At the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte was triumphantly defeated by the allied forces of the Seventh Coalition. Why was the size and variety of the coalition often as much a help as a hindrance however?
Answer: Friendly fire was rife. Uniforms were unclear and soldiers often killed allies on the battlefield. The Prussian artillery spent much of the battle firing upon British positions, while British officer Cavalié Mercer noted the Belgians spent the whole battle ‘beastly drunk and not at all particular as to which way they fired’.
Source: The Western Way of War by Victor Davis Hanson
Comments are closed.
Back Home
