Why Blucher does deserve some credit

[@rickrussell8382]

Blucher was a driving force. He was a leader up front. He didn`t get in the way of the reforms. He did what he was good at and left the BS to his generals. His corps that arrived at Waterloo knee capped the French. Wellington and Napoleon were world class but Blucher was a big part of allied victories from 1813- 1815.

[@jonathanowen9917]

Blücher was an awesome and fearless commander. He knew how to lead and inspire his men, and he and his army were critical for the Waterloo victory. I agree that his giving subordinates room to improve the Prussian Army was crucial for it and the future German Heer. It’s important to note, however, that 19th century German military theorists General Carl von Clausewitz and Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke the Elder looked to the campaigns of Frederick the Great and Napoleon rather than Blücher or Wellington for their strategies and theories.

[@martinradcliffe4798]

Blucher's great strength was his refusal to acknowledge defeat.

[@collin4592]

His key asset was being aggressive enough to keep the enemy off balance.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

That's a great point. It did however (especially in 1813/14) make him very predictable.

[@petegarnett7731]

When a man in his 70's who has just suffered a major defeat (Ligny) thinks clearly enough to divert over 30000 of the enemy into a dead end, then manages to make it to Waterloo in time to turn a marginal situation into a virtual rout, he should be hailed as the real victor of Waterloo. Luring Grouchy to Wavres where von Thielemann's 3rd corps could hold the bridges and river crossings not only kept 33000 French away from the action, but enabled him to make the desperate ride that got him to Waterloo in time to swing the balance in the coalition's favour.

[@Throbbing_Gimp]

Look at the commanders in chief we have now

[@angiealigo4012]

At his age,wellington and napoleon are like his sons,but he is more fit and healthier than napoleon

[@michamalinowski8015]

I would say that Blucher was the Harold Godwinson of the napoleonic wars- turning the tide of Leipzig and Waterloo mainly because he moved his army faster than the enemy was expecting him to do. ;)

[@Feegle-kt7yu]

Okay Tim your back on the Christmas card list :)

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Hahaha

[@basement1908]

well said Tim! have fun this weekend 👍

[@Danzel_Gaming]

"Take it"

[@turquoiseseller]

we are raising the flag with this one

[@robnewman6101]

R.I.P Prussian Army Field Marshal Officer Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. 🤝🙏 The Hero Saver for Wellington at The Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

[@vathek5958]

So I’ve got to assume we’re getting Archduke Charles or Kutuzov next?

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Ooh maybe! Not in the immediate future, but never say never!

[@davidcollins2648]

@@NapoleonicWargaming I second the suggestion of Archduke Charles. Without him 1809 would have been Austerlitz 2.0.

[@NbyD]

Bluecher helped beat Napolean directly at least twice in both crucial battles Leipzig and Waterloo.At Leipzig one could argue his push to break Moeckern was key in winning Leipzig. At Waterloo his ability to motivate the troops to push towards Wellington and than push into the flank of Napoleon as well. So each time his charisma, loyalty and determination proved a deciding factor. As for his abilities as a general perhaps he reminds me more of a Ney than of a Napoleon. He was a cavalry general.

[@AS-qy1zl]

What’s funny about Prussia is how old their heroes always are. Seydlitz is the youngest in late 30’s. Zieten is favorite though, being a rogue and all.

[@miaundnemo]

Moltke was also incredible old in 1866 and 1871!

[@angiealigo4012]

Lessons to learn from them never gave up age is just a number.

[@miaundnemo]

The only man without fear of Napoleon - made the difference!

[@metallfanyt]

Great video!

[@mindbomb9341]

Fair enough. We knew you were joking. :)

[@muzaq6]

It was an allied victory, and of course he deserves credit.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

I was a reference to meme video I put out that said he didn't. It upset a lot of people 🤣

[@dalinean]

Scharnhorst and Gneisnow in particular needed Blucher as Blucher could lead and inspire men, wheas they were commanders, not leaders.

[@mikedeslauriers6130]

I feel like you could have gave Blucher more credit if you looked at his actions in the Wars of Liberation. I feel overall you neglect the 1813-1814 campaigns.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Yeah, it's a fair point. It's quite difficult to find perspectives of that campaign NOT from the French perspective in English. It's deffo an area for improvement though!

[@-Benedict]

OK, you're forgiven. ;)

[@rhysnichols8608]

We all know Wellington was fucked at Waterloo if it weren’t for 15,000 prussians diverting Napoleons guard to the right flank.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

I'm not sure if I'm honest.

[@rhysnichols8608]

@@NapoleonicWargaming WELL I AM SURE!!

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

@@rhysnichols8608 fair enough I think we'll have to agree to disagree!

[@rhysnichols8608]

@@NapoleonicWargaming NO! We all have to AGREE on the truth, do you really think that if the french forces engaging the Prussians were able to be focussed on the British army, that Wellington would have been able to stand? Particularly in terms of artillery which was already causing high casualties amongst his ranks, and the taking of hugomount was a good staging areas for a final assault, but with Blücher drawing many french units including the old guard, the forces Napoleon did send against Wellington in the final assault were not as ‘beefy’ as they could have been, and we both know it was the middle guard that broke, the old stood their ground at the end. If the old guard was fully committed to the assault (they’d never broken before this) it stands to reason Napoleon had a high chance of victory. YES YES IM BRITISH WE ARE A COOL NATION but I feel people who think Wellington would’ve won alone are fanboy bias

[@rhysnichols8608]

@@NapoleonicWargaming Also I’m a bit of a sarky bastard, I’m not tryna be disrespectful my friend, even if that’s how I come across, I love your videos

[@davidcollins2648]

Blucher at his age shamed his troops by being braver than they were. If Blucher could do it why can't you? I'm not fan of the Prussians at all but it was his drive and spirit that made them the fighting force they were 1813 onwards.

[@rhysnichols8608]

WHY DONT YOU LIKE THE PRUSSIANS

[@angiealigo4012]

He was almost forgotten because germany lost both world war and most prussia are now abolished from the main germany lands

[@jgdpanzer]

What the Welly fan boys (headed by Wellington himself) don’t want to admit is that without Blücher and Gniesenau - Welly’s victory is far from assured. Blücher’s moves with his army were the death blow at Waterloo, but you only get English written accounts polishing Wellington’s knob…😜😜😜

[@zalanelo9681]

you do realise Wellington only decided to stand and fight because Blücher promised he'll arrive. Arriving was the bare minimum, if he hadnt arrived, he would have just screwed his ally over by giving him false promises. Why is Blücher bein praised for such thing as getting to somewhere where he promised he'd be while being chased by a smaller force?

[@geebards]

Just letting you know foreigners like me do not at all get your 'striker' references. I know what a 'striker' is but don't follow it. I always admired Blucher's tenacity and his commitment to the allied plan in 1815 even in the face of Wellesley's failure at Quatre Bras/Ligny.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Ha, thats a fair point! A striker is a football who's job it is to score the goals. I'm interested you conside QB a failure fir the Brits its usually considered a bad day for marshal Ney

[@geebards]

@@NapoleonicWargaming I suppose I see that the French kept the allies divided and prevented Wellesley's Allied army from supporting his main strike on the Prussians. Ney lost his grander opportunity at QB and was successfully blocked - so he didn't win ... that's for sure. QB for the Allies was a reactionary scramble in response and really all they managed to do on the ground was prevent a rout.I think it's fair to say the Allies fought a battle they were not prepared for and got away intact. I'm inclined to see QB as a negative stalemate. Given that Wellesley's Allied army failed to support Blucher, it's doubly impressive how Blucher both committed to the continuing arrangement and also that he did so in the face of some understandable suspicions amongst his own senior staff. Amazing campaign.

[@dangregory4217]

So disappointed that this actually had content 😂