ePub Interpreting American Jewish History at Museums and Historic Sites (Interpreting History) by Avi Y. Decter in History

Description

Believe me; nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won – Wellington The Battle of Waterloo; fought over the course of a day on a muddy field in Belgium; brought an end to two decades of war in Europe. It had been a draining conflict; both financially and in terms of human life; and had threatened the very sovereignty of numerous nations. Here; at the crisis point; Bonaparte and Wellington faced each other at last and fought for control of the continent. The tale of the battle that ended the Napoleonic Wars has been told many times; but most often in terms of the political and military situation; debates over strategies; tactics and the broader global arena. In this book; the story is told by those who were present; in their own words. The accounts come from letters; diaries and published accounts; sometimes recounted many years later; the eyewitness testimonies of officers and ordinary soldiers; friend and foe. This gripping collection of first-hand experiences lets us feel the deafening roar of cannon; hear the anguished cries of the wounded and marvel at the heroism on both sides; at the very heart of a battle that was to prove one of the major turning points in European history.