The details of a resounding victory for the British Army; which changed the course of European history The Battle of Waterloo is one of the most important moments in military history; as the might of the French Empire; under Napoleon's leadership; faced the Coalition army under Duke of Wellington and Gerhard von Blucher for one last time. The battle saw the culmination of a long campaign to destroy Napoleon's forces and halt the growth of the French Empire. Both sides fought bitterly and Wellington later remarked that "it was the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life." Both armies lost more than 20;000 men on the battlefield that day; but it was the coalition that emerged victorious in the end. Wellington's army counter-attacked and threw the French troops into disarray as they fled from the field. The coalition forces entered France and restored Louis XVIII to the throne; and Napoleon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena; where he later died.
#3454712 in Books 2003-01-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.74 x .93 x 5.72l; .91 #File Name: 0750929383224 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. this probably wont satisfy you to the fullest extentBy Peteit was clearly well researched and detailed; but I thought I was buying a book about a shipwreck survivor. Maybe I had not been made aware of this as a study into the lost tribes of Madagascar; but it switched to an anthropology book quite quickly. I cannot fault the authors their obvious hard work and detail; however if you are after tales of shipwreck; this probably wont satisfy you to the fullest extent.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. "Drury was both English and Malagasy...a Cockney Tandroy; fully belonging to neither society"By sally tarboxMildly interesting account of the life of Londoner Robert Drury; who in 1701; aged 13; set out to forge a career at sea. The East Indiaman came to grief; and the teenager - who many years later was to publish his memoirs - found himself shipwrecked for many years in Madagascar; a harsh; violent and primitive world.The archaeologist author gives plenty of background information - life in 1700s London; piracy in the Indian Ocean; the East India company...Then we follow him and his colleagues as they attempt to find traces of Drury's life in modern-day Madagascar. Hampered by the temporary villages of the people; the lack of written records and Drury's own unreliable memories and phonetic spelling of local names ("King Hosintany... turns up in Drury's book under the delightful name of Woozington"); they nonetheless manage to locate many of the locations; while giving a picture of life in the remote south of the island.The book finishes by looking at the controversy that persists over the book: was Drury really the author; or was it a later work by Daniel Defoe; a fiction masquerading as a true story? The research of the author leads him to conclude it is genuine; though likely edited by another.I learned a lot and it's well researched; but wasn't hugely gripped by the writing.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Malagasy history - fascinating story.By MermamaIf you are interested in the history of Madagascar; anthropology and just history in general; this is a great read. I found it a fascinating story - and history is just a collection of stories that endure long enough for you to find them. Very well-written.
