France objects to "Waterloo" coin?

[abaris]

No.  He was not. 

British propaganda aside, Napoleon was socially far ahead of the reactionary monarchies of Europe who saw the status quo as in their best interest.

It also speaks volumes that Kissinger is among the few actually celebrating the Congress of Vienna for it's achievements. No large wars between 1815 and 1914 is the justification he gives in his dissertation if I'm not mistaken.

This of course doesn't take into accout the rather small and localised revolutions of the 1830ies, the widespread bloodshed of the 1848 rebellions, the Crimean War, the Italian campaigns of 1859, the Prussian Danish war of 1864, the Prussian Austrian war of 1866, the Prussian French war of 1870/71. Really, a century of peace.

[Anomalocaris]

It is celebrating a French defeat.  That is why they don't like it.

So? The French would prefer to stay under the rule of a dictator? That makes no fucking sense considering they were thrilled the Allies freed them from Nazi Germany. I cant wrap my head around that logic. Napoleon was no hero. He was an opportunist. If I were French I would celebrate his defeat.

oh, please,  if the French were like you there would be no Jules Verne.

Napoleon was an opportunist, which is precisely why he could be a hero.   Hero is nothing but the opportunist who seized the opportunity in a way the observer approved of.   Napoleon was far more progressive, and less dictatorial than any the continental monarchs whose hides were saved by Waterloo.   To make the French empire in a world of European monarchs was type of opportunity seizure I approve of. 

[abaris]

Napoleon was far more progressive, and less dictatorial than any the continental monarchs whose hides were saved by Waterloo.

Their hides were already saved at Leipzig in 1813. Waterloo, which wasn't the only battle of the campaign by the way, was only the final death blow to Napoleon. But it's rather telling that the Bourbons, just reinstalled by their continental buddies, cut and ran the moment Napoleon showed up in France and their troops, sent out to catch him flocked to his camp immediately. They knew exactly that they got no backing in France. And even after Napoleon's defeat, they only could hold themselves for 15 short years.

[Minimalist]

No.  He was not. 

British propaganda aside, Napoleon was socially far ahead of the reactionary monarchies of Europe who saw the status quo as in their best interest.

It also speaks volumes that Kissinger is among the few actually celebrating the Congress of Vienna for it's achievements. No large wars between 1815 and 1914 is the justification he gives in his dissertation if I'm not mistaken.

This of course doesn't take into accout the rather small and localised revolutions of the 1830ies, the widespread bloodshed of the 1848 rebellions, the Crimean War, the Italian campaigns of 1859, the Prussian Danish war of 1864, the Prussian Austrian war of 1866, the Prussian French war of 1870/71. Really, a century of peace.

LOL.  Yeah.  It's like when the republicunts claim that Bush prevented terror attacks....except for that one time!



Also ignores the fact that the Europeans were actively slaughtering natives in the rest of the world.... except for Isandlwana and a few other fuck ups.

[abaris]

Also ignores the fact that the Europeans were actively slaughtering natives in the rest of the world.... except for Isandlwana and a few other fuck ups.

Yeah, thought about it after posting. The 19th century was when colonialism really kicked off. At least for the british, the french and the belgians. Come to think of it, since Belgium is a direct creation of the battle of Waterloo and the ensuing treaties, you can add Kongo to the list. The private possession of the Belgian king, where he really showed himself to be a shiny beacon of humanity. Only to be topped by a select few slaughterers of the 20th century.

[Anomalocaris]

Napoleon was far more progressive, and less dictatorial than any the continental monarchs whose hides were saved by Waterloo.

Their hides were already saved at Leipzig in 1813. Waterloo, which wasn't the only battle of the campaign by the way, was only the final death blow to Napoleon. But it's rather telling that the Bourbons, just reinstalled by their continental buddies, cut and ran the moment Napoleon showed up in France and their troops, sent out to catch him flocked to his camp immediately. They knew exactly that they got no backing in France. And even after Napoleon's defeat, they only could hold themselves for 15 short years.

Napoleon was such a bête noire that I doubt any royal hide on the continent felt themselves saved while he was at the head of an army.   If Napoleon had whipped Wellington at Waterloo, I bet the crowned heads of Europe would feel their hides as completely unsaved as if Austerlitz and Jena had come again, and coalition would fracture.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Brian, while it's certainly true that Napoleon was a dictator, he was a comparatively enlightened and easy-going one.  The French likely don't want to commemorate Waterloo because they really liked Napoleon (and still do).  They were far better off under him than they were under either the Bourbons or the savages of the revolution like Robespierre.

Boru

[abaris]

They were far better off under him than they were under either the Bourbons or the savages of the revolution like Robespierre.

Boru

You could say he was the return of law without rolling back too much of the achievements of the French revolution.

You also have to look at it from the perspective of ordinary citizens at that time. In the last throes of the Bourbon reign before 1789, Paris was considered the most filthy city in Europe. One of the Napoleonic achievements was modernising the city.

[Minimalist]

Case study:  Andre Massena

Private soldier to Marshal of France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Mass%C3%A9na

André Masséna (born Andrea Massena) 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling (May 6, 1758 – April 4, 1817) was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.[1]

Masséna was one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon. His nickname was l'Enfant chéri de la Victoire ("the Dear Child of Victory").[2]
Many of Napoleon's generals were trained at the finest French and European military academies, but Masséna was among those who achieved greatness without benefit of formal education. This, however, does not imply that he was poorly educated in the art of war or lacked administrative abilities. While those of noble rank acquired their education and promotions as a matter of privilege, Masséna rose from humble origins to such prominence that Napoleon referred to him as "the greatest name of my military Empire."

Not only was he poor.  Like Napoleon himself, he was Italian, not French.

[abaris]

Like Napoleon himself, he was Italian, not French.

He came from Corsica. I guess he wouldn't have liked to be called Italian.