What if Napoleon Had Won Waterloo?

   Imagine this: If Napoleon had not been ill, and tactical command had not been given to Ney, it is likely that Napoleon would have attacked earlier in the morning. If he had done this, he may have overwhelmed the Anglo Dutch forces before the Prussians arrived.

   Now we cannot be sure of what would have happened had this situation occurred, and the Anglo Dutch may have repelled the Imperial Guard like they did, but we will go with a situation which involves the Anglo Dutch retreating to Brussels. Napoleon would have given chase and would have run right into 15000 fresh British troops that Wellington had placed along his line of retreat. Wellington was truly a defensive mater. This substantial rear guard, full of Peninsular veterans, would have held the French long enough to allow the Anglo Dutch to escape to fight another day. Napoleon may well have then turned his attention on the Prussians, who knowing Wellington was retreating, may have retreated themselves. Napoleon would now be in control of Belgium.

   Next, I think Napoleon would try to make peace with the Great Powers, but they would refuse. The Austrians already had an army crossing the French frontier. The Spanish and Portuguese armies, having been British trained, would be a substantial threat to Napoleon. The Russians were massing their armies. It is likely that the British would have sent another army under the Duke of Wellington(he was still their best commander) into Europe. The Royal Navy would blockade France. Napoleon was surrounded. Even though he had planned for a campaign like this, I doubt he would be able to destroy all of these forces before new ones arrived. The situation would have been like 1814 all over again, though this time Napoleon would be better prepared, so he may have been able to save his crown. If this had happened, France may still be an empire.

   The First and Second World Wars may have been against a French Empire. I doubt the Holocaust would have happened, as Napoleon favoured religious freedom. France, even though it may nave lost the Bonaparte's in a world war, would still have been heavily influenced by them.

   Now if Napoleon had not been able to save his crown, history may have turned out the same (How does the "Thousand Days" sound?).