Monday, January 14, 2013

A Forensic Analysis of the Battle of Waterloo - 18 June 1815


The Battle of Waterloo has long been recognized as a decisive event not only of military history but also of world history. The following video can best be described as a multi-discipline forensic analysis of the battle.

The experts include landscape archeologists, meteorologists, sports physiologists, military psychiatrists, historians, and serving artillery officers. Its initial focus is on accurate restoration of the contemporary terrain that the Duke of Wellington had so carefully chosen, and the significant distortion, which had occurred as a result of the construction of the ‘Lion's Mound’, subsequent to the battle, as a commemorative to the Allied armies.

Everything from the consistency of the mud under the foot of the ‘Grande Armee’ to the devastating effect of Royal Artillery canister rounds, and the psychological health, and resultant fitness to command of Marshal Ney during the critical later stages of the battle, are addressed and clinically evaluated.


For those readers who may be so inclined the recently digitally re-engineered production of the 1970 movie, WATERLOO, starring Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer may be viewed in its entirety at; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH2BZgbbKjI&feature=youtu.be , or in sequential segments from the following: