We were watching a DVD on the battle of Waterloo for a history assessment and the supply teacher stood in front of the smart board and talked over a chunk of it. that chunk's the answers to one of the questions. The question is "How Did The British Defeat The French Old Guard?" The DVD said "with his cavalry defeated and the Prussians advancing Napoleon decided to attack with his elite infantry, The Old Guard. The Old Guard would have made short work of the British redcoats one on one so Wellington devised a plan. He told his... RIGHT BOYS STOP TALKING OR YOU WON'T HEAR THE DVD AND YOU WON'T GET A GOOD GRADE IN THE ASSESSMENT!!! YOU BOY, GET YOUR HEAD UP NOW!!!! RIGHT THERE WE GO.... and the old guard found themselves doing something they had never done before, retreating. The battle was won and Napoleon was defeated. Do you know what she talked over? Thanx for ur help!!!!! :)
History - 4 Answers
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1 :
Wellington's troops laid on the ground below the crest of the hill, out of sight of the French and somewhat protected from the artillery fire. When the Old Guard crested the hill, they were met with massed infantry firing point blank, and were sent into retreat. Hope this helps Retired military officer and student of military history
2 :
Napoleon lost for a few reasons. 1.....He always used his artillery (Guns) to soften up the enemy. Guns on mass breaking down the infantry formations. At Waterloo....he sent in his infantry and did not use his guns. 2.....Wellington had his army on the high ground, giving him greater range on his muskets. 3........The weather did not help, Napoleon the ground was muddy and slick, now he had to have his troops fight up hill in slick conditions then fight the british. Finally wellington did have his artillery in-placed and it tore a hole through the Imperial guards calvary units. Lastly and obviously Wellingtons infantry were way more schooled in discipline and Napoleonic tactics from previous battles. Napoleon would break up British box formations then pick off the unprotected infantry. At Waterloo the British forces held to their box formations, thus what every Imperial guard calvary that managed to get under the guns and survived the enemy artillery attack now had to face the fixed bayonets and lances of infantry in a box formation, the first three lines of a box formation would form into a big spiky wall protecting the infantry inside from Sabre and lancer attacks. Likewise the men behind the three lines of defence would be firing their muskets at the calvary who had lost their momentum of attack. You could say it was Napoleon acting out of character that caused his defeat, he made mistakes he would not have made in other battles.
3 :
ahahaha, very funny XD. and Ironic. Right, on to the topic. As the other guy said, they hid behind hill to gain protection from artillery. Also because british solders were on the ground, they seem as the french as dead, which took the old guard by surprise when they suddenly stood back up. Plus they were firing at Point blank. another factor was the ground. It just rained, the ground was muddy, muddy ground reduce effectiveness of cannon balls because they slow cannon balls down.
4 :
The British !st regiment of Foot Guards (commanded by colonel Maitland), were positioned out of sight in a cornfield. As the Old Guard drew level with the cornfield, the Foot Guards opened fire into the exposed flank of the enemy.Unable to return fire as Maitland's men were not to their front, those troops in the flank and rear of the French column (the ones taking the British fire) broke and ran, forcing the rest of the column to retreat (which they did in good order).
