How
the tide turned for Napoleon Bonaparte 202 years ago in Russia just like how it
would turn for Hitler after 124 years…
At an otherwise inconsequential little village near Moscow, two of the largest armies of the era met on September 7th, 1812. The French army of almost 200,000 commanded by Napoleon would engage a Russian force of some 150,000 under Kutuzov and achieve a tactical victory, driving the Russians from the field. Prior to this, the Russian army had been fighting a well organized strategic withdrawal, Kutuzov daring the wroth of the Emperor and the displeasure of his fellow generals to keep the Russian army from engaging the French.
> "Diary of a Napoleonic foot Soldier"
This is, as the name suggests, a book written by a German who participated in the French attack. It's not well known, but in many cases Napoleon's armies consisted of soldiers from the various countries he'd either allied with or conquered. In this case, the author (Jakob Walter) was a German who served in Napoleon's "Grande Armee". He survived the campaign and devastating retreat and left on one of the few contemporary accounts of what it was to serve as a soldier in the Napoleonic wars. Highly recommended...
At an otherwise inconsequential little village near Moscow, two of the largest armies of the era met on September 7th, 1812. The French army of almost 200,000 commanded by Napoleon would engage a Russian force of some 150,000 under Kutuzov and achieve a tactical victory, driving the Russians from the field. Prior to this, the Russian army had been fighting a well organized strategic withdrawal, Kutuzov daring the wroth of the Emperor and the displeasure of his fellow generals to keep the Russian army from engaging the French.
Kutuzov did not want to have a battle at Borodino, but ultimately
was pressured into fighting by his emperor, who, along with the Russian
nobility, felt that giving up Moscow without a fight would be seen as
unforgivable by history and the Russian people. So it was that Borodino became
one of the great names of history.
Ultimately, though, despite his capture of Moscow, the
engagement was not the victory Napoleon wanted, for the Russian army remained
in the field. Napoleon waited for a month, expecting the Russians to surrender.
As temperatures dropped in October, Napoleon made the decision to retreat. The
Russians constantly harried Napoleon with partisans and light cavalry,
especially the famous Cossacks, whom the French army came to dread.
Why did Napoleon fail?
The retreat of the Russian Army was entirely planned. Kutuzov led Napoleon along an intentionally chosen route which avoided major cities, like Kiev. The route was stripped during Napoleon's advance and, when it was the French in retreat, Kutuzov forced them to take the same route. The Russians, being in friendly territory, had access to supplies, while the French, being DEEP in enemy territory, had basically nothing.
Napoleon refused to use the Guards units when he could’ve exploited the Russian defeat at the center. 18,500 fresh elite units could have sealed the Russian retreat. By then both sides were exhausted but the French still had reserves and their artillery was dominating battlefield. The cream of the grand armee was not used but worse lost considerable numbers in the retreat. While it's true that the French guard was uncommitted, most of the Russian lifeguard infantry seems to have been in reserve as well. I can only find accounts of their cavalry and the jaeger regiment engaging in any fighting. By all accounts, the Russian lifeguard was VERY good, debatable the equal of the French. Their cavalry clashed on several occasions, but it seems that the Old Guard Grenadiers never had a chance to match themselves up against the Preobrazhenski Lifeguard...although most likely they would have stubbornly wiped each other out.
The retreat of the Russian Army was entirely planned. Kutuzov led Napoleon along an intentionally chosen route which avoided major cities, like Kiev. The route was stripped during Napoleon's advance and, when it was the French in retreat, Kutuzov forced them to take the same route. The Russians, being in friendly territory, had access to supplies, while the French, being DEEP in enemy territory, had basically nothing.
Napoleon refused to use the Guards units when he could’ve exploited the Russian defeat at the center. 18,500 fresh elite units could have sealed the Russian retreat. By then both sides were exhausted but the French still had reserves and their artillery was dominating battlefield. The cream of the grand armee was not used but worse lost considerable numbers in the retreat. While it's true that the French guard was uncommitted, most of the Russian lifeguard infantry seems to have been in reserve as well. I can only find accounts of their cavalry and the jaeger regiment engaging in any fighting. By all accounts, the Russian lifeguard was VERY good, debatable the equal of the French. Their cavalry clashed on several occasions, but it seems that the Old Guard Grenadiers never had a chance to match themselves up against the Preobrazhenski Lifeguard...although most likely they would have stubbornly wiped each other out.
Aftermath
By the time he emerged from Russia, the once
half-million strong 'Grand Armee' had been reduced to fewer than ten thousand
men. 98% casualties that is! Napoleon's "Allies" in Austria and
Prussia were preparing to betray him, and the Russian army was in hot pursuit.
As he withdrew back to France, the largest battle of the era would take place
at Leipzig, an apocalyptic engagement with some half-million troops involved on
all sides and nearly a hundred thousand casualties.
The campaign would finally come to a close with the occupation of Paris, Alexander I leading the combined coalition force into the city with his fellow monarchs at the head of the Russian lifeguard cavalry. It was clear from the start that neither Prussia nor Austria was willingly sending soldiers along, and their officers, at least, were probably fully aware that they intended to stab Napoleon in the back the first chance they got.
The funny thing is, Napoleon lost far more men getting to Moscow than he did during the retreat. Cholera was a heavy contributor, but people often discount the holding actions Kutusov executed employing (again) partisan tactics and light cavalry. It should be said, of course, that he did later link up with the northern army he had sent to St. Petersburg, which had fared a bit better, and brought his numbers up to around 40,000 men. There were even more survivors, but they were primarily Prussians and Austrians who had been straggling since they really didn't want to fight the Russians, so they generally aren't counted as 'survivors of NAPOLEON'S army."
The funny thing is, Napoleon lost far more men getting to Moscow than he did during the retreat. Cholera was a heavy contributor, but people often discount the holding actions Kutusov executed employing (again) partisan tactics and light cavalry. It should be said, of course, that he did later link up with the northern army he had sent to St. Petersburg, which had fared a bit better, and brought his numbers up to around 40,000 men. There were even more survivors, but they were primarily Prussians and Austrians who had been straggling since they really didn't want to fight the Russians, so they generally aren't counted as 'survivors of NAPOLEON'S army."
Read More:
> This infographic has six variables on
it: location (x&y), time, the size of Napoleon’s army, temperature and
direction. Without a word, the horror of Napoleon’s failed march is immediately
obvious. This is the Minard chart, which
tracks the French military losses during Napoleon's march into, and retreat
from, Prussia/Moscow. The chart was created by French civil engineer Charles
Joseph Minard. It is
apparently considered the one of the best designed graphs ever - it gives a
very clear depiction of the epic disaster of Napoleon's Prussian campaign. The link has an interactive version of the
chart that you drag to different points and see the level of Napoleon's forces
during each stage of the retreat. You can see the numbers shown in the graph
for the march to Moscow (400k left France), but the interactive part only
tracks the losses for the retreat back to France.
> "Diary of a Napoleonic foot Soldier"
This is, as the name suggests, a book written by a German who participated in the French attack. It's not well known, but in many cases Napoleon's armies consisted of soldiers from the various countries he'd either allied with or conquered. In this case, the author (Jakob Walter) was a German who served in Napoleon's "Grande Armee". He survived the campaign and devastating retreat and left on one of the few contemporary accounts of what it was to serve as a soldier in the Napoleonic wars. Highly recommended...
> There are two mini-series that I'm aware of, and three
movies. I suggest the 1966 Soviet-produced version, which is seven hours long
and had a cast in the tens of thousands, including a number of Red Army
personnel who played soldiers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k97nvOSBDnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k97nvOSBDnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYTVxPuK814
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLovWXcjiZI
Of course, those are just the action scenes. You've also got the 11 minute long cuts where two people sit and make awkward small talk. You've got to take the good with the bad in Russian films :P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLovWXcjiZI
Of course, those are just the action scenes. You've also got the 11 minute long cuts where two people sit and make awkward small talk. You've got to take the good with the bad in Russian films :P
> The Germans built a memorial for the battle at Leipzig.
It's called "Monument to the Battle of the Nations", in german "Völkerschlachtdenkmal". It looks really impressive, from the outside and inside.
> A French Commander Michel Nay --- he was called the
"Bravest of the Brave" --- after Napoleons downfall he was arrested and sentenced to death. He refused to
wear a blindfold and was allowed the right to give the order to fire,
reportedly saying: "Soldiers, when I give the command to fire, fire
straight at my heart. Wait for the order. It will be my last to you. I protest
against my condemnation. I have fought a hundred battles for France, and not one
against her ... Soldiers, fire!"
> Some suitable music for the occasion.. with both the Marseillese and the Tsar's hymn, and cannons!
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