I chose this event because it was Napoleons first defeat.
In the spring of 1814 Napoleon was forced to abdicate his throne by the allied forces of Europe (England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia) as well as malcontents in France herself (primarily royalists and people who were not royalists but still stood to gain from the reinstatement of the king). These latter were threatening civil war if Napoleon did not abdicate, and the former having captured Paris.
He was exiled to the island of Elba (a small island off the southern coast of France) where he received an annual allowance from France. The terms and stipulations of the exile were laid out in the treaty of Fontainbleau, signed the 11th of April, 1814.
Napoleon's repose on Elba was pleasant, and though the full staff which accompanied him to the island was only thirty-five, it still made up an imperial court. However, Napoleon was only a "play emperor" and he knew it.
At Waterloo, Napoleon met with Wellington's troops as well as those troops who had escaped Quatre-Bras and regrouped. Some of these Allied troops were well entrenched and due to rain late the night before the ground was too soft for Napoleon to use artillery until late in the afternoon. Still, Napoleon needed to destroy his enemy quickly and finally, so his plan was simple: hit hard. The allies had already been retreating and regrouping for two days and he hoped to crush them here once and for all, despite the difficulties he'd been having. However, these same difficulties continued and are what led to his eventual defeat at Waterloo. The Prussians had been allowed to escape and rejoin the allied lines, and they came at a most inopportune time for Napoleon's assault. Once again there was trouble in the communication lines and his generals suffered from lack of vision. The resulting disorder and indecision allowed many opportunities for French victory to slip away and cost Napoleon the campaign. The blame, however can not be lain solely on his generals. Some of Napoleon's choices and assignments for generals and marshals were poor, and many of the resulting command problems stem directly from that.
He was exiled to the island of Elba (a small island off the southern coast of France) where he received an annual allowance from France. The terms and stipulations of the exile were laid out in the treaty of Fontainbleau, signed the 11th of April, 1814.
Napoleon's repose on Elba was pleasant, and though the full staff which accompanied him to the island was only thirty-five, it still made up an imperial court. However, Napoleon was only a "play emperor" and he knew it.
At Waterloo, Napoleon met with Wellington's troops as well as those troops who had escaped Quatre-Bras and regrouped. Some of these Allied troops were well entrenched and due to rain late the night before the ground was too soft for Napoleon to use artillery until late in the afternoon. Still, Napoleon needed to destroy his enemy quickly and finally, so his plan was simple: hit hard. The allies had already been retreating and regrouping for two days and he hoped to crush them here once and for all, despite the difficulties he'd been having. However, these same difficulties continued and are what led to his eventual defeat at Waterloo. The Prussians had been allowed to escape and rejoin the allied lines, and they came at a most inopportune time for Napoleon's assault. Once again there was trouble in the communication lines and his generals suffered from lack of vision. The resulting disorder and indecision allowed many opportunities for French victory to slip away and cost Napoleon the campaign. The blame, however can not be lain solely on his generals. Some of Napoleon's choices and assignments for generals and marshals were poor, and many of the resulting command problems stem directly from that.