WATERLOO who was to blame

[Villeneuve(M)]

I blame Wellington and Blucher!......Thy did so well in this campgnain.....

Wellington with this nice hold in Mont St Jean and Blucher with his so nice rush in "song of guns" the day fatidic!

The calm of wellington and the "rage" (the agressivity) of Blucher win this battle more than the errors of our generals
(except the case of Hougoumont... see the topic about it)

I think that.

Salutations.

[Wagram]

Grouchy could have allowed Gerard to "march to the sound of the guns" on the morning of the 18th. Now, there probably were good reasons for the decision Grouchy actually made like not knowing much about where the Prussians currently were, what they were doing and his existing orders from Napoleon. However, had Gerard's Corps been detached and marched via Mont St Guibert-Mousty-Lasnes they could well have caught elements of the Prussian army moving throught the LAsnes defile on the late afternoon of the 18th. Very likely this would have been Pirch's corps strung out in a column of march. As Steven Marthinsen demonstrates in hi "Napoleon's Waterloo Campaign: An Alternative History" such a situation would have seriously disrupted the Prussian attack. With Bulows corps most likely already engaged around Planchenoit only Zieten's corps would have been left free to manouvre, In the historical battle we know Ziethen very nearly decided to support Bulow instead of Wellington's left flank.In the historical battle it was only Muffling's success in convininving Ziethen that Wellingotn was not retreating that prevented the Prussian general from taking the decision to move on Planchenoit. Such a move would have taken Ziethen out of the battle for a short but critical period. In the even of Gerard attacking at LAsne however ZIethen's orders might well have had to be changed to require him to support Pirch's corps which, had it been cauaght in order of march would have been in serious trouble.

This would have taken the pressure off Napoleon's right flank. With Lobau now only having to contend with Bulow much more of the Imperial Guard would have been availabkle for the atttack on Wellington. Furthermore Durutte would have been free to take Papelotte without having to worry about Zieten. Wellington could not have moved Viavian and Vandaleur's cavalry to support his centre. This would have given the Gaurd a much better chance to succeed. It would then have depended on whether Wellington held his army together or not.

[AJ]

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