Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18, 1815, and took place near Waterloo in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (present-day Belgium). It marked the final battle of the Napoleonic Wars and the end of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule as the Emperor of the French. The opposing forces that fought against each other in the Battle of Waterloo were Napoleon's French army, and the British-led Allied forces commanded by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian army led by Blücher.

Background

In 1814, Napoleon had been forced to resign. He was banished to Elba, which is an island in the Mediterrenian Sea. However, he was able to leave Elba in February 1815 and swiftly regained his position of authority and power in France. Napoleon's return to France resulted in an era known as the Hundred Days, in which it was his intention to reestablish the French Empire and to solidify his rule once again.

Napoleon's return and the danger it opposed resulted in the formation of the Seventh Coalition. Among the allies of this coalition were Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia. Their shared objective was to overthrow Napoleon and bring back stability to Europe, because they saw him as an opposing threat. On the opposite, Napoleon's ultimate goal was to split up and destroy the coalition forces before they could come together.

Napoleon faced General Blücher's Prussian army at the Battle of Ligny on June 16, 1815, which took place two days prior to the Battle of Waterloo. At the same time, French forces and an Anglo-Dutch-Belgian combined force under the command of the Duke of Wellington fought in the Battle of Quatre Bras. The Prussian Army was weakened by this prior attack but successfully withdrew from the Battle of Ligny. With the Prussians withdrawn, Napoleon saw an opportunity to defeat Wellington at Quatre Bras on the morning of June 17, 1815. The Duke of Wellington recognized the danger and began withdrawing toward Waterloo.

The Battle

Three different armies fought in the Battle of Waterloo: Napoleon's Armée du Nord, a multinational army under Wellington, and a Prussian army commanded by General Blücher. Wellington's choice of Waterloo as the final location for the battle was a major factor in how the Battle of Waterloo turned out. The Allies benefited strategically from their location at Waterloo, which included a secure withdrawal route, better visibility, flank protection, control of important buildings, and a defensible ridge.

The battle began with Napoleon attacking key positions of the Allies, including Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. Fierce fighting ensued as the French attempted to break through the Allied lines. The Prussian army, led by Blücher, arrived to assist the Allies as the battle progressed. The Prussians changed the direction of the battle by engaging the French forces on the eastern flank. The center of the Allied lines was the target of the French last attack. The British defensive positions and squares withstood several attacks. After regrouping and fortifying themselves, the Prussians decisively counterattacked the French right flank. The French position was weakened by this well-planned attack, which greatly aided the Allies in their victory. The French forces started to withdraw as the British held their ground and the Prussians pressed in on their right flank.

Aftermath

The Battle of Waterloo has inflicted considerable losses on both opposing forces. The Hundred Days of Napoleon's return from exile came to an end with the defeat at Waterloo. Following his defeat, Napoleon's support from the French public and his own army vanished,which ultimately led to Napoleon's abdication on June 22, 1815. Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he allegedly spent the rest of his life. It sparked the First French Empire's demise and Napoleon's second and final abdication as Emperor of France. The Battle of Waterloo established a historical turning point, known as the Pax Britannica, that separated decades of largely peaceful living between a string of European wars.

Sources

Black, Jeremy. The Battle of Waterloo. Random House, 2010.

Gleig, George Robert. Story of the Battle of Waterloo. London: J. Murray, 1849.

Kennedy, James Shaw. Notes on the Battle of Waterloo. London: J. Murray, 1865.

Teague, Lieutenant-Colonel George E. "Waterloo and Gettysburg: A Campaign Comparison." 2014.

Veve, Thomas D. "Wellington and the Army of Occupation in France, 1815–1818." In: The International History Review vol.11, no.1, 1989, p. 98-108.