griepel, so he's way back with the Prussians, under the supreme command of one Field Marshall Voigt.

 

[dellzeqq]

Look at the sprint finish here...that's one hell of a lead-out too, I can't see any other team in the mix?

you've got to hand it to the chap painting this on the back of a motorbike........

 

[ufkacbln]

The live replay is on "Yesterday" now!

 

[asterix]

I thought it was Raquel < must remember to use glasses in future>

OTOH there could be a market for glasses that make everything look like Raquel Welch.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I recall reading in Les Miserables and elsewhere that Napoleon put a lot of faith in artillery. His early military training was as a gunner and he was an acknowledged master of battlefield gunnery.

Hugo and others were of the view that Boney delayed too long before joining battle at Waterloo because he was waiting for the sodden and muddy ground to dry out enough for his cannon to be moved.

Although I am ancient, I was not alive in 1815, so I cannot comment further.

There is also a school of thought that the then recently established USA was unaware that there was a global conflict underway in Europe and so had not responded. Plans were afoot in Washington to start a lend-lease scheme in the coming months and consider joining the fray at some unspecified time in the future, once it was clear who was going to win. Many consider this latter view uncharitable.

 

[oldroadman]

From the country that fought the 17-18 and 42-45 wars....

 

[Ron-da-Valli]

Yesterday's repeat yesterday will be shown on Yesterday tomorrow Personally I blame it on Rod Steiger, too busy method acting and hamming it up in his asides to camera. Should've had Roy Kinnear playing Boney with Dick Emery as Ney. "Dad I got it wrong again!" ( This last bit will only mean something to readers of a certain age!!