The government has pledged little support to the occasion
Posted on 06/13/2013 7:42:48 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
Tt is often regarded as the British Army’s greatest military victory.
Led into battle by the Duke of Wellington, UK troops routed Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, a triumph ushering in almost a century of peace and stability in Europe.
But the Government is refusing to mark the battle’s 200th anniversary in 2015 amid suspicions it does not want to offend France.
SNIP
Brussels is spending at least £20million on commemorative events, including restoring the battlefield.
SNIP
James Morrow, secretary of Waterloo 200, ...said he was ‘disappointed’.
SNIP
‘The Belgian government has spent millions on events to commemorate the battle but we have been given zilch, zippo, nothing. I think it’s very disappointing.
‘The Battle of Waterloo was a milestone in European history which ended over 20 years of conflict in Europe.
‘We can’t let the 200th anniversary pass without marking it and learning lessons about why it was so important.’
SNIP
David Green, director of the Civitas think-tank, said: ...‘It appears to be ludicrous hyper-sensitivity.
‘Waterloo was a battle of the most immense importance. Britain was fighting a tyrant who had conquered Europe. It was a momentous moment that should be commemorated. We should be shouting it from the rooftops.’
In a message to Waterloo 200, the 8th Duke of Wellington said: ‘I am often asked whether we should not now, in these days of European unity, forget Waterloo and the battles of the past.
‘My reply is, history cannot be forgotten and we need to be reminded of the bravery of the thousands of men from many nations who fought and died in a few hours and why their gallantry and sacrifice ensured peace in Europe for 50 years.’
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
(Yes the grammar is wrong I just cut and pasted)
Waterloo was fought a few miles south of Brussels on June 18, 2015.
Wellington described his own troops as ‘very weak and ill-equipped, and a very inexperienced staff’.
Britain and its allies had 68,000 men, and were joined by about 45,000 Prussians on the evening of the battle. The French had 72,000 troops.
Heavy rain had turned the battlefield into a swamp. The scale of casualties was staggering - around one in four men were killed.
But the victory brought about the final destruction of Napoleon’s army and the end of his bloody reign as dictator.
Then I suppose St. Crispin's Day is off too.
The government has pledged little support to the occasion
Right now we are celebrating the 200th of the War of 1812 between the British in Canada and the Americans
Lots of reenacting of battles etc
No “offending” on either side
just commemorating what their ancestors did
Its history..
Methinks the Mosl;ems are involved in the “offending” somewhere...
Maybe if the Brits can prove Wellington read the koran...
I figure Englands greatest victory was Blenheim.
Waterloo was a victory of allied armies against Napoleon, with England, and Belgium’s cookies being hauled out of the fire by Prussia.
Is Prussia offended?
Wellington won, but it was hardly a rout. He himself later called it “a damned near-run thing.”
“Methinks the Mosl;ems are involved in the “offending” somewhere...”
Just tell them the Brits whipped the tar out of the descendants of Charles Martel /s;)
DAUPHIN
For the Dauphin,
I stand here for him: what to him from England?
EXETER
Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not misbecome
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.
Thus says my king; an’ if your father’s highness
Do not, in grant of all demands at large,
Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty,
He’ll call you to so hot an answer of it,
That caves and womby vaultages of France
Shall chide your trespass and return your mock
In second accent of his ordnance.
Henry V Act 2 Scene 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHihAPr2Rc
Better to devote the attention to celebrating the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.
I suppose they didn’t mark the 70th aniversery of Operation Tourch last November for the same reaon.
The bastards RESISTED the allied invasion of North Africa.
Operation Torch that is.
Nahhh, the French get a might tetchy when reminded about their serial a** kickings courtesy of the British (and the Germans, the Dutch, the Spanish, the Russians, the Vietnamese, the Algerians, the ...). Oh, and the Canadians are pretty cool about the War of 1812 since, with the exception of a "sea" battle on Lake Erie, they essentially won.
the Canadians are pretty cool about the War of 1812 since,
____________________________________________
Nope there are things on every weekend etc
I get a schedule for the next few weeks months and news etc for reenactments both sides of the border in my online copy of The Loyalist Trail every week
heres some
Re-enactors from all over North America will descend upon Fort George in Niagara-On-The-Lake May 25-27 as they re-enact one of the pivotal events - The Battle of Fort George - in Niagara during the War of 1812. The weekend agenda here.
The Niagara 1812 Legacy Council announced its events for 2013, many to be held on the exact 200th anniversary of the actual event. Report from the Buffalo News.
Education information, (US-centric?) American history (forwarded by Beverley Corsini)
Emphasizing peace – not war – the key to selling 1812 Bicentennial wine to Americans
Medicine is making great advances all the time. Take a look at some of the remedies for common ailments form 200 years ago.
200 Years ago the Americans captured Fort York - Check out Canada History’s new video about it with historian Tim Compeau
Toronto artist Charles Pachter donates 11 paintings for Fort York visitor centre
Medal issued to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of York (Toronto) #warof1812 APRIL 27, 1813 http://www.ontarioroots.com/images/misc/Toronto_BattleOfYork_Medal_Large.gif
As Andrew Jackson’s (Old Hickory) Tennessee Militia did some 200 years ago, a collection of determined volunteers are making their way northward along the length of the Natchez Trace.
Baltimore Commemorates A Trifecta Of Historic Events: War of1812, The Underground RailRoad, The US Civil War.
The 2013 Tall Ships Tour commemorating War of 1812 sails into Brockville for weekend of June 14 - 16. See the events planned for this big weekend - don’t miss them.
Tall Ships Tour information. List of Ports of call and dates.
Photos from the Havre de Grace War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration this weekend, commemorating the British Attack on May 3 1813.
‘Through the Perilous Fight’: An excerpt from the book on a pivotal time in the War of 1812 (attack on Baltimore and the Star Spangled banner)
A special edition of The Time Traveller Times features planned War of 1812 events along the t Lawrence this spring, summer and fall: Kingston, Battle of Crsyler’s Farm, Tall Ships Brockville, Spencerville Heritage Fair, and much more (6 pages)
Laura Secord’s historic walk immortalized in wilderness trail (to open June 22) and opera Laura’s Cow: The Legend of Laura Secord
Thousands expected to pour into Thorold for the Battle of Beaverdams commemoration on the weekend of June 22-24.
In the 200 years following the War of 1812, the Chesapeake Campaign became romanticized in tall tales and local legends. Authors of book “:Chesapeake Legends and Lore from War of 1812” search for the history behind the legends. Eastern Shore maritime museum tells story of the War of 1812 on the Chesapeake Bay
More photos from last weekend’s events at Havre de Grace
War of 1812 Education: The Battle of Beaver Dams: Uncommon Courage DVD
The Beaver Dams DVD and curriculum unit is ready to go! Initial copies are being distributed to schools in four different area school boards for use in classes in June. On June 22, the film will premiere at Thorold Ontario as part of the town’s Commemorative weekend (June 22-24) of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Beaver Dams.
Visit Thorold on that weekend, see the final version of the film and take in the many excellent events planned. The DVD will be available to all interested parties, but there may be a nominal fee for the package, the money going to help establish a scholarship in the name of Alun Hughes a respected and inspirational member of the Thorold bicentennial Committee who passed away in May. Alun was a well known historian in the Niagara area and added immeasurably to the historical content of our film.
Copies of the DVD will also be available after the big weekend, free of charge. Coming soon will be a website where you can download a copy of the DVD/Curriculum/Research Notes
A play, The Whirlwind, will premiere at Thorold June 22-23 as part of the festivities. It will be performed at the Hamilton Fringe Festival between July 19 and 27.
Bicentennial of the Battle of Stoney Creek. Some photos from CBC. More from Radio Canada International. More events in Hamilton area this year.
Events marked Second Battle of Sackets Harbor’s bicentennial
Top scholars from the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom will converge on the Naval Academy at Annapolis for a four-day symposium on the war of 1812.
For anyone interested in the American navy and the War of 1812, this page of topics will be of interest.
Get into it! “1812 dress making workshop” at Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island in Lake Erie south of Pelee Island.
________________________________________________
Next year we will be going to Ontario for the 200th of the burning of St Davids My 4th gg lost her house but the at least her barn was spared..
Technically it wasn’t “just” the British Army - out of the 100,000 allied troops, only 25,000 were British.
What is strange is that Napoleon was courting Islam (to rise against the British) -- a role the Brits took over after 1815
well, the French lost ever since they went Revolutionary...
I thought it was the Prussians (Germans), who saved the day for the Brits at the end of the battle. The French feel that the Germans and Brits are teaming up again. Shhh! Don’t say anythink.
I would think that trying to not offend the French would be found offensive to the French.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
