Waterloo(15-18th June 1815)

Battle of Waterloo (French: watɛʁ'lo), battle fought between the French army commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops against British, Dutch and German led by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian army of Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher , near the town of Waterloo (Belgium), June 18, 1815.

It is considered as part of the Campaign of Waterloo all combat ranging from the first encounters between French troops with Prussian detachments June 15, until the final withdrawal of the French army on the 18th.

French side participated in the 80,000 troops and 210 cannons, estimated casualties were 11,500 (14%). The Prussians deployed 84,000 soldiers and 224 cannons, estimated casualties were 25,000 (30%) .1

On February 26, 1815 Napoleon flees the island of Elba where he was exiled. On March 13, hearing of the news, is reunited Congress of Vienna where he was declared outlaw and decided to meet again an alliance to capture him, being so formed the Seventh Coalition.

A week later Napoleon arrives in Paris where he again received the support of the people and come to him all the officers and soldiers of the Grande Armée. Given the situation leaves Louis XVIII and Napoleon proclaimed Emperor for the second time.

The new coalition of Austria, Russia, Britain and Prussia begins to unfold in the Netherlands, when Napoleon decides to attack, aware of the need to stop them before they back together all the armies. On June 12, is preparing to blow up the coalition and take Brussels.

The main reason why Napoleon chose an offensive strategy was for the possible effects that could produce an overnight success.

But what finally tipped the balance was the known existence of political differences between England and Prusia.Un sudden attack could force one side to retire following his own line of communication. If Napoleon took advantage of the gap between them, which at first was already 75 kilometers (distance between headquarters) could isolate and either attack them separately, it was clear that neither of the two separate armies would able to stand against the powerful Armée du Nord

However, the strategy did not work out, but came very close to winning.
Only in the final moments of the battle, when Blücher reached positions of Napoleon, decided the fate of Waterloo.

The defeat ended the Napoleonic dream, because 6 years later died on the island of St. Helena.