The Lessons Of History?

[FredPuli43]

I have just been online in an auction of medals. Four lots were medals awarded to British soldiers in the Battle of Waterloo. They averaged £2,500 each. One medal was awarded to a Hanoverian soldier in the same battle. It fetched only £650, and that was well above the £400 top estimate by the auctioneer.

Now, are we still taught that Wellington and his British soldiers won it on their own ? Is this still a common belief? Indeed, to what extent do we have a distorted view of our own country's achievements ?

[andy-hughes]

History remembers victories, and history books remember the victories of its domsetic heroes.

If you want proof, check out the Napoleon museum in Paris, where their great leader's ever campaign is detailed and lauded, even inckuding a lock of his hair.

Sadly, Napoleon's military highlights stop dead (pardon the pun!) at 1814, it seems that Waterloo did not feature in his life and career - at least as far as the French are concerned.

[jake-the-peg]

I thought it was pretty common knowledge that it was a close thing

That famous quote "the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life. .." and that Blucher swung the balance