Waterloo was the climax of The Hundred Days, that remarkable period when Napoleon returned from exile on Elba and once again seized control of France. Waterloo was like a giant chessboard for both Napoleon and his opponent Wellington; both made strategic maneuvers knowing that not just their futures, but the future of Europe and maybe even the world, were at stake. Why was Napoleon so confident of victory at Waterloo that he detached thousands of men on another mission? What strategy did Wellington use to disguise the strength of his forces? What strategy did Napoleon employ that wound up costing him instead? These and other questions are what make the Battle of Waterloo so fascinating to examine.
