Dana Mathewson

I thought it might be nice to take a break from the steady drumbeat of politics and go back a few years -- 203 years, in fact -- to the Battle of Waterloo, which finally ended the career of Napoleon. The weather played a crucial role in his defeat. The wet, muddy conditions led Napoleon to delay his attack and allowed the Prussians and British to meet up, presenting forces superior to Napoleon's.

Scientists are now blaming those wet, muddy conditions on... a huge volcanic eruption halfway around the world.

A devastating volcanic eruption on the other side of the world contributed to Napoleon’s defeat in the Battle of Waterloo, scientists say. Fascinating new research released Wednesday makes a remarkable link between to two events.

For years, historians have cited rainy and muddy conditions on the day of the battle as a factor in the French Army’s famous defeat on June 18, 1815. Waterlogged conditions at the battle site prompted Napoleon to delay his troops’ attack until the ground dried out. The decision is regarded as a critical error, as it gave Prussian troops time to join their British-led allies in the clash with Napoleon’s army.

The battle, a decisive victory for forces led by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian Field Marshal Blucher, changed the course of European history.

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2018/08/22/napoleon-dynamite-how-indonesian-volcano-influenced-battle-waterloo.html

(I have to admit that when I saw the Prussian Field Marshal's name, I heard horses neighing loudly. If you remember Mel Brooks' movie Young Frankenstein, you'll catch the reference.)

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