1. The Crusades
   World War I
2. Napoleonic Wars

The Battle of Waterloo was a major turning point of the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. The wars tore apart Europe for about two decades.

1. the Spanish
   the French
2. the Americans

In 1815, a British-led coalition confronted a French army at the Battle of Waterloo. The fates of millions of Europeans were wrapped up in the battle's outcome.

1. Napoleon Bonaparte
   Charles de Gaulle
2. Joseph Joffee

He's a man who is still regarded as one of the most powerful in world history: Napoleon Bonaparte. He had masterminded France's domination of Europe, and planned on yet another victory at Waterloo.

1. emperor
   president
2. bloodthirsty tyrant

Napoleon was a scrappy fighter and politician who pushed his way to the top of French society. In 1804, after a series of major military victories, he made himself emperor.

1. He was beheaded.
   He was forced to leave the throne.
2. He contracted syphilis.

In 1814, an alliance of Russian, Swedish, Austrian and Prussian troops beat Napoleon's armies and captured Paris. The iconic leader was forced to leave his throne and was exiled to a small Mediterranean island off of the coast of Italy.

1. He launched another military campaign.
   He went to Disneyland.
2. He retired from politics.

After less than a year in exile, Napoleon escaped, seized control of his former armies, and began what was called the Hundred Days campaign. The mastermind was back in action and ready to rock Europe all over again.

1. They prepared for war.
   They surrendered.
2. They pleaded for mercy.

The European alliance that ousted Napoleon in 1814 once again banded together, this time in hopes of permanently putting a stop to the power-hungry Frenchman's ways.

1. Seventh Coalition
   the Allies
2. the Cronies

The British-led Seventh Coalition stood in the way of French domination in Europe. Napoleon planned a preemptive strike to put down the allies and make the Coaltion surrender.

1. 30,000
   150,000
2. 9 million

Each of the four major powers committed to keeping 150,000 troops at the ready until their French nemesis was finally gone. In other words, Napoleon had to make his move or risk being annihilated.

1. New York
   Belgium
2. London

Napoleon wasted no time attacking the Coalition. In June, he marched in to what's now called Belgium and defeated the Prussian army. The French general was back, and in a big way.

1. He was mentally ill.
   He was outnumbered.
2. He was impatient.

Upon Napoleon's return to power, the Coalition commited hundreds of thousands of troops to oust the French leader. Napoleon knew he would be outnumbered, so he chose to strike first.

1. Belgium
   Germany
2. Slovakia

On June 18, 1815, British-led forces confronted the French army in what is now Belgium. If Napoleon won, he would have momentum in his return to power; lose, and his empire was on the ropes.

1. 2
   9
2. 12

Two of the armies of the Coalition took the field. They were the Prussian army, led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prince of Wahlstatt, and the British allies, under the command of the Duke of Wellington.

1. True
2. False

It's false, the French forces were outnumbered. Napoleon had just over 70,000 troops at his disposal, against nearly 120,000 Coalition troops.

1. It was rather inexperienced.
   It had many elite soldiers.
2. Most men didn't even have guns.

The Prussian army was made up of tens of thousands of conscripts, and many of them had never been in battle. Napoleon knew that he could knock the Prussians out of the war if he struck decisively.

1. "God of War"
   "Old Blood and Guts"
2. "The Mountain"

Napoleon's domination of his foes left him with a formidable reputation … and a nickname: "God of War." At the Battle of Waterloo, many Coalition troops undoubtedly figured they would be heading to early graves.

1. clear and cool
   rainy
2. white-out blizzard

The night before the battle, troops slumbered under cloudy skies and heavy rain, an element that would eventually play a role in the battle's outcome.

1. more troops
   more food
2. more gold

Wellington led the British portion of the army and knew that the French were coming. He knew that the Prussians were still some ways off, and that he would need their help to defeat Napoleon.

1. They staged dog fights the night before.
   They were camped right next to each other.
2. The Internet said so.

The French and the allies camped just 1,500 yards from each other the night of June 17. The next day, they all knew, the bullets would be flying.

1. He wanted to eat the Duke of Wellington.
   He wanted to capture Brussels.
2. He wanted the battle to end before dinnertime.

Napoleon wanted to capture the city of Brussels. His idea was to split the alliance, consolidate his territory and weather the storm while building a bigger and better army.

1. to let the ground dry out a little
   he didn't sleep very well
2. so he could savor the moment

The previous night's rain had saturated the ground. Napoleon delayed his advance to let the water dissipate a little, but that simple decision wound up having a major impact on the ensuing battle.

1. air assault
   envelopment
2. full frontal attack

Napoleon loved to sweep his foes' flanks with envelopment attacks. And that was exactly his plan as the battle began around midday on June 18.

1. Norwegians
   Prussians
2. Americans

As Napoleon belatedly started his attack at midday, the Prussians were on the march to assist the Coalition. If they arrived too late, the French would probably have already earned their triumph.

1. The French overran the Coalition.
   The British slaughtered every last French soldier.
2. Fighting halted for an afternoon snack.

At La Haye Sainte, the French found their momentum, crushing the allies and pushing them back. Now, French artillery could launch their shells into the center of Coalition positions. The situation was indeed dire.

1. hidden troops
   an army of rabid raccoons
2. nuclear bombs

Using the rolling terrain and tall grasses, Wellington concealed his reinforcements. As Napoleon's troops quickly advanced, the Coalition men stood and fired at almost point-blank range.

1. Napoleon suffered cardiac arrest.
   The Prussians arrived.
2. George Washington strode onto the battlefield with his sword drawn.

Just as Wellington's men shattered the French assault, the Prussian army arrived on the scene. What had moments before been a French rout suddenly began a Coalition counteroffensive. The French were defeated.

1. around 12,000
   around 65,000
2. around 1 million

The Battle of Waterloo was a bloody affair, especially considering that it lasted just a day. By the end, around 65,000 men were dead, wounded, missing or captured. But Napoleon's bloodthirsty reign was over.

1. He left his throne for good.
   He committed suicide.
2. He vacationed in the Bahamas.

Four days after the battle, Napoleon left his throne for good. After 23 years, it was the long-anticipated end of the Napoleonic Wars.

1. He took up golf.
   He became a hedge fund manager.
2. He died in exile.

Once again, Napoleon was exiled, to a remote island in the South Atlantic. This time, there would be no escape. He died in 1821 at age 51, probably from cancer.

1. met its Waterloo
   visited with Lucifer
2. been French fried

Ever since Napoleon's miraculous defeat, the Battle of Waterloo has come to symbolize David vs. Goliath-type odds. If someone "meets his Waterloo," he's been defeated … even though he should have won.