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No, it was more like that ass, Marshall Ney who led the cavalry charge, but forgot to bring along some hammers and spikes to disable the British guns.

And forgot to bring along the infantry to break up the British squares. Or who continued on the offensive against the British despite being able to see Prussian infantry forming up on his flank. In the past armies hit hard by the French had broken and run and Ney expected the British to do the same. Instead they. Look at any major turning point and you will see an enemy that does something out of character. Some examples are the British not breaking at Waterloo, The Russians burning their own cities after Boridino, or in WWII when the US Navy seized the initiative at Midway or the 101st airborne refused to surrender when cut off at Bastone.

There is a difference between ambition and arrogance. Ambition turns to arrogance when you count not only on the abilities of your own forces, but assume that your enemy will behave in a stupid or cowardly manner. Obama expected the Russians to worship him just because he was a fellow communist, they instead punked him. He expected the Islamists to negotiate with him just because he bowed to their leaders, instead they have gone on the offensive. He expected the Chinese to continue to buy our debt despite having little chance of being paid back, they told him to pound sand. It is not Obama's ambition that will spell his end, it is his arrogance.

Well said. It is a pleasure to read a thoughtful and well-defined position.

I might add that at Gettysburg, Lee could not accept the fact that his troops could not win. I think it is called "Victory Disease", and don't get me wrong, I have profound respect for Robert E. Lee, the soldier and the man!

Ambition turns to arrogance when you count not only on the abilities of your own forces, but assume that your enemy will behave in a stupid or cowardly manner.

If I were a general on the eve of a battle, I would pray for two things:

1. Please let my enemies believe that I'm an idiot, and
2. Please let me not prove them correct.