Waterloo How Napoleon's Empire Perished
The intransigence of the European powers that gathered at the Congress of Vienna, the unconditional rejection of all Napoleon’s peace proposals, led to a new war. This war was unjust and led to an intervention in France.
Napoleon was no longer a big threat. Particularly mistaken is the intervention of Russia. For Russia, the weakened regime of Napoleon was beneficial as a counterbalance to England, Austria and Prussia. Actually, Alexander Pavlovich made a strategic mistake back in the 1813-1814 campaign, when Russian soldiers shed blood for the interests of Vienna and London.
Do not compare the regimes of Napoleon and Hitler. Napoleon’s ideology did not differ in hatred, he did not intend to destroy the Russian people, the Slavs. Napoleon got a good lesson in 1812 and lost the potential to fight for world domination. It would be beneficial for Russia if England and Austria fought it further, Russia had enough of its own problems. Spending time, resources, and energy on fighting the weakened Napoleon empire was a strategic mistake. On the whole, the long confrontation between France and Russia, caused by the liquidation of Russian Tsar Pavel with the help of English gold and the hands of Russian masons, was most beneficial for England (at that time the “command post” of the western project was located there). Later, Germany and Russia (two world wars) are set off by the same technology. And now they are trying to push the Russian civilization with the Islamic world.
The Holy Alliance has not yet been signed, and in France the practice of strangling bayonets dangerous to other countries by phenomena was shown in France. The governments of the European monarchies intervened in the internal affairs of France and by force weapons contrary to the obviously manifested will of the people, the Bourbon regime, which was hated by the people and essentially parasitic, was restored. The anti-French coalition included: Russia, Sweden, England, Austria, Prussia, Spain and Portugal.
In 1812-1814 and in the spring of 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte changed his mind and rethought, learned a lot. He became aware of his past mistakes. Already in the first manifestos in Grenoble and Lyon, he announced that the empire he was restoring would be different than before, that he set his main task to ensure peace and freedom. By Lyon decrees, Napoleon abolished all the Bourbon laws that attempted to conquer the revolution, all laws in favor of the returning royalists and the old nobility. He confirmed the inviolability of the redistribution of property in the years of revolution and empire, announced a general amnesty in which exceptions were made only for Talleyrand, Marmont and several other traitors, their property confiscated. Napoleon made broad promises of political and social reforms.
Napoleon restored the empire, but it was already a liberal empire. An amendment was written to the constitution - the Supplementary Act was issued on April 23. From the constitution of the Bourbons was borrowed the upper chamber - the chambers of peers. The upper house was appointed by the emperor and was hereditary. The second chamber was elected, it had 300 deputies. Property qualification was lowered compared to the constitution of Louis XVIII. Napoleon quickly became disillusioned with parliament. The endless chatter irritated him: “Let's not imitate the example of Byzantium, which, crammed by barbarians on all sides, became the laughing stock of descendants, engaging in abstract discussions at the moment when the ram was breaking the gates of the city.” Soon the parliament will become a nest of treason.
Napoleon resolutely defended the right of France to determine its own fate and rejected the intervention of foreign powers in its affairs. Many times and solemnly, he confirmed that France renounces all sorts of claims to European domination, at the same time he defended the sovereignty of the country. Now everything has changed. If earlier France imposed its will on European countries, now Napoleon was forced to defend the independence of France.
He appealed to all European powers with proposals for peace - peace under the status quo. The French emperor abandoned all claims. France needs nothing, only peace is needed. Napoleon sent to Tsar Alexander Pavlovich a secret treaty from 3 January 1815 of England, Austria and France directed against Russia and Prussia. It must be said that, in fact, the lightning-quick seizure of power by Napoleon in France prevented a new war. The war of the new European coalition (England, France, Austria and other European countries) against Russia. However, this did not change the attitude of St. Petersburg. Napoleon Bonaparte declared war. Not justified and hopes for Austria. Napoleon waited some time for Maria Louise’s return with her son and hoped that the emperor Franz’s father-in-law would consider the interests of his daughter and grandson. However, from Vienna they said that they would never give the son to his father, and his wife was unfaithful to him.
The declaration of 13 in March, adopted by the heads of the European powers, outlawed Napoleon, "the enemy of the human race." March 25 was legally framed VII anti-French coalition. Almost all the major European powers were against France. France had to fight again. Only the former commander of Napoleon, King of Naples Murat, spoke out against Austria. However, he was defeated in May 1815 of the year, even before Napoleon launched the campaign.
Belgian campaign. Waterloo
Napoleon, along with the Minister of War Davout and the “organizer of the victory” 1793, Carnot hastily formed a new army. Lazar Carnot proposed to take extraordinary measures: to equip artisans, citizens, all the lower strata of the population, to create detachments of the National Guard from them. However, Napoleon did not dare to take this revolutionary step, just as he did not in 1814. He limited himself to half measures.
The situation was difficult. Army of the all-European coalition on various roads marched to the French border. The balance of power was clearly not in favor of Napoleon. By June 10 he had about 200 thousand soldiers, of whom some had to be left in other places. Only in Vendée, where there was a threat of a royalist insurrection, dozens of thousands of soldiers remained. 200 thousand people were called to the National Guard, but they had to be equipped and armed. Total mobilization could give even more 200 thousand people. Opponents immediately exhibited 700 thousand people and planned to bring the number to a million by the end of the summer. By the fall, the anti-French coalition could insert new forces. However, France already had to fight with the whole of Europe in 1793, and she emerged victorious in this fight.
Napoleon hesitated for a while in choosing the strategy for the 1815 campaign of the year, which was surprising to him. It was possible to wait for external intervention, revealing the aggressive nature of the coalition, or to take the strategic initiative in their hands and attack, which was customary for Napoleon. As a result, Napoleon Bonaparte in May - June 1815 of the year decided to meet the enemy. He planned to crush the allied forces piecemeal in Belgium, on the approaches to Brussels.
11 Jun Napoleon went into the army. In the capital, he left Davout, although he was asking for the front line. 15 June, the French army forced Sambre at Charleroi and appeared where it was not expected. Napoleon's plan was to defeat the Prussian army under the command of Blucher and the Anglo-Dutch army of Wellington separately. The campaign started successfully. June 16 Ney's troops on the orders of Napoleon attacked the British and the Dutch in Quatre-Bras, and pressed the enemy. At the same time, Napoleon defeated the Prussians of Blucher at Linyi. However, the Prussian army did not lose its combat capability and was able to play a decisive role in the Battle of Waterloo. In order to avoid connecting the armies of Blucher with Wellington and completely remove the Prussians from the struggle, the French emperor ordered Marshal Grushy with 35 thousand soldiers to pursue Blucher.
Although both battles did not lead to decisive success, Napoleon was pleased with the start of the campaign. The French were advancing, the initiative was in their hands. Considering the Prussians as defeated, the French emperor moved the main forces against Wellington, who was standing near the village of Waterloo. 17 June, the French army stopped to rest. On this day a powerful thunderstorm broke out with heavy rain. All roads were washed away. People and horses stuck in the mud. Attacking in such conditions was impossible. The French emperor stopped the troops to rest.
18 June morning rain stopped. Napoleon ordered to attack the enemy. He had about 70 thousand soldiers and 250 guns. Under the leadership of Wellington, there were also about 70 thousand people and 159 guns. In his army were the British, the Dutch, and various kinds of Germans (Hanover, Brunswick, Nassauti). At 11 in the morning, the French attacked. Initially, the advantage was on the side of the French, who fought with extreme bitterness. She shouted to Druye d'Erlon: “Hold on, friend! If we don’t die here, then the emigrants will hang with you tomorrow. ” The attacks of Ney's cavalry were crushing.
Wellington was not a military genius. But he had the stubbornness, so necessary in battle. He decided to use a good position and hold out, no matter what it takes, until Blucher approaches. The English commander conveyed his attitude with the words with which he responded to the report on the impossibility of holding positions any longer: “Let them all die in that case! I have no reinforcements. Let them die to the last man, but we must hold out until Blucher comes. ” His troops rested and they were difficult to knock out from their positions. Positions passed from hand to hand, both sides suffered heavy losses. In addition, the offensive interfered with dirt and water. In some places the soldiers were knee-deep in the mud. However, the French attacked violently, with enthusiasm and gradually won.
However, everything changed when a rapidly moving mass of troops appeared on the right wing. Napoleon had long been looking to the east, where he expected the appearance of the body of Pear, who was supposed to complete the outcome of the battle in favor of the French army. But it was not Pears. These were Prussian troops. On 11 in the morning, Blücher moved from Wavre along difficult roads towards Waterloo. At 16, the vanguard of Bülow collided with the French. Blucher had not yet collected all his units, but he had to act immediately, and he ordered the offensive.
The right flank of the French army was attacked by the Prussians. Initially, Lobau pushed aside the vanguard of Bülow, exhausted by the march. But soon new Prussian troops approached, and Bülow had 30 thousand of bayonets and sabers already. Lobau retreated. Meanwhile, Davou attacked Tilman’s Prussian corps and defeated him. But this defeat of the Prussian army was not in vain. Having lost the battle of Wavre, they diverted the strength of the French from the main theater of operations at that time - Waterloo.
Bewildered, discouraged by an unexpected blow from the flank, from where they were waiting for help, the French troops flinch. In 19 hours, Napoleon threw into the battle part of the guard. The guards had to break through the center of Wellington's army, not allowing it to connect with Blucher. However, the attack failed, under the heavy fire of the enemy, the guardsmen faltered and began to retreat. The departure of the guard caused a wave of general panic. It intensified when the troops saw the advancing Prussians. There were shouts: “The Guard is running!” “Save yourself, who can!” Meanwhile, Wellington gave a signal of a common attack.
The management of the French Amée was lost. The army fled. In vain Ney rushed at the enemy. He exclaimed: “See how the marshals of France die!” However, death spared him. Five horses were killed under him, and the marshal survived. Apparently, in vain. He was shot in the same year as a state traitor.
The British, Prussians who had counterattacked, pursued and finished off the fleeing French. The rout was complete. Only part of the guards under the command of General Cammbronn, lined up in the square, in perfect order, paving the way among the enemy. The British offered guardsmen honorable surrender. Then Cambrnn replied: “Shit! The guard dies, but does not give up! ”However, there is a version that he spoke only the first word, the rest was thought up later. According to another version, these words were said by General Claude-Etienne Michel, who died that day. Anyway, the guardsmen were swept away by the canister. Cambronn was seriously injured and unconscious captured.
The French army lost 32 thousand people killed, wounded and captured, all artillery. Allied losses - 23 thousand people. The Allies pursued the French for three days. As a result, the French army was completely upset. Napoleon was able to collect, in addition to the corps of Pears, only a few thousand people and could not continue the campaign.
Military researchers have identified several major causes of the defeat of Napoleon’s army. Mistakes were made by Marshal Neh, who was unable to succeed during the repeated attacks of the height of Saint-Jean, where Wellington's forces were stationed. The fatal mistake was made by Pears (according to another version, the mistake was conscious). Pursuing the Prussians, he did not notice how the main forces of Blucher broke away from him and went to join up with Wellington. He lost his way and attacked a small detachment of Tilman. Back in the 11 hour, artillery volleys were heard in the Pear’s body. The generals of Pears suggested “to go on the cannons” (to the sound of firing), but the commander was not sure of the correctness of this move and did not know Napoleon’s intentions about himself. As a result, he continued the attack on Wavre, which led to the catastrophe of the main forces of the army. Mistakes were made by Soult, who turned out to be a bad army chief of staff. In the midst of the battle with Wellington’s army, Napoleon, who had waited in vain for the appearance of Pear’s troops, asked Soult: “Did you send messengers to Pears?” “I sent one,” said Soult. “My dear sir,” the emperor exclaimed indignantly, “Berthier would have sent a hundred messengers!” Several fatal accidents that war is full of, ultimately determined the outcome of a decisive battle for France.
It must be remembered that even if Napoleon had even won the battle, nothing would have changed. The European coalition was just beginning to deploy its armies. So the Russian army moved to France, the Austrians were preparing for the invasion. Victory would only prolong the agony. Napoleon could save only popular revolutionary war. And then, if the opponents did not decide to respond with a total war, a war of annihilation. After Waterloo, huge armies invaded France: Austrian army (230 thousand), Russian (250 thousand), Prussian (more than 300 thousand), Anglo-Dutch (100 thousand).
The collapse of Napoleon's empire
21 Jun Napoleon returned to Paris. The situation was extremely dangerous. But there were still chances. In 1792-1793 the situation on the fronts was even worse. Napoleon was ready to continue the fight. But he was already betrayed in 1814 year. He was disturbed by the rear. The Chamber of Deputies and the Peers swore to defend freedom, but they demanded Napoleon’s abdication. The deputies wanted to save themselves. Fouche betrayed Napoleon again.
It should be noted that the people turned out to be higher than the parliamentarians. In the Elysee Palace, where Napoleon stopped, delegations from the workers, from the outskirts, from all the outskirts of the capital, the common people went all day. The working people went to the French emperor to show their support. In Napoleon, they saw a protector of ordinary people from parasites and oppressors. He was ready to support and protect. The streets of the French capital were shouted: “Long live the emperor! Down with the Bourbons! Down with the aristocracy and the priests! "
The “organizer of victory” Lazar Carnot proposed emergency measures in the Chamber of Peers: to proclaim that the fatherland is in danger, to establish a temporary dictatorship. Only by the complete mobilization of all the forces of France, with reliance on the common people, could intervention be reflected. However, neither the demands of the people nor the proposals of Carnot were supported either by the parliament or by Napoleon himself. Napoleon did not dare to the people's war. Although it was enough for him to wish and the Parisian "bottom" would cut out all the deputies. Napoleon did not dare to become a revolutionary again.
Rejecting the people's war, Napoleon could no longer continue the struggle. Without arguing or arguing, but signed an act of abdication in favor of his son. Napoleon spent several days in the Elysian Palace. Then the interim government asked him to leave the palace. Napoleon went to Rochefort, to the sea.
What's next? It was impossible to remain in France, the Bourbons would not spare. He was advised to go to America, refused. He did not dare to go to Prussia, Austria, Italy and Russia. Although, perhaps, in Russia he would be the best. Napoleon made an unexpected decision. Hoping for the nobility of the British government, Napoleon voluntarily boarded the English battleship Bellerophon, hoping to get political asylum from his longtime enemies - the British. The game was over.
The British did not meet his expectations. Apparently, in order to hide the traces of his game, Napoleon was turned into a prisoner and sent to distant St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean. There, Napoleon spent the last six years of his life. This time the British did everything to make Bonaparte’s escape from the island impossible. There is a version that Napoleon was eventually poisoned by the British.
- Alexander Samsonov
- Part 1. "Flight of the Eagle." Like Napoleon with a handful of soldiers and without a single shot captured France
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