bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo...Controversial? (1 Viewer)

[Poppo]

Next june 18, it will be the bicentenary of Waterloo battle ( june 18, 1815).
This event is going to be controversial, in fact France has just refused the mint of a european commemorative 2 euro coin about the Waterloo battle. And some british newspapers make ironic comments on this fact ( even if Uk doesn' t have the euro), saying that with Waterloo Europe became more free, while other europeans state that better if UK had lost that battle because after it the british invaded half of the world...So, some europeans wish to celebrate and others no.
And this bicentennial also rises the question if Napoleon was bringing the new democratic ideas of the french revolution or, on the contrary, he was a dictator....

I think from here till june more will be said!

 

[Blackbob]

Hello Poppo, Master Sergeant,

I entirely agree that there will be much debate/comment on the battle at Waterloo. Some things never change.
However I must help out with some history. Waterloo was won by a combination of British, Netherlanders and the German forces from Nassau, Hanover and Prussia,( if I have missed anyone out -I apologise). Certainly The Iron Duke had a key part to play, but deployment initiated by a Netherland's general to Quatre Bras and Blucher's and his Prussians arrival at Waterloo was decisive. Napoleon may have helped reform some of Europe, but more through legislation and unintended consequences. On the day at Waterloo he was poor.
I have walked the ground of the 100 day campaign and will be at Waterloo for the bicentenary. Hope the weather is better than it was 200 years ago.
Blackbob
PS the habit of Britain invading other lands started well before 1815.

 

[BLReed]

...So, some europeans wish to celebrate and others no.

I thought that each country could choose a National side for the Euro coins.
So if some wanted Waterloo on their side they could. The French had 70th Anniversary
of General De Gaulle's Appeal of 18 June on one side and Germany didn't get all in
and uproar.

 

[BHogan]

Interesting! I didn't realize there was still so much controversy over Napoleon's final battle. I guess time does take a very long time to heal wounds after all.
Cheers,
Brendan

 

[Poppo]

I thought that each country could choose a National side for the Euro coins.
So if some wanted Waterloo on their side they could. The French had 70th Anniversary
of General De Gaulle's Appeal of 18 June on one side and Germany didn't get all in
and uproar.

France put " veto" {sm4}

According to "The Telegraph" taken up by the Daily Mail France by the voice of his government had sent a letter to the European Commission, as a sign of "Veto" to prohibit the 2 Euro commemorative coins 2015 Belgian national, dedicated to "200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo," as Belgium Bank was about to be issued.

It is evident that the pretext is only circumstances and that the true motivation comes from the fact that this same European Commission refused the theme of the Monnaie de Paris is proposing to issue the Battle of Marignano.

This is very unfortunate and the European Commission does not come out stronger from this.

Certainly the French reaction is not very elegant, but you can understand, the rules should be fair and we say that a good rule is understandable rule.

For whatever the reason for rejecting the "Marignan", it should explain the reasons for the acceptance of a "Commemorative Belgian" a victory instead of English, Dutch & Hanoverians and Prussians.

So none of both will be done

 

[Grognard]

More on this ordeal: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...0th-anniversary-coin-upset-French-people.html


Of course it's one-sided :wink2:

 

[Johnboy]

Hi Poppo,
As a Brit I must apologise for only conquering half of the World. Given time we would have conquered the other half !

 

[Napoleon1er]

I thought that each country could choose a National side for the Euro coins.
So if some wanted Waterloo on their side they could. The French had 70th Anniversary
of General De Gaulle's Appeal of 18 June on one side and Germany didn't get all in
and uproar.

These two events are very different. One event is the defeat of a national hero who was either a champion of modernity and progressive ideals or a warmongering autocratic ruler. The other event was a call for national resistance in an occupied country by an internationally accepted hero against an international detested genocidal dictator. Germany protesting that coin who equal support of Hitler, while France's protest is simply part of an ongoing historical debate.

 

[Poppo]

Hi Poppo,
As a Brit I must apologise for only conquering half of the World. Given time we would have conquered the other half !

Would you have liked it? Don' t you have enough immigrants in the UK? Do you wish to have more?

 

[Mirof]

Seems that the coin of 2€ will be edited as a "medal", same size, but no face value

 

[Johnboy]

Would you have liked it? Don' t you have enough immigrants in the UK? Do you wish to have more?

Hi Poppo,
Not sure about the rest of the world, but you are welcome anytime

 

[Martin Tabony]

Would you have liked it? Don' t you have enough immigrants in the UK? Do you wish to have more?

I don't know if you've checked our history. We're ALL immigrants!

Martin

 

[Jack]

Hi Poppo,
As a Brit I must apologise for only conquering half of the World. Given time we would have conquered the other half !

In fact, at 'your' peak, you only conquered one quarter of the world. I assume you exaggerated for comedic effect!{sm4}{sm4}

 

[Johnboy]

In fact, at 'your' peak, you only conquered one quarter of the world. I assume you exaggerated for comedic effect!{sm4}{sm4}

Hi Jack,
OK.........a quarter, that seems about right. However the Royal Navy kept the other three quarters fairly well bottled up from the Napoleonic period until the first quarter of the 20th Century (until we ran out of money and bigger countries began to flex their muscles) But ....be warned, don't underestimate the 2 armed canoes we have left.

 

[Martin Tabony]

Hi Jack,
OK.........a quarter, that seems about right. However the Royal Navy kept the other three quarters fairly well bottled up from the Napoleonic period until the first quarter of the 20th Century (until we ran out of money and bigger countries began to flex their muscles) But ....be warned, don't underestimate the 2 armed canoes we have left.

The two canoes have recently been upgraded with pointy sticks!

Martin

 

[Wraith]

Hi Jack,
OK.........a quarter, that seems about right. However the Royal Navy kept the other three quarters fairly well bottled up from the Napoleonic period until the first quarter of the 20th Century (until we ran out of money and bigger countries began to flex their muscles) But ....be warned, don't underestimate the 2 armed canoes we have left.

Well at least if we tie them both together, we can land a Harrier on them. Oh, hang on, we got rid of those as well. B*gger.

 

[Johnboy]

Well at least if we tie them both together, we can land a Harrier on them. Oh, hang on, we got rid of those as well. B*gger.

Hi All on this thread,
I've been a bit flippant with this subject over the last couple of days. However, being a Brit and ex serviceman there are 3 important anniversary's this year.
1215....The signing of Magna Carta which eventually led to more freedom and democracy in England and which was exported in various forms to other parts of the world.... (OK,OK, so the Americans were a bit "picky" with parts of it in 1776). October 25th St. Crispins day 1415 .....Agincourt, a remarkable battle in the 100 years war with France (and sometimes Scotland) A small English army led by our King Henry V defeated a very much larger French army literally against the odds thanks mainly to powerful longbows and suicidal French tactics. This battle was so important that it generally eclipses the rest of the 100 years war (we didn't do so well later on!) Last but not least June 18th 1815 Waterloo, which needs no explanation to the people who use this forum. Funny thing though ...I visited the battlefield on the anniversary in 1983 and you couldn't move for French re enactors....not a Brit,Dutch,Belgian or Prussian in sight! Perhaps the French did win.........who knew?