The Decisive Battles of World History

x Napoleon abdicated and went into exile on the island of Elba, but

in February 1815, he escaped from the island, landed in France,

proclaimed himself emperor, and began to rally his veterans,

initiating the period known as the Hundred Days. Immediately,

a Seventh Coalition was formed, and each of the major powers

promised to supply 150,000 men to oppose Napoleon.

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Prussians under Blucher. Realizing that his only hope was to defeat

his enemies before they could unite, Napoleon moved against them.

The result was the Battle of Waterloo, at which Wellington and an

army of about 80,000 narrowly defeated Napoleon and his 70,000.

x Waterloo is often cited as the decisive battle of the Napoleonic Wars,

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But it was Leipzig that taught Europe how to defeat Napoleon—the

quick response of the Seventh Coalition demonstrated that Europe

had learned that lesson well—thus, the outcome of the Hundred

Days was never really in doubt. Defeated again, Napoleon was

shipped off to the island of St. Helena and died there in 1821.

Brett-James, Europe against Napoleon.

Hofschroer, Leipzig 1813.

Maude, The Leipzig Campaign, 1813.

1. Do you agree with the argument that Leipzig was more decisive than
   Waterloo? Why or why not?


2. Had the Elster bridge not been blown up prematurely, could this battle
   still be considered decisive?

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Questions to Consider