Page 50 - All About History - Issue 26-15

Waterloo: The Fall of Napoleon

Napoleon was known for
having a memory second
to none, able to remember
where all his units were at
any point in battle

Napoleon’s tomb has pride
of place in Les Invalides
The Emperor’s
Legacy

Napoleon’s legacy had already begun even before he
passed away, and he sharply divided opinion the world
over as soon as his conquests began. For his supporters,
he was a force of justice, spreading the French values of
freedom and liberty with the ultimate goal of peace and
national unification. This continues today; Napoleon’s
policies created the basis for a legal system used
worldwide, allowing freedom of religion and judging on
merit rather than birth. However, there are those who
disagree. Although beginning with good intentions, many
believe he was driven by selfish ambitions that resulted
in the loss of millions of lives. The 200th anniversary of Napoleon was often the subject
his victory of Austerlitz was not officially celebrated in of caricatures. This one reads ‘I
France and the emperor is far from a national hero, such smoke and cry about my sins’
as the likes of Charles de Gaulle. However, it is important
to note that he is also not regarded as a merciless
dictator – evident in how many monuments bear his
name throughout France as well as his place of rest, Les
Invalides, which is one of the most opulent buildings in the
capital. The discussion of whether Le Petit Caporal was a
liberator or tyrant seems set to continue, but both sides
do agree on something – his immense impact upon Europe
is still being felt today.

Napoleon’s casualties at the
Battle of Waterloo amounted
to 41,000, while the allied total
was approximately 24,000

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