Understanding Napoleon Bonaparte: Key Battles Explained

Understanding Napoleon: Key Battles Explained

In this episode of 'That's Not Crazy, That's History,' students from second block advanced world history class present detailed accounts of significant Napoleonic battles. The class covers the Battle of the Pyramids, where Napoleon's tactful use of divisional squares overcame the Mamluke cavalry. They discuss the impactful Battle of the Nile, highlighting Horatio Nelson's decisive naval engagement. The Battle of Austerlitz is examined, showcasing Napoleon's strategic mastery by luring his enemies into a disadvantageous position. The invasion of Russia and subsequent Battle of Borodino is presented, focusing on the costly and brutal engagement that exposed Napoleon's vulnerabilities. The Battle of Leipzig is discussed, underscoring the massive coalition forces that led to Napoleon's retreat and abdication. Finally, the class examines the Battle of Waterloo, which marked the end of Napoleon's military career and altered European history. Throughout the podcast, students use AI-generated study guides and transcripts to assess Napoleon's legacy.

00:00 Introduction to the Napoleonic Era
01:03 The Battle of the Pyramids
04:43 Napoleon's Tactical Genius
06:42 Demonstrating Infantry Formations
11:25 The Rosetta Stone Discovery
13:55 The Battle of the Nile
16:58 Napoleon's Puppet Mastery
17:30 Portugal's Strategic Importance
17:55 Battle of Austerlitz Recap
18:03 Battle of Borodino Overview
18:31 French and Russian Forces Compared
19:01 Napoleon's Tactical Decisions
19:51 Intense Battle of Borodino
21:30 Aftermath of Borodino
24:41 Battle of Leipzig: The Turning Point
29:38 Waterloo: Napoleon's Final Stand
34:16 Legacy and Lessons from Napoleon's Battles
37:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Creators & Guests

Host

Aaron Makelky

Teaching ⭐️ AI Education ⭐️ Content Creation ⭐️ Entrepreneurship

What is That’s Not Crazy, That’s History!?

We don’t learn history, we do history! Chronicles from Mr. Makelkys World History Classes. We go through history in reverse-chronological order, we learn by doing, and we are the only history class that MAKES HISTORY!

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Wireless PRO RX: [00:00:00] We have a special episode of, that's not crazy. That's history for you. Coming from second block advanced world history students. They're going to teach us about the important campaigns and battles of the Napoleonic era. Starting with the battle of the pyramids followed by the battle of the Nile. Then my personal favorite, the battle of Austerlitz. The Hey guys, let's invade Russia edition of battle of Bora Dino. Then the biggest battle in human history up to this point, the battle of Leipzig, and finally made famous by the terrible Abba song that gets stuck in our head.

The battle of Waterloo. Each group will present and pass the mic so that you can hear, we will then use AI to generate a study guide and a transcript of this recording for their assessment. If you are one of the slackers who skipped my class today, your mom excused you with the notes, so you didn't have to do it while you don't know us.

We'll just turn class into a [00:01:00] podcast, send you a link and say, you still have to do your work. Without further ado, the battle of the pyramids.

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Wireless PRO RX-1: Well, I have 21st, 1798. The French army led the. General Neapolitan Bonaparte day faces. The mum look forces near the village of EMBA. LA with great pyramids of Giza visible in the distance.

Napoleon. He addresses his soldiers from the Heights of these pyramids. Uh, 40 centuries looked down upon you. The French army. Two 25,000 strong forms into a massive divisional squares. Across the battlefield. We're at bay commands. The mum look forces primarily 6,000 elite Calvary supported by infantry. And by doing allies. Merad bay to his Calvary. Our strength lies in our horsemen. Charge and break the lines. The mom look calorie, then charges towards the front squares. Hold the line [00:02:00] prepare. The French squares, unleased, devastating volleys of most Kip fire artillery.

We can't break through their formation is impenetrable. The mum law, Calibri circles, the French squares searching for weak points, but ended up finding none. The poem.

Tears officer's their tactics are outdated. Our modern warfare. We'll prevail. After several fare failed. Uh, charges, mum, look, army begins to falter.

Realizing defeat. We must retreat to upper Egypt said Merad bay. The battle then ends after only a few hours. The mum looks fleet, leaving thousands dead on the battlefield.

General Bonaparte, Napoleon we've won a dislike. This is a victory. Indeed. Courier will fall within days and L'Oreal. Lower Egypt will be ours. The battle of the pyramid secures the French control over lower Egypt, allowing you Paulton to enter the cargo. Three days later, this victory [00:03:00] cements his reputation as a military genius and marks the beginning of Francis. Uh, brief insignificant presence in Egypt.

Okay. So, um, The poem's army was consisted of 25,000 men organized into five divisions.

Uh, Malmuk army led by Merad bay, estimated about 6,000. Malmuk Calvary supported by approximately 12,000 servants at arms others group. Other groups helped. Uh,

Bedouins Albanian Solon and Albanian soldiers. Uh, it took place near the embargo. Wayne village about nine miles from the great pyramids of Giza. And then three days after the war was completed, they invaded Carrio Egypt.

Malmuth's relied heavily on their Calvary. So that was their main plan going in. Napoleon had different and. And inevitably. [00:04:00] Oh, God. Innovative act at tactics, essentially at the battle Napoleon employed that his tactic of massive divisional squares to counter the Malmuk Calvary charges. Uh, the outcome only the better armory lasted a few hours when Malmuk retreated with only 3000 surviving calorie.

The French victory allowed Napoleon to capture.

Kara Kareo three days later. It demonstrated the superiority of Napoleon's modern. Uh, military tactics over the outdated methods of the Mamluks. And contribute to his reputation as the military.

Or we don't do rounds. Questions from the audience, especially about the legacy of Napoleon in light of this victory at the battle of the pyramids.

Here's how we test our understanding of this turn to the person next to you. Choose one adjective that best describes Napoleon as a result of this [00:05:00] victory.

Go.

What would you say cocky? Hockey, but he won. Is he cocky? If he wins? That just confidence. Well, it's kind of confidence.

Isn't it only cocky if you can't back it up.

Dangerous.

She's a five, six Frenchman. There's literally no way you can be cocky. If you're under five eight. Literally, but he killed a ton of. Like, he was just like that.

First.

You got to say teenagers, is it really cockiness? If you back it up and win a dominant victory. Especially after giving one of the greatest pep talks in human history. He points at the pyramids of Giza. And he says 400 centuries of history or watching what we do today. Don't disappoint them.

Is that not amazing to have the pyramids in the background? And give that pep [00:06:00] talk.

Now to me. We don't appreciate his tactics. Because you guys don't go home and play Rome, total war. Like the one guy in the black hoodie does. And you don't understand the basic rock paper scissors that is infantry cavalry artillery, kind of like the three types of weapons. We have a lot of infantry. Against a lot of, some of the world's best cavalry. The main Luke's are mostly on horses, the way they fight. They're fast cause they have a horse, you just have human legs and then they have swords and they go around you or behind you.

And then they whack you with a sword and your gun can't shoot them because you're facing the wrong way. So let us demonstrate. Everybody, who's not in this group. We're going to make a line right here, down the middle of the tables. Face the front board. You should be two or three rows deep. Everybody, who's not in the battle of the pyramid stand between the tables, face, the front board. And you should [00:07:00] be two or three rows deep. Wow. I'm just going to go here. No. Being sensitive. So school safety. And the whole gun thing, we are learning about history.

So we can talk about guns. All of you having a musket, like a big, heavy, long gun. At the front board and hold it out this way. This is pretend Zs. Okay. I. I am the main Luke's you are the normal infantry formation. I see a bunch of guns facing me on this side. Am I going to ride my horses straight at your line. You guys will all. Blast me we'll use that verb.

What should I do with my horses? If you're all facing this way? I'm going to ride my horse to this side and say, look, I have found your. Flank. How many guys are on the end, relatively fewer, and they're facing the wrong way. So I flank you or even better. I ride my horses around behind you and attack you from the rear. [00:08:00] That would result in you guys, the infantry getting smacked around by the cavalry. But wait, Napoleon didn't line his guys up in a straight line instead. He made squares.

So.

From right here. Over you guys need to make a square around this table. Go. And from right here over, we're going to make a square around this table. I shit.

Yes. Yes.

Come on around the table, around the table. Come on cheer squad. Now everybody facing outside, away from the table and level your gap, man. Like hold your gun out. Oh, facing away from your table. Now I have cavalry. You have infantry in a square. Where is the side of a square? There isn't one. Where's the back of the square. You have to get to the [00:09:00] inside. And geometry people will realize there's some principles of geometry at play.

What part of the square has the fewest guys? The corners, the corners. So common sense says main looks, take your Calvary and attack the corners. But wait. What did Napoleon put in the corner? His artillery, his biggest guns to cover his biggest weakness and the main looks right around and go where's the flank on a square.

Everybody points your gun to the outside. No matter what way they come and picture this. He has five squares of 5,000 men. There is no flank and the only weak spots have their best weapon in the corners. Put your ammo, your supplies and your injured guys in the middle of the square. So they're protected in the main looks end up basically just riding around, dying, going.

We don't know what to do.

Now here's the real question from this battle.

What does it say about his legacy? Wow. This [00:10:00] guy's a tactical genius. You.

Okay. Have you guys ever heard this saying I'm playing chess? You're playing checkers. I love you. Very good strategic. Creative.

How about daring?

Bold

innovative. It's a new idea. He didn't copy and paste it from Wikipedia because it didn't exist before.

Ooh.

Yeah. And finally, the biggest question from this battle, why are a bunch of French guys? Fighting in Egypt when their real enemy is the British. Cause it doesn't seem to make sense on a map. You are here, your enemy is there. So you attack here that doesn't make sense at first glance, but really what they're trying to do was what. It's a colonial empire. Waterways.

Okay.

To simplify yappers in the back corner.

You can't directly attack the [00:11:00] British mostly because of their Navy, which you'll learn about in the next episode of the story. So you attack their trade routes and their natural resources from the one of the best parts of their empire Egypt. And their main trade. Good. They're sending back to British factories. Is what.

Cotton. So the idea was this. We can't attack the British directly, so we'll attack their bank account. No. Maybe the coolest thing from all of this has nothing to do with battles or history of the French revolution. French archeologists are going to discover something that helps humans. Uh, decipher ancient languages. Where does that? The Rosetta stone. Yes. From his expedition cause they only controlled Egypt briefly.

You'll see why in a minute. They found the key to unlocking ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics from a stone that had a message translated in three languages side by side by side. And [00:12:00] then they could go back. Most of what we know about ancient Egypt was in dissent in discernible. Big words are hard. Until the Rosetta stone was dug up and brought back to France. Where it is still in the loop today.

I haven't seen it in person, but if you're ever there. Take a pick and tag me.

Any other questions about the battle of the pyramids?

No pressure, but this is getting recorded. So we're going to power clap, clean and crisp a one count.

To show our appreciation and thanks for the battle of the pyramids. Let's give them a one clap. Ready? Ready?

Here you hold it so I can clap. I need to demonstrate the cadence ready? Ready is the same cadence of the clap. So we go ready? Ready?

One clap, crisp and clean. Battle of the pyramids one clap. Ready? Ready? Wonderful.

Wireless PRO RX-2: Kind of beyond the scope of their topic, but you're correct. It doesn't. [00:13:00] Here's the analogy we present. On land Napoleon seems to do well. At sea. The opposite is true while he's not out here on the ships commanding personally, it's still his Navy. He's not the emperor yet, but he will be shortly. The British Navy seems to be the thorn in their side.

Right. Who wins when an elephant fights a whale.

Wrong.

Correct. You need more information X plus Y equals 12 solve for both. You can't. I need to know more when a whale fights an elephant, it depends where they fight on land, who wins. That's France in this analogy at see who would win. The whale. That's the British one of those analogies that we always bring up. Is Wale versus elephant will be decided by where they fight, not who they fight. Any other questions for the battle of the Nile.

Horacio [00:14:00] Nelson down an eye, down an arm, but his ships are doing awesome.

Stay tuned. Cause he's going to come back at the battle of Trafalgar. He's going to die. But his side wins, maybe the biggest Naval battle in history. And does something really crazy with his corpse?

Which, unless you are knowledgeable in the liquor store space, you probably don't know the story. I will tell you when it's my turn for the battle later this week. Let's give the battle of the Nile. A two clap. Ready? Ready?

Must do better to clap. Ready? Ready? Wonderful.

Wireless PRO RX-3: Tactical. Performance and. Settlement history. A very strategic. And analytic man. And. This battle will go down as one of Napoleon's greatest speeds.

And the posture. Of the [00:15:00] Hulk action figure. And it's lofty stature is perfect. I would add this students of psychology.

Why would you intentionally give up the high ground? The day before the battle, when you're already outnumbered and facing. A tag team match. It's like Russia and Prussia together against you. And you give up your biggest advantage of the day before the battle and say, you can have that high ground that can shoot down on everybody. We'll just retreat and fight down here tomorrow.

Why would you ever do that?

There's no sensible reason. That's terrible strategy. But wait, he's playing chess. You're playing checkers. How will his enemy behave? Outnumbering him and now commanding the high ground. They won't put it in as much effort. I'll be like,

Yes. They'll think easy win. And then how will they act? Brash like, all right, everybody go down the hill and attack Napoleon. [00:16:00] We got this and they don't leave enough men to protect the Heights. Napoleon does something crazy. He leaves guys at the bottom of the hill. He says, Hey. You're going to lose, just lose slowly. I'm going to go around and flank the high ground with the rest of our troops, capture the cannons, wave down at the Austrians and the Russians and say, what's up guys.

Now you're surrounded. Do you want to die or surrender meat? Grinder tactics. That only works. If you get your enemy to act brashly and the best way to get your enemy to act brashly is give him a huge advantage. That sounds really terrible. Like, dude, I played total war and I know you wouldn't give up the high ground, but Napoleon is thinking two steps ahead.

He's trying to sucker them into making mistakes. They don't realize they're making.

I assume that they calculated that much high ground. I don't get 15% bonus. Okay. Don't date me on my own podcast. Okay. I grew up in the nineties. You're [00:17:00] old.

Age is a relative number now. And strategic, bold. Creative. Uh, manipulative of as any enemies, mistakes, he's like a puppet master that gets you to do exactly what he wants. And if Russia and Austria surrender to you, who's left on the European continent. Everybody is a puppet state or has been conquered by Napoleon. Except Portugal.

So it really solidifies this power. With the Portuguese, just like. Provide economic benefit to him, or like, why didn't need. Womp womp Portugal. The short version of why he did not quote womp womp Portugal. His history says, putting your brother in charge of Spain and letting him fight that battle is a terrible strategy because they couldn't beat Portugal. Any other questions?

Wonderful. Let's give the battle of Austerlitz a three clap.

Ready? [00:18:00] Ready?

Wireless PRO RX-4: Am I good. Yes. Okay. And the battle of Bora. Dino the French forces ranged from about 128,000 to 135,000 troops. They're infantry. Had about 214 battalions and their Calvary had 317 squadrons. And their artillery had 587 guns in their notable units, such as their Imperial guard held about 18,000. 500 troops, but these were held in reserve. Well on the Russian side. They had ranged from 120,000 troops to 155,000 troops. They had in their infantry, about 180 battalions there.

Calvary had 164 squadrons. There Cossacks had 20 regiments, about 10,000 men. There are Taylor had 637 DUNS. With 300 health and reserve and then an additional 33,000 militia and not [00:19:00] directly engaged in the battle.

No plans plan for the bottle of board. It was relatively straightforward. He opted for a frontal assault rather than a flanking maneuver. He rejected one of his top martial suggestions to outflank the weak Russian, right. Instead of instead ordering a direct attack. Their main objectives were seizing.

The Russian left, capturing the village of board, you know, and taking the great readout, which was the center of the Russian line. Napoleon plant uses artillery to soften up Russian defenses before launching an infantry attack. The overall strategy was to engage and defeat the Russian armory army decisively, forcing SAR Alexander to open peace talks. This plan was someone somewhat crude and lacked the strategic finesse often associated with Napoleon's earlier campaigns. The emperor's decision to execute a frontal attack rather than attempt outflanking maneuvers was influenced by his fears that the Russians might escape.

If he tried to outflank them.

The battle started at 6:00 AM. The battle begins with the French opening artillery, fire Eugene's corpse attack, the village of bird. Do you know, cook. [00:20:00] Quickly capturing it from the Russian guard. At 6:00 AM. The about launches and attack them. The Russian left fierce fighting ensues with both sides, suffering heavy casualties. I am. The French capture the Southern Fletch, but rush by the Russia. Counter attacks.

Marshall to Val is temporarily knocked unconscious. When his horses hit. The Russian artillery general cause of this is killed leaving Russian artillery without central command.

Uh, 10:00 AM. Constant French artillery, bombardment and free entry assaults began to take their toll on the Russian defenders. The battle becomes. Occasionally and chaotic due to the concentration of troops in a small area. That's 12 o'clock Napoleon or is an assault on the great redoubt this under the Russian line Eugene's forces capture the readout, but, but face a Russian. Uh, fierce Russian counter attack, but by general, Uh, your Milov. 2:00 AM meshes. Russian Calvary charge led by general.

You ROV threatens. Threatens [00:21:00] the friendship left flank, but it was ultimately repulsed. This action. However, delays, further fringe attacks on the center.

At four o'clock the French renew their assaults on the Russian positions. Neuraths Calvary. We launched a several taxpayers and able to break the Russian lines. At six o'clock. The battle, gradually winds down, both sides are exhausted and pulling refuses. Refuses or PT or souls to commit his Imperial guard to final soul. And then the nightfall queues. Or does a rush or treat towards Moscow? For the aftermath. The battle resulted in staggering calendar. D's on both sides. French loss to that.

28,000 to 35,000 killing wind in Russian lost 40,045,000. And while the French were technically won by taking the field, they failed to destroy the Russian army. This allow the Russians to continue the strategy of a tree eventually leading to Napoleon's disastrous withdrawal from Russia.

This battle affected. Napoleon's legacy because Borodino and the subsequent Russian campaign significantly damaged his [00:22:00] reputation as an unbeatable military commander and exposed fuller abilities and his strategic. Thank you. And the limitations of his army contributing to the erosion of his power and ultimately shaping how history would remember him.

What the statute saying, look like some key features might include a bronze or marble statue of Napoleon standing tall and proud.

And is. Iconic military uniform. He would likely be in a heroic pose with one hand tucked into his waistcoat. The statue would stand on large stone, which is similar. To this. Column in Paris. Um, some symbolic. Elements. There might be Eagles. Which would be perched near his feet. Wreaths which signifies victory. And some strong figures representing concepts like victory, glory, or France might be included at the base.

Um, the [00:23:00] pedestal or surrounding area would likely feature inscriptions.

A dedicated inscription, which would read something like to Napoleon Bonaparte and per of the fringe conquer of Europe who led France to glory.

I'm confused how he loses the war, but he won the battle.

That's what you said in your right, but for everybody else, how does that work? How are you outside Moscow? You, when you capture Russia's capital, but then you lose the war.

How did he need to win?

Yeah.

He needed a total final, complete overwhelming dominant victory. What did he get instead?

Yeah, I kind of won. Why does that not work against the Russians outside Moscow in late September?

Look at the map, what's really going to beat Russia. What's really going to beat Francis invasion, not the Russian army, not cannons or horses. No.

I was going to say Russian [00:24:00] geography.

Come deeper into Russia will lose slowly on purpose. Oh, by the way, we burned all of our fields. So you're not going to get any food. I hope you packed your winter gear. So for somebody who was playing chess last round.

He's playing checkers and the Russians were playing chess. A difficult lesson that every empire learns, the Nazis will learn the same exact thing in 1941. You're not winning. You're getting sucked deeper into Russia and it's getting colder. Good luck.

Okay, good job. Let's give for a. Dino a four clap. Ready? Ready? Next up, we have light Z. Okay.

Wireless PRO RX-5: The battle of Leipzig was the battle that ensured the destruction of the Eastern, uh, extent of the French empire. The reason why the French lost here so heavily is because his army was mostly destroyed in the after mentioned campaign in Russia. This new army was mostly [00:25:00] green, French conscripts, and they were still out.

Number 200,000 French men to 400,000 others. Mostly Prussians. Or oppressions and Russians, I should say, after the decisive loss in this battle, Napoleon was forced to abdicate his throne and was exiled to Elba the next year. Never to return.

For the podcast listeners, there were air quotes on that last phrase.

The main combatants or competent.

And this battle where the French forces led by emperor Napoleon and the coalition forces, which consisted of several nations. I United against France. The coalition included the. Austrian army, the Prussian army, the Russian army and the Swedish army. The total number of troops on both sides was roughly 600,000 troops with Napoleon with around 200,000 and the coalitions with 400,000.

[00:26:00] Napoleon's plan was eight offensive position where Napoleon chose. Lips lip Zig. Living Zig as his battleground using rivers around the city for defense. He concentrated about 177,000 troops near lips. Lipsig up by October 14th, 1813. Despite being in a good defensive position, Napoleon plan to attack first, his main goal was to defeat the allied armies one by one. Um, before they could join forces. The outcome was a failure to execute on Napoleon couldn't. Complete his plan as intended due to underestimating how close butcher Butch alert butcher's army was due to. Poor recon.

Uh, Napoleon had to switch to a defensive strategy instead of his plan of fence. To attacks. After days he was forced to retreat, but many French troops [00:27:00] were Kat shared due to bridge into a bridge being destroyed too early.

The battle of lipstick resulted in a clear indecisive victory for the correlation courses based on their territorial gain, strategic outcomes force French retreat and overall impact on the. Napoleonic wars. The correlation forces pushed Napoleon's army out of Lipsig forcing a French retreat westward across the Ester river. The battle marked the end of the French power east of the Rhine effectively destroying Napoleon's control over Germany and Poland. Napoleon was compelled to order of a tree in the early hours of October 19th, signaling a French defeat. The chaotic nature of this withdrawal, especially after the pre pre major destruction of the Ester river. Bridge further emphasize the extent of the French loss.

Um, This battle tarnished Napoleon's legacy, almost irreparably as he was. Um, soon after forced to leave the empire, he had built the French empire. [00:28:00] Um, the Eastern, except for the French empire collapsed almost entirely because of this battle. Because the French lost all military presence in Eastern central Europe. They were forced back westward into mainland France.

This battle was also the bloodiest battle in European history. pre-World war one. If there were, if there were a statue dedicated to this battle, it would be a blown bridge.

Any other thoughts on the legacy?

Outnumbered surrounded, fighting against pretty much all of Europe. Tag team teaming him teenagers. Here's the lesson besides I can't trust you with cotton balls.

Here's the lesson.

How many did you guys.

I've put out.

Yeah. For the listeners on the airwaves, uh, Everybody took the ships from the battle of the Nile and put them in one guns hoodie. And he didn't notice. Hahaha. Aha. It was funny. No. The last time for us is this.

Some battles are on [00:29:00] winnable and your previous strategies. Arrogance self-confidence. Can lead to your own destruction because Napoleon looked at the map and said, oh, I'm outnumbered almost two to one fighting against like eight allies tag teaming me. I'll just beat them one at a time.

When in reality, that's not going to happen. You shouldn't fight like. Save your men. Save your army. Fight another day.

Let's give the battle of Leipzig a one clap. Ready? Ready? That was terrible. Must do better. One clap. Ready? Ready? Lastly, we will have Waterloo.

Wireless PRO RX-6: Was a pivotal moment and European history that took place on Sunday, June 18th in 1815 near Waterloo and present day Belgium. The battle involves two main forces. The allied army led by the duke of Wellington, which consisted of about 67,000 trips. 23,000 were [00:30:00] British soldiers. 44,000 allied soldiers from various nations, including Dutch. Uh, Belgium and Germany. And then they also had 160 guns. The other force was the French army commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte. And had approximately 74,000 French troops with 250 guns. The allied army was a multi-national force.

British infantry were red waistcoats and gray trousers with the stove fi. Stovepipe shackles on their heads. There Calvary wore red tunics with crusted helmets for heavy Calvary and light blue or hustler uniforms for light Calvary. Napoleon's army was composed mainly of veterans with considerable experience and fierce loyalty to their emperor. The French infantry typically wore dark blue uniforms.

All their Calvary included impressive units like. Crazy. And burnished metal breastplates and the colorful Hosers now. Uh, we'll hang up with a brief.

[00:31:00] Um, The allied victory of water is determined by several factors. Some of which were battlefield control. The, by the end of the day, the outward forces has pushed the French. Off the battlefield Wellington. Blood sugar. Uh, LA LaBelle Alliance. Napoleon's former command post symbolizing, the control of the field. Router French forces around eight 15 at the French army became a de. Again, a disorganized withdrawal that turned into a route, the side of the porins. Imperial guard. Retreating cause panic among the French ranks. Pursuit of the enemy. The per Prussian forces under, uh, jeez.

Now. Pursued the fling French army for about 11 miles south of the battlefield, effectively destroying any chance of the French regrouping. Casualties and losses while both sides suffered heavy losses, the French losses were significantly higher. Wellington lost about 15,000 men watch about 8,000 employee and I lost 25,000. Strategic outcome and appoints a FITA Waterloo led directly [00:32:00] to his final application.

Four days later, marking the end of his role in the Napoleonic wars.

It's worth noting. The battle was in D close Wellington himself reported call it the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life. However, the combined efforts of the allied forces, particularly at the time we have. Arrival of blood sugars. Prussians tip the scales, decisively against Napoleon.

~Thank you Brady. Um,~ Napoleon's original plan, however, was to attack Wellington's forces at their weakest point. What'd she believed to be the left flank. So he really tried to get his forces to go towards the left attack and then to pin down Wellington strongest point. On the right flank after they had already taken over the left flank. To force Wellington off the battlefield to the Northwest, separating him from the Prussian forces that were also coming in just from the.

Other direction. However, this plan didn't work out at all for several reasons. First of all, the weather delays. Um, an awful storm had came the previous tonight [00:33:00] and appoint had to wait until 11:00 AM for the ground of dry enough for his artillery. To be effective, losing precious time. They usually would've gone a lot earlier than that. Um, second of all, Wellington's defensive strategy was better than it usually would be.

Um, the duke used the reverse slope of the Ridge to conceal his troops. Which is represented by these little, um, shading points.

Um, other than that too, he also came up with a diversion to attack. And in the intended version, ended up drawing in more French troops than planned reducing forces available for the main assault. Also Calgary changes. The Marshall NY led repeated Calvary changes without infantry support, which while impressive, failed to break the British squares and resulted in. Heavy French losses.

And also the Prussian army, the pression arrival was a lot more than they thought it was going to be. They originally had before in a previous battle attack, the Prussian army and they had [00:34:00] retreated. So they were very, very confident that the Prussians were not going to be able to fight, but lo and behold, they came back and they were just fine.

Now. I'll hand it over it to Sophia.

Okay.

So the battle of Waterloo had a profound impact on Napoleon's legacy. First of all, it marks the end of an era. Um, it marked the final, the P the feet of Napoleon and the end of. Holy on the wharves. Which had dominated European politics for over a decade. Um, well, it tarnished Napoleon's reputation as an undefeatable undefeatable general.

It didn't completely erase his earlier military achievements. Um, his political legacy, the battle led to Napoleon second and final abdication ending his political career and influence in France. It had a cultural impact. Meeting one's Waterloo entered the English language as an idiom for facing a final dust decisive defeat. [00:35:00] And it's a historical debates.

The battle has been a subject of intense study and debate for over 200 years. With historians analyzing appalling decisions and their consequences. Finally, if a statue were to be built honoring Napoleon based solely on this battle, it might look like this. The statue would depict Napoleon on horseback, looking towards the battlefield with a determined expression.

His famous hat would be on his head and he would be wearing his characteristic. Great coat. The horse should be rearing symbolizing. The intensity of the battle and the base of the statue would bear the description here. Stood Napoleon. And for the French on June 18th, 18, 15, and defeat, he showed the courage that had won him and empire. His last stand against the tides of history. The hypothetical statue would capture both the gravity of Napoleon's final battle and the enduring fascination with his legacy, even in defeat. And it would look like this basically.

Okay.

And that is all. I would add to the [00:36:00] statue. I would depict him as being handed a one way ticket. To St. Helena. By the duke of Wellington. And I picture Napoleon. Like bowed down, kind of like, okay, give me my one way ticket to St. Helena, where I'm going to languish. In solidarity in the south Atlantic until I die a painful, slow death.

And it's funny.

All of you gen Z Tik TOK, brain rodders. That in the English language. Getting Waterloo is a verb and it's like the straw that broke the camel's back or the last thing you did that finally made your teacher kick you out of class. So, for example, as we take a Gander through the glass over there, The cotton ball was his Waterloo.

Do we agree? And then he is exiled and it was like the final straw. It was not as first mistake or misstep ever. It was just the last one that finally [00:37:00] made the duke of Wellington. Exile him from the continent.

Wonderful. Let's give the Waterloo group a three clap. Ready? Ready?

For everybody else, we will take the transcript of this and try to come up with a summarized bullet point format. You will be using examples from your peers groups. To create your assessment on Napoleon's legacy tomorrow. Thanks for joining us on this episode of that's not crazy. That's history.