The Battle of Waterloo: How Chinese shoes decided the fate of Europe 

The year is 1815 and the British, Prussians and their allies are preparing for a decisive clash with Napoleon Bonaparte. Everything is perfectly prepared - the generals have their plans, the soldiers have their weapons loaded, and even the weather looks set to play into the hands of the British. But one crucial thing hasn't been thought of: the boots.

The new trade relationship with China

Before the battle, Britain struck a deal with China that promised to import cheap goods, including military boots. The British command was delighted: Chinese boots were significantly cheaper than those traditionally made at home. "We'll save money on boots and we can invest more in guns," said one British officer.

However, no one counted on the first batch of boots being rather experimental. The boots were elegant and lightweight, but made of low-quality leather and glue, which had only recently come into vogue - and mainly in the manufacture of fans, not shoes.

The day of the battle

When the day of battle arrived, the British soldiers took their places. At first glance, they looked confident. "Napoleon doesn't stand a chance!" they whispered among themselves. But no sooner had they set off on their march than it began.

First, one soldier's sole fell off. Another noticed that his shoe had become unglued, and within minutes the whole troop was on bare feet. On the wet ground and in the mud, walking without shoes was a disaster. Soldiers slipped, fell, and some even refused to go on, shouting, "Shoot me rather than let me go on barefoot!"

"on the soles of their shoes."

Napoleon's moment

Napoleon, who was watching everything through binoculars, immediately understood what was happening. "The British have no shoes? That's worse than my exile diet in Elba!" He exclaimed excitedly. He ordered his soldiers to take advantage of the situation and press the enemy as fast as possible. The French troops, well shod in boots made in Lyon, rushed to the attack with gusto.

The British lines broke up. The Prussians, who had arrived to help, were startled by the chaos and also gave way. Napoleon triumphed, and proclaimed a new empire on the spot where his last defeat should have been.

A new world order

After the victory at Waterloo, Napoleon became the unrestricted ruler of Europe. His first decree? A ban on the importation of Chinese shoes. "Europe will wear only the best shoes we make ourselves!" he declared. French shoes became a symbol of quality and power.

The English returned to the islands of humiliation, and when Queen Victoria asked what had happened, Wellington only replied, embarrassed, "Your Majesty, it was not a battle. It was a fashionable disaster."

The moral of the story

1) Never skimp on your shoes, especially if you're going to war.

2) Cheap goods can have very expensive consequences.

3) Most importantly, Napoleon might have settled for a minor victory if the British had      at least offered him a decent pair of French loafers as an apology.

Thus ended one of history's greatest battles - a shoe-induced defeat. It is still said to this day, in memory of this fiasco,

Great plans stand on firm soles.