| Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), who later
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| | one step back style of campaign that kept
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| became the Duke of Wellington and the
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| | Wellington one step ahead of his often
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| hero who beat Napoleon at Waterloo, had
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| | numerically superior enemies.When in
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| to overcome his own mother's lack of
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| | doubt about his army's ability to defeat
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| faith in him in order to make a success
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| | larger enemy forces he would retire to
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| of his military career.She once
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| | his strong defensive network - the Lines
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| commented: "I vow to God I don't know
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| | of Torres Vedras. His tactical skill
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| what I shall do with my awkward son,
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| | proved itself again and again.
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| Arthur". She even believed he had little
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| | Wellington, like most other successful
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| aptitude for soldiering! Perhaps this
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| | people, developed his skills constantly
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| motivated him to become one of the
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| | and was careful not to bite off more than
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| greatest generals in British military
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| | he could chew.The leadership Wellesley
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| history. Several key success lessons can
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| | showed in the Peninsular campaign was
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| be learned from his life.Millions are
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| | legendary. He expected the best from his
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| programmed from an early age by their own
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| | men but was also a harsh disciplinarian.
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| parents and friends who place verbal
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| | He hanged looters. He valued the help of
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| limits on what they can achieve. Too
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| | his Portuguese and Spanish allies too
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| often, they allow these limits to control
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| | much to allow thieves to alienate them.
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| them for the rest of their lives.
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| | Yet his troops knew that he never risked
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| Wellesley, for one, managed to demolish
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| | their lives in battle without good
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| the limits placed on him by his own
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| | cause.After driving the French from the
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| mother.However, at first, Arthur appeared
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| | Peninsula, Wellington pushed on into
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| to prove that his mother's opinion of him
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| | France itself until Napoleon, pressed by
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| was correct. He showed little aptitude
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| | Wellington in the south and the Prussian,
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| for anything except playing the violin
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| | Russian and Austrian allies in the north,
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| and socializing.But, by 1793, when the
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| | was forced to abdicate in 1814.Wellington
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| French King was guillotined and war was
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| | was praised as the hero of Europe, but
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| declared on France, he had learned the
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| | peace did not last long. In March of
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| huge success lesson of the importance of
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| | 1815, Napoleon escaped from his exile on
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| focus. He decided to take his army career
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| | the island of Elba and once again
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| seriously and burnt his violin in his
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| | threatened Europe.Arthur Wellesley was
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| fireplace so that he could concentrate
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| | now made the first Duke of Wellington and
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| all his energies on succeeding as a
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| | marched his troops into Belgium where
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| soldier.This was probably a wise move.
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| | Napoleon had gathered his army.At a place
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| The old saying "Jack of all trades and
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| | called Waterloo the French and British
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| master of none," has real meaning.
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| | armies met for what was to be the final
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| Successful people soon learn that they
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| | battle. The allies of the British like
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| cannot do everything they want to and
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| | the Prussians, Belgians and the Dutch
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| need to concentrate their energies on a
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| | should not be forgotten. They played a
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| few key projects.Wellesley and his family
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| | large part in the victory.Wellington,
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| had enough influence and money to buy his
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| | himself, was everywhere on the field of
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| way up the officer ranks of the army. He
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| | battle encouraging his men and holding
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| was able to rise extremely quickly from
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| | them steady against the legendary French
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| the status of a junior officer to that of
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| | army and their great general,
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| lieutenant-colonel at the age of 25.He
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| | Napoleon.Wellington said of him that his
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| used the leverage of family and money to
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| | presence on the battle field was worth
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| speed up his progress to military
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| | 40,000 men. The same could have been said
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| success. Successful people do not go it
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| | of Wellington himself.Wellington
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| alone if they can help it. Life is too
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| | eventually inflicted an overwhelming
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| short.However, Wellesley did not rely on
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| | defeat on Napoleon, but the victory cost
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| family influence alone. After his
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| | a large number of lives. Wellington had
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| regiment was sent to India in 1796,
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| | become known as the 'Iron Duke' by his
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| Wellesley began to distinguish himself.
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| | men but even he wept when he learned of
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| He worked hard to master his craft and
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| | the numbers of men who had lost their
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| took care of his troops.He became a
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| | lives on that day.The British had
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| master of the reverse-slope tactic which
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| | suffered 15,000 casualties and the French
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| he would use later at Waterloo. He kept
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| | 40,000. Waterloo was to be Wellington's
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| his forces screened from artillery fire
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| | last battle. He returned to England and
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| behind the brow of a hill. He probably
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| | resumed a political career begun many
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| realized early on that dead soldiers do
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| | years before. He eventually became Prime
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| not achieve victory.He won several
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| | Minister in 1828.He was not popular as a
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| important battles in India and then, in
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| | politician and once had to fight a duel
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| 1805, returned to England. In 1808, he
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| | with one of his political opponents -
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| arrived in Portugal which was occupied by
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| | Lord Winchelsea. However, both men wisely
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| the French. He soon began a series of
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| | aimed to miss and honour was
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| victories and, when given sole command,
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| | satisfied!The Duke was not a man to be
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| launched the Peninsular war which was to
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| | dominated or threatened by anyone. Unlike
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| drive Napoleon's armies from Portugal and
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| | Prince Charles, he was not too worried
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| Spain by 1814.The French had seemed
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| | about his private writings being made
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| unbeatable until Wellesley took them on.
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| | public. He made a famous reply to a
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| In 1808 he had told a friend that he
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| | rejected mistress, who threatened to
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| would not be chased off the continent as
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| | publish the love-letters he had written
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| so many other similar forces had been,
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| | to her: "Publish and be damned!"Queen
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| because he had made a study of French
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| | Victoria consulted him frequently. She
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| tactics, and would not be intimidated by
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| | asked his advice about how to deal with
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| their reputation."They may overwhelm me
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| | sparrows which had nested on the roof of
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| but I don't think they will outmanoeuvre
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| | the Crystal Palace. Wellington's reply
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| me. First, because I am not afraid of
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| | was brief and to the point,
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| them, as everybody else seems to be; and
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| | "Sparrow-hawks, Ma,am". He was right. The
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| secondly, because if what I hear of their
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| | sparrows were soon gone!In one of my
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| system of manoeuvre is true, I think it a
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| | favourite films "Waterloo", the Duke was
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| false one against steady troops. I
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| | asked what his plans were in case he was
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| suspect that all the continental armies
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| | killed. The Duke replied: "To beat the
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| were more than half beaten before the
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| | French!"He was a man of action and few
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| battle was begun - I, at least, will not
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| | words although he did in fact plan very
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| be frightened beforehand.'Wellington knew
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| | carefully and took great care to choose
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| how to stand steady in the face of a
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| | the right ground for his battles. Success
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| fearsome attack and he instilled the same
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| | demands both action and
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| spirit into his troops. Cool, steady,
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| | planning.Wellington made many mistakes in
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| courage is a major factor in most
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| | his life and career but his ability to
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| success stories. Too many people are
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| | achieve success shines out above them
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| beaten by their own lack of
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| | all. He refused to accept the valuation
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| self-confidence before they even start.
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| | placed on him by his own mother. He
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| If they do start and run into problems
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| | focused all his efforts on his chosen
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| they panic and panic leads quickly to
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| | career and mastered the skills necessary
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| failure.Wellington was called several
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| | to succeed in it.He used leverage when it
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| affectionate names by his troops such as
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| | was offered. He was not intimidated by
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| Old Hookey (he had a prominent nose), Our
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| | the reputation of the French at that time
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| Atty (Arthur) and the Bugger that Beats
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| | and had the courage and confidence to
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| the French. He had words for them too
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| | face up to his military, political and
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| which show his contempt for the run away
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| | private enemies. He knew how to plan and
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| fathers and petty criminals who made up a
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| | how to act. He was a great leader who led
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| part of his army. However, his words
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| | by example.As a public figure Wellington
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| also show his laconic sense of
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| | remained a respected leader until his
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| humour.Before the battle of Waterloo, it
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| | death in 1852. He was offered a cup of
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| is said that Wellington said of his own
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| | tea on his deathbed. His polite reply -
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| troops "This army is composed of the scum
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| | 'Yes, if you please' - were his last
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| of the earth, I don't know what effect
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| | words on earth.Wellington died at Walmer
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| these men will have on the enemy, but by
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| | Castle in Kent in 1852 and was given the
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| God they terrify me!"During the five
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| | honour of a State Funeral. It was a
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| years of the Peninsular war, he did not
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| | magnificent tribute to a great military
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| take one day's leave. His work ethic was
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| | hero. The Duke is buried in St. Paul's
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| huge - another mark of successful people.
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| | Cathedral next to another great hero,
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| He campaigned backwards and forwards
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| | Lord Nelson.If you are ever in London,
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| across Portugal and Spain.He was
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| | try to visit the Duke's house and the
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| occasionally forced to retreat because of
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| | awesome statues to the south east of Hyde
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| the large numbers opposing him, but never
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| | Park. I love gazing at these statues.
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| lost a battle or even a single cannon. He
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| | They give a sense of Wellington's
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| was almost always outnumbered by the
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| | greatness and the courage of his 'steady'
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| large French forces that were occupying
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| | troops.
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| Spain.There followed a one step forward,
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|
