Professor Howard Brown at the Smithsonian – DC Metro

Join Professor Howard Brown for his talk: Revisiting the Battle of Waterloo: The Psychology of Warfare
Wednesday, Dec. 9
6:45 to 8:45 p.m.

S. Dillon Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Dr SW
Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)

We invite you to join Professor Howard G. Brown, Chair of the Department of History at Binghamton University, for his talk “Revisiting the Battle of Waterloo: The Psychology of Warfare” at the Smithsonian Institution on December 9, 2015. It will be held at the S. Dillon Ripley Center from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m.

Tens of thousands of people—many dressed in period costumes—gathered outside Brussels this summer to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo in some of the largest historical re-enactments ever staged. The encounter of June 18, 1815, marked the final defeat for Napoleon at the hands of a coalition of his enemies, ended almost a quarter century of continuous conflict, and ushered in a generation of peace in Western Europe.

As the final event—as well as the second bloodiest one-day battle—of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo epitomizes the nature of warfare at the time. It generated by far the largest number of memoirs to date about personal experiences of battle, making it the best event to analyze in terms of the psychology of warfare in early 19th-century Europe.

Beyond its pivotal role in international relations, Howard G. Brown, argues that a deeper understanding of the significance of Waterloo involves asking a range of more human-focused questions. For example, did the French Revolution’s emphasis on the dignity of the individual at all social levels change the experience of warfare? Did England’s system of elite boarding schools produce more psychologically robust officers? Did adding patriotism to the mix of honor and glory make warfare more bloody? Did the appalling carnage left after Waterloo increase concern for the psychological suffering of soldiers?

Brown finds that answering questions like these means analyzing Waterloo from the perspective of the individuals information. He does that as he presents an overview of the historic battle, its legacy in European history, and the meaning behind the large-scale modern re-enactments.

Please register online by Friday, December 4 at a special discounted rate of $20 for Binghamton University alumni (a $22 savings from the non-member rate). If you have any questions, contact the Alumni Relations office at 607-777-2424 or [email protected]. Professor Brown will be available and pleased to meet with alumni at the conclusion of the talk.