Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Gamble (Making History)
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Review
‘Roberts gives us a typically concise, pacy and well-argued account that puts many of its predecessors to shame…a masterly synthesis of the latest scholarship.’ Saul David, Sunday Telegraph
‘Roberts’s prose is as lively as the action he describes; he is comprehensive in his survey of Waterloo historiography, and generous in his attributions.’ Allan Mallinson, Spectator
‘Roberts writes with great clarity about the shape, progress and tactics of the battle.’ Andrew Holgate, Sunday Times
‘In this admirably concise and spirited book, Roberts mixes just the right amount of specific anecdote and human detail into his analysis of how this extraordinary battle unfolded.’ Christopher Silvester, Daily Express
‘Andrew Roberts covers the five distinct phases of the battle with panache, and he touches on all of the major areas of controversy that make Waterloo so fascinating.’ Simon Shaw, Mail on Sunday
‘The battle of Waterloo is both one of the most decisive in history and the most difficult to describe. Andrew Roberts, by prodigous research and by virtue of a clean, well-argued analysis, has produced the most convincing description of that fearsome day I have ever read. It should remain the most authoritative account for many years.’ Paul Johnson
Review
'Roberts gives us a typically concise, pacy and well-argued account that puts many of its predecessors to shame!a masterly synthesis of the latest scholarship.' Saul David, Sunday Telegraph 'Roberts's prose is as lively as the action he describes; he is comprehensive in his survey of Waterloo historiography, and generous in his attributions.' Allan Mallinson, Spectator 'Roberts writes with great clarity about the shape, progress and tactics of the battle.' Andrew Holgate, Sunday Times 'In this admirably concise and spirited book, Roberts mixes just the right amount of specific anecdote and human detail into his analysis of how this extraordinary battle unfolded.' Christopher Silvester, Daily Express 'Andrew Roberts covers the five distinct phases of the battle with panache, and he touches on all of the major areas of controversy that make Waterloo so fascinating.' Simon Shaw, Mail on Sunday 'The battle of Waterloo is both one of the most decisive in history and the most difficult to describe. Andrew Roberts, by prodigous research and by virtue of a clean, well-argued analysis, has produced the most convincing description of that fearsome day I have ever read. It should remain the most authoritative account for many years.' Paul Johnson
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"A slender volume" tends to be a derogatory way to refer to a book, but Andrew Roberts has proved that that need not be the case. Physically, his book is certainly small; if there is a smaller book among the many on the subject of Waterloo, I haven't encountered it. This is so well written, however, that the brevity of the book is no disadvantage. The events are recounted with admirable lucidity, but Roberts still finds space for numerous well-reasoned arguments. He does not set out with an axe to grind, as does Peter Hofschroer (with a degree of justice) and as do numerous French authors, desperately trying to prove that the French actually won the battle. He is properly dismissive of the kind of francophone pseudo-historian who is still unable to accept, one hundred and ninety years after the event, that the French were defeated, or that they deserved to be, but his tone is admirably balanced overall (Hofschroer gets a respectful reference). Roberts never explicitly tries to compare Wellington's generalship with Napoleon's, but does draw attention to the flaws in Napoleon's command on the day: late start, unsubtle tactics, assumption of British inferiority, failure to comprehend the significance of the fact that the Prussians were still very much in play, failure to shift his position, to see the battlefield from another vantage-point. There is an ingenious and actually quite plausible explanation of how the insanely conducted French cavalry charges began. I shan't spoil it here (you'll have to read the book). Admittedly, massed frontal charges were exactly how Napoleon conducted the whole battle, so he may well have ordered them, even if his defenders maintain that that is impossible. Roberts leaves space for some illuminating conclusions about the significance of the victory. Napoleon would almost certainly have been steamrollered by the Russians, even if he had won at Waterloo, but a war won by Russia would have led to a very different Europe in the nineteenth century. I don't think that you can have too many books about this fascinating and dreadful battle. Roberts himself pays tribute to Jac Weller, Ian Fletcher and Mark Adkin and is certainly not seeking to supersede their efforts. As far as modern-day analyses of the battle are concerned, however, you can't go wrong with Adkin's masterpiece and this gem from Andrew Roberts, with Hofschroer's works, perhaps, thrown in for a provocatively different perspective.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a regular battlefield tour guide at the site Andrew Roberts's knowledge of the ground is apparent in this elegant little book. He introduces some interesting aspects of modern analysis, such as climatologist Dennis Wheeler's model of the weather system that deluged the battlefield with `apocalyptic' rainfall: the French guns could not operate effectively until the ground had dried appreciably, causing a serious delay that helped the Prussian army under Marshal Gebhardt von Blücher to come to the Duke of Wellington's assistance. For this battle was not won by the British alone.
However, the book has curious features such as the comment that the Dutch-Belgian component of Wellington's army was not as 'politically, ideologically or racially motivated' as the British. Race is not a factor normally associated with the Napoleonic Wars, and although Mr Roberts pays tribute to them: 'Never should the non-British and non-Prussian contribution to the victory be underestimated ... '; yet despite two-thirds of Wellington's army being non-British, these troops make little impact on the narrative. Anglo-centrism has long been a problem with Waterloo studies, and this book breaks no ground in that direction.
There are technical shortcomings as well, with unit names frequently garbled such as the '95th Rifle Brigade'. In fact the 95th Regiment of Foot (Riflemen) - or 95th Rifles as they were commonly known - ceased to be the 95th when they bacame The Rifle Brigade in 1816. Thus, despite a comment on the back by Paul Johnson that it 'should remain the authoritative account for many years', it falls a long way short of that. But it remains a good read, and should encourage further delving into this fascinating period.
However, the book has curious features such as the comment that the Dutch-Belgian component of Wellington's army was not as 'politically, ideologically or racially motivated' as the British. Race is not a factor normally associated with the Napoleonic Wars, and although Mr Roberts pays tribute to them: 'Never should the non-British and non-Prussian contribution to the victory be underestimated ... '; yet despite two-thirds of Wellington's army being non-British, these troops make little impact on the narrative. Anglo-centrism has long been a problem with Waterloo studies, and this book breaks no ground in that direction.
There are technical shortcomings as well, with unit names frequently garbled such as the '95th Rifle Brigade'. In fact the 95th Regiment of Foot (Riflemen) - or 95th Rifles as they were commonly known - ceased to be the 95th when they bacame The Rifle Brigade in 1816. Thus, despite a comment on the back by Paul Johnson that it 'should remain the authoritative account for many years', it falls a long way short of that. But it remains a good read, and should encourage further delving into this fascinating period.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a very short book on Waterloo: it clocks in at less than 100 pages of text, with a bunch of pictures and appendices taking up the page count. Despite that, it's the perfect introduction to that battle: not the Peninsula war before it, not the Napoleonic wars generally, or anything else. What it aims to do, it does, and quite superbly.
The subtitle and thesis of the book is that of Napoleon's "last gamble". It appears that Waterloo was in some ways uncharacteristic for the Emporer, but its also clear that he brought these problems on himself with a series of risks which ultimately failed to pay off. Even with this, it is clear how much this was "a damned close run thing" and the tragedy of a battle won, from the Anglo-Allied perspective.
Roberts runs through the battlefield itself, the weather, and the oncoming Prussians to set the scene and show the action beautifully. There are extracts from letters and statements by soldiers, as well as some discussion of various myths, rumours and theories surrounding Waterloo. I assume there are more complete studies of Waterloo out there, but this is an excellent addition to them.
The subtitle and thesis of the book is that of Napoleon's "last gamble". It appears that Waterloo was in some ways uncharacteristic for the Emporer, but its also clear that he brought these problems on himself with a series of risks which ultimately failed to pay off. Even with this, it is clear how much this was "a damned close run thing" and the tragedy of a battle won, from the Anglo-Allied perspective.
Roberts runs through the battlefield itself, the weather, and the oncoming Prussians to set the scene and show the action beautifully. There are extracts from letters and statements by soldiers, as well as some discussion of various myths, rumours and theories surrounding Waterloo. I assume there are more complete studies of Waterloo out there, but this is an excellent addition to them.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent easy to follow, account of the battle
This was an excellent, easy to follow read of the battle. It is well referenced and has up-to-date accounts of the 5 phases of the battle. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Gareth
Last battle of the 18th century
I know, Waterloo was fought in 1815 but Andrew Roberts explains the reference and meaning. I read this book very slowly over a period of around three weeks despite its length being... Read more
Published on 11 Nov 2009 by Arthur King
Waterloo Sunset
Was warfare - of the type which had its last grand "Hurrah!" at Waterloo - the most Extreme Sport of its day? Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2009 by Oliver Twist
A concise read!
This book is excellent for its concise approach to a comples subject.
I like his new explanation for the start of the French Cavalry charges commencing but also for his... Read more
I like his new explanation for the start of the French Cavalry charges commencing but also for his... Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2008 by Mr. D. F. Pearson
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