Where was the battle of Waterloo and why is took place in that particular area?

Answer 1

Battle of Waterloo took place in Belgium, just south of the capital Brussels.

When Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from exile on the Isle of Elba he returned to France and took his place as Emperor once again.

He knew that his enemies, most of the other countries in Europe, would group together and attack him when they were ready so he determined to reform his army and attack first.

The armies of Austria and Russia were still a long way off so he advanced to attack the other two allied armies of Prussia and Britain which also included many troops from Belgium and the Netherlands.

The army under the Duke of Wellington was based mainly around Brussels and that of Blucher, (Prussians), a few miles further east.

IMPROVEMENT

When Napoleon realized what the positions of the enemy armies were, he succeeded in driving in the French Army between them, gaining the "central position", which allowed him to attack and defeat first the Prussians at Ligny,

making them retreat northeastward, that is forcing them to drive away from British Army and sending two Corps under Grouchy to run after their units.

Then, after driving the British advanced unities back from the crossroads of Quatre-Bras, forcing them to retreat northwestward, he led his army to invest

the bulk of Wellington's Army positioned around Brussels.

In order to cover Brussels Wellington had but only the choice of make a stand

near Waterloo, where he chose a favourable terrain for a defensive battle to fight there, hoping to keep at bay the French until the Prussians, after slipping from Grouchy's pursuit, would come to join him.