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Why Waterloo is Iconic
- Waterloo is remembered more than other battles because it provides a satisfying finale and ushers in long European peace.
- It was a decisive single day battle featuring top generals, making it culturally ideal as a grand conclusion.
British Ownership of Waterloo Narrative
- The British narrative of Waterloo was promoted early, downplaying the Prussian role to assert a primarily British victory.
- Commemorative art and events largely erased or minimized the Prussians to emphasize British ownership of the victory.
Early Waterloo Battlefield Tourists
- Battlefield tourists arrived at Waterloo the day after the battle, even before news reached Britain.
- Early tourists, often in fine dress, examined the battlefield while soldiers still covered in blood and gunpowder attended to the wounded.