Editing Waterloo (1970 film) (section)

==Plot==
In the aftermath of the [[Campaign in north-east France (1814)|1814 campaign]], French Emperor [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] is forced to abdicate at the demand of his [[Marshal of the Empire|marshals]]. Exiled to [[Elba]] with 1,000 men, Napoleon escapes after a year and once more rallies the French to his side. King [[Louis XVIII]] flees, and the [[Hundred Days|European powers declare war once again]]. In [[Brussels]] during the [[Duchess of Richmond's ball]], the [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington]] is warned of Napoleon's march into [[Belgium]], tactically driving a wedge between the British and Prussian armies. Wellington, in consulting with his staff, elects to halt Napoleon at [[Waterloo, Belgium|Waterloo]].

At [[Battle of Quatre-Bras|Quatre-Bras]], Marshal [[Michel Ney|Ney]] fights the British to a draw, whereas Napoleon defeats the Prussians at [[Battle of Ligny|Ligny]]. Ney rides to Napoleon to deliver his report, but in doing so has allowed Wellington to withdraw his still intact forces. Napoleon commands [[Emmanuel de Grouchy, marquis de Grouchy|Grouchy]] to lead 30,000 men against the Prussians to prevent their rejoining the British, whilst Napoleon will command his remaining troops against Wellington.

On 18 June 1815, the [[Battle of Waterloo]] commences with initial cannon fire from the French. Napoleon launches teasing attacks against Wellington's flanks at [[Hougoumont]] and [[La Haye Sainte]], though Wellington refuses to divert his main force. General [[Thomas Picton|Picton]] is sent to plug a gap when a Dutch brigade is routed, and though successful he is killed in doing so. [[William Ponsonby (British Army officer)|Ponsonby]] also leads a cavalry charge against the French cannon but becomes isolated from the main allied force and is cut down by French lancers.

Troops spotted emerging from the east are worryingly assumed to be Grouchy by Wellington, and [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher|Blücher]] to Napoleon. Suffering from stomach pain, Napoleon momentarily withdraws and leaves Ney in command. Simultaneously, the order is given to allied troops to retire 100 paces, which Ney incorrectly interprets as a withdrawal.

Ney leads a cavalry charge against the British but is repelled with casualties by [[infantry square]]s. Despite this, the battle still wages much in Napoleon's favour; La Haye Sainte falls to the French, and Napoleon ultimately decides to send the [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]] to deliver the decisive blow.

During their advance, [[Peregrine Maitland|Maitland's]] [[Grenadier Guards|1st Foot Guards]], who were lying in tall grass, deliver a devastating point-blank volley against the Imperial Guard, repulsing them with heavy casualties. At the same time, Blücher arrives in the field. For the first time in its history the Imperial Guard breaks, and the battle is won by the Allied forces.

That evening after the battle, Wellington is seen observing the thousands of casualties on the field. Napoleon, having survived the battle, is urged to flee at the pleas of his marshals.