Waterloo Campaign 15th June-22nd June 1815
Napoleons army was vastly outnumbered by the allies and knew that he could not defeat these armies after they united; he had to beat them separately. As the Anglo-Dutch army, led by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian army, led by Field Marshal Blucher, were closest, Napoleon had to destroy them first. Napoleon began his campaign on the 15th June by leading the Armee du Nord to Belgium to return it to French rule and defeat Wellington and Blucher who were located there, before the Austrian and Russian army could advance. Four other French armies were situated around France to delay any surprise attack on the French border whilst Napoleon was fighting Britain and Prussia.
Napoleon crossed into Belgium on the 15th June at Charleroi, in south Belgium. His army numbered around 122,652. Napoleon had chosen Charleroi as it was near the road that led to Brussels, by taking it Napoleon would prevent Wellington’s and Blucher’s armies meeting up.
Arriving at Charleroi, Napoleon used his overwhelming numbers to beat back the few Prussian soldiers there and opened up the road to Brussels for his armys. …show more content…
Quatre Bras was fought because it lay at a crossroads which would, if captured, stop the two armies in front of Napoleon meeting up. Ligny was fought because Napoleon thought he could defeat the Prussian army there. Napoleon had to split his army into two in order to one, capture the crossroads which would stop the English advance and two, destroy or hinder the Prussian army’s advance. If Wellington’s and Blucher’s armies’ met up, Napoleon would not be able to defeat their combined force so he had to defeat them separately, which he may well have been able to do. The result of these battles was a major influence on what happened at Waterloo so it is important to assess how each battle individually and the two collectively, affected the battle of
Napoleons army was vastly outnumbered by the allies and knew that he could not defeat these armies after they united; he had to beat them separately. As the Anglo-Dutch army, led by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian army, led by Field Marshal Blucher, were closest, Napoleon had to destroy them first. Napoleon began his campaign on the 15th June by leading the Armee du Nord to Belgium to return it to French rule and defeat Wellington and Blucher who were located there, before the Austrian and Russian army could advance. Four other French armies were situated around France to delay any surprise attack on the French border whilst Napoleon was fighting Britain and Prussia.
Napoleon crossed into Belgium on the 15th June at Charleroi, in south Belgium. His army numbered around 122,652. Napoleon had chosen Charleroi as it was near the road that led to Brussels, by taking it Napoleon would prevent Wellington’s and Blucher’s armies meeting up.
Arriving at Charleroi, Napoleon used his overwhelming numbers to beat back the few Prussian soldiers there and opened up the road to Brussels for his armys. …show more content…
Quatre Bras was fought because it lay at a crossroads which would, if captured, stop the two armies in front of Napoleon meeting up. Ligny was fought because Napoleon thought he could defeat the Prussian army there. Napoleon had to split his army into two in order to one, capture the crossroads which would stop the English advance and two, destroy or hinder the Prussian army’s advance. If Wellington’s and Blucher’s armies’ met up, Napoleon would not be able to defeat their combined force so he had to defeat them separately, which he may well have been able to do. The result of these battles was a major influence on what happened at Waterloo so it is important to assess how each battle individually and the two collectively, affected the battle of