The Battle of Waterloo: Opening Moves (part 2/2)

[edstone61n]

This video went viral on Honiara

[craigclay821]

Your video went viral on France

[UtahMike41]

Historical inaccuracies aside, this is one hell of a reenactment. During the actual battle, in nine hours of fighting both sides suffered almost as many casualties as there were in three days of fighting at Gettysburg.

It must have been surreal to have wtinessed such carnage and that men could slaughter eachother in such huge numbers.

[spinynorman230]

a major historic battle is begining and their checking their watches!!!

[DonMeaker]

@spinynorman230 In the absence of night vision devices, it was crucially important to know how much time was left in the day.

[JayvH]

2:32 and 2:37 show the same scene from different camera positions or the artilleryman falls the same way by coincidence.

[Rickinsf]

I read somewhere that Jack Hawkins by this time had lost his ability to speak, cancer of the esophagus, I think. So he "mouthed" his dialog and Rich Little was called on to dub in Hawkin's lines.

True? Makes for a good story anyhow.

[HenrySimmerson]

Captain Napiers battery fought alongside Maitlands 1st Foot Guards, firing at a range of forty yards which also took its toll on the Imperial guard.

[JamesBenwick]

Thats because he was partial to his food, on the way to St. Helena officers were startled by his table manners quoted.

"At dinner he ate heartily of every dish, his fork remaining useless, while his fingers were busily employed" He seemed to enjoy the rich dishes and never touched vegetables.

He was known to eat fast, masticated little, and never refused glasses of wine, canary,Maderia or creamy pastries, buns or biscuits.

[lxgiwylgta]

he had stomach problems didn't he?

[JamesBenwick]

That is correct, at his post-Mortem the medical gentlemen reported an extraordinary quantity of fat which covered almost every part of his interior, under the chest, but particulary the heart which was enveloped in fat.

But the official cause of Napoleons death was stomach cancer.

[DonMeaker]

@lxgiwylgta Either stomach cancer or arsenic poisoning...

[bunterx]

sounds more like billy bunter....

[jayroo71]

2:56 cannon doesn't kick at all and a second later it rolls backwards lol.

[slizzler1]

haha yes- but look at 2:38 -the closest cannon kicks - even though it doesn't fire -LOL

[Paranomasia12]

Shame about that.

And the english Napoleon.

And the cannonballs exploding.

[CoolKidX85]

Poor napoleon so tiny :P

[brand666]

Napoleon, the Great Tyrant

[domknow]

wow look many cannons on opening fire

[ThaMahstah]

It's funny when you consider that France and Britain have been at war more years than the United States has been a country. =P

[lichenxu123]

you're right - imagine how different everything would be if britain and france had united much earlier and worked together. my god, the world would be ours.

[MrGrafted]

@ThaMahstah How meny years were the British and the French at war for? 300 yours? off and on?

[d1m2j3c4ahb]

the had twice of number of artillery than the british

[VVMatrixVV]

Holy cow the opening up of the artillery barrage is insane! What a classic Napoleonic style! I reckon if I were one of them redcoats standing there in my ranks under the artillery barrage i'll piss in my pants!

[RetardedPickle]

what if u were a frenchman...i'd be even more scared since the british r on a hill so their artillery would be all the more powerful and can hit all columns

[VVMatrixVV]

then i'll poop in my pants .. haha

[RetardedPickle]

lol :P

[Gbrltr]

Most of the shells were solid round shot, not explosive shells. That is just Hollywood crap. Of course when one blows through three of four men next to you and scatters the bits all over you, the difference is mostly academic.

"A man such as I am, cares nothing for the lives of a million men". Bonaparte.

[slizzler1]

read about the battle of Borodino-Russian artillery did nightmare things to entire battalions and regiments of Napoleon's attacking army-yes-its unbelievable soldiers in those days had enough discipline to stay and fight in the open with those cannonballs literally raining down sometimes.

[chopinandliszt]

This movie doesn't show the battle correctly. After it rained and the ground dried up, the French heavy artillery rained terror on the British lines.(Wellington didn't fire back because he wanted to save his shots and use them on the charging French infantry, cavalry)

[Zappiss]

The artillery barrage is shown in the movie (and in this clip), or is it not? It actually wasn't that effective as Wellington had placed most of his troops behind the hill.

[slizzler1]

Chopin is correct- French artillery decimated Allied lines enough to nearly convince the far-off arriving Prussians that Wellington was retreating- as a result they almost left the battlefield- Wellington would certainly then have been obliged to retreat from Waterloo knowing the Prussians weren't coming and that Napoleon had reserves to smash his line; sample of french arty at end of battle was 2 guns placed at crossroads decimating Brit square-27th foot- 400 casualties out of 700 in 30mins!

[slizzler1]

I should clarify-a Prussian Corps moving to Wellingtons positions to reinforce his flank instead of moving more south to assist the other Prussian units in battle near Plancenoit.

[219970]

Actually I'm not sure that's right. The ground didn't fully dry up (it wouldn't do in a matter of only a few hours) and was still boggy (as all the first-hand accounts testify). Therefore, the roundshot didn't bounce 5 or 6 times as normal but buried itself in the ground. Secondly, the allies were mainly in the dead ground behind the ridge. It was later in the day when the French took La Haie Sainte that the guns fired at close range and were leathal.

[trainerboipaul]

will people please do research before quoting "scum of the earth"? or do people just like to conviently forget what he said after?

[brand666]

Lot of people around here who're off their meds, I dare say...

[DiVeronica]

Is there any mention of Blucher in this obviously British made movie? or is all the glory given completely to Wellington?

[bouncydave]

Yup Blucher appears and says "Raise the Black Flag my children. I will shoot any man with pity in their eyes". Actualy this film is pritty historicaly accurate (there are a few niggles) but there is a 4 hour version kicking about (the DVD and VHS is about 2 hours long) and it would be great if they released it because there would be more action and probably more Prussian action. The Battle of Leipzig was more important to the allies but i have yet to see a film about it unfortunatly.

[Fatso5055]

It's a Russian movie by the way.

[cossack1001]

watch the film and find out for your self. By the way the film is Italian, Russian and Polish, not 'obviously British'. fool.

[superman444444]

I'm an american, and a history and politcal science major, this movie cant be taken at face value, it's obviously a bristish proganda film....hovever, the british beat the hell out of the french at waterloo, i'm just mad this movie was not more realistic

[Dannie85]

Actually it was done by a Russian and the Soviet Army plays most of the troops so it isn't a British proganda movie.

[liveoutloud88]

It does however continue the steriotype that the Dutch/Belgians were cowards and that the Prussians played little part in the battle. Both of these steriotypes are obvioustly false but I would not classify it as Propoganda.

[krips22]

Most of the soldiers at Waterloo were not Brittish anyway (even _before_ Blücher arrived). The Englishmen were only 24,000 out of 67,000. 43,000 were from other states (A lot of Germans among them, not only from the King's German legion - an "English unit" already at work in Spain).

[dsundre]

I think you need to study this battle more to profess any knowledge of it. Then study the film. Then make a qualified judgement.

[romaka01]

anyone know the name of the song the french marched to?

[krips22]

It's a bit of music from "La marche Consulaire à Marengo", a famous(in France) military music, but not the most "representative" part actually.

[romaka01]

much obliged, thank you.

[Dannie85]

Great war movie watched as a kid, the French and the music is wonderful!!!

[ChristopherthomasBis]

You gotta love the french in this and the music.

The french were brilliant in battle no question.

Viva la emperer.

Well being british i favor Wellington but you gotta give Napoleon credit the man was Brilliant.

[tommyknight90]

Lol wellington owned the french. end of

[CameronHighlander]

Aye agreed tommyknight90, Wellington showed a coolness that day that a lot of the best commanders in History wouldnt of shown on this occasion. Wellington was always leading his army from the front, and proved his worth at the defending of Hougoumont, and the whole Battle. This was the battle to decide who was the best commander out of Wellington and Napoleon. Wellington won.

[Den365]

BLUCHER WON, English arrogants. Napoleon was WORSHIPPED BY HIS TROOPS, he was no more young in 1815, he suffered also from Russia campaign (WHEN THE BRITTS HAVE MADE A RUSSIA CAMPAIGN???? NOT RE-EMBARKING IN RUSSIA??? ;)

Napoleon IS the GREATEST.

Wellington IS only an ARISTOCRATIC BASTARD (British soldiers, "the SCUM OF EARTH") -this is your MASTER, RACE OF SERFS!!!!!

[tommyknight90]

How about you go eat your fucking frogs legs and horse and kiss my English arse. The English kicked the shit out of France every time we fought you. We did it for fun you stupid prick. He may have been loved but Wellington had respect. The one thing that shoves you French bastards into next week.

[Den365]

How much are you IGNORANT -the Brits NEVER DEFEATED FRANCE IN ANY WAR, ALONE.

The only 1 vs. 1 England-France, 100 Years War = French Victory.

FRENCH ARE ACCOUSTUMED TO KICK BRITISH ASS!

[Den365]

You were ALWAYS WITH ALLIES!!!!! YOU SCUMBAG!!!! GO TO BRAWL AT THE PUB THIS IS ALL WHAT YOU BRITS CAN DO -MENACING OTHER PEOPLE, RACE OF BARBARIANS LOATHSOME!!!!

[Den365]

It's clear you're just a 19 years old guy who knows A FUCKING DAMN of what things are -PLEASE, WHEN THE BRITS DEFEATED FRANCE ALONE, WITHOUT ENORMOUSLY STRONGER ALLIES OF BRITAIN???????? ANSWER: NEVER!!!!! YOU BRITTS NEVER HAD THE STRENGHT, ON FIELD, TO FACE FRANCE ALONE!!!!!! CONFRONT TRUTH, YOU DICKHEADS!!!!!

[Dannie85]

Man you have problems with what you say because alot of it is rubbish. Italian Army is not comparable to the Brits full stop. You're country has alot wrong with it too.

[torres090]

Pero si Blücher no hubiera llegado, Wellington habría sido barrido por la Vieja Guardia Francesa...

If Blücher didn't arrives to the battlefield, Bonaparte wons the battle easy...

[matt2house]

with the help of blucher of course.

[Den365]

ALLIED WON. BLUCHER (not a LIAR as Wellington) WON. "His Grace" was LUCKY Prinz Gebhard Leberecht VON BLUCHER and his chief of staff Lt Gen August Graf von Gneisenau were PROFESSIONAL and OVER-COMPETENTS SOLDIERS, not just a bunch of ARISTOCRATIC DANDIES like the Britts!!!! GO TO FIGHT THE ZULUS ;)

[Dannie85]

Are you French or Italian? If you got you're facts right you would know the British Army has the most victories in modern warfare. Napoleon was a great commander but calling us Barbarians is a laugh look at Italy and its history full of slaughter and back stabbing!!!