Napoleon's Invasion Of Russia Research Paper
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia
In June of 1812, Napoleon began his deadly Russian campaign, a landmark in the history of the caustic potential of warfare. All mainland Europe was under his control, and the invasion of Russia was an effort to force Tsar Alexander planned once again to the terms of a treaty that Napoleon had enforced upon him four years earlier. Having collected nearly half a million soldiers, from France as well as all of the states of Europe, Napoleon entered Russia at the lead of the largest army ever seen. The Russians, under the power of Marshal Kutuzov, could not hope to defeat him in a direct conflict.
Instead, they begin a defensive campaign of strategic retreat, damaging the land as they fell back and bothering the flanks of the French. As summer began, Napoleon's massive supply lines were stretched even thinner, and his force began to decline. By September, without having involved in a single battle, the French Army had been reduced by more than two thirds from exhaustion, hunger, disappearance, and raids by Russian forces. …show more content…
By the end of the day, around 100,000 men had already died, but neither side had gained a victory. Kutuzov realized that any further defense of the city would be ridiculous, and he left his forces, telling the citizens of Moscow to begin a massive and freaked migration. When Napoleon's army arrived on September 14, they found a city not that populated and a lot of supplies for the city, an insufficient comfort in the face of the approaching winter. Much worse, fires broke out in the city that night, and by the next day the French were missing shelter as
In June of 1812, Napoleon began his deadly Russian campaign, a landmark in the history of the caustic potential of warfare. All mainland Europe was under his control, and the invasion of Russia was an effort to force Tsar Alexander planned once again to the terms of a treaty that Napoleon had enforced upon him four years earlier. Having collected nearly half a million soldiers, from France as well as all of the states of Europe, Napoleon entered Russia at the lead of the largest army ever seen. The Russians, under the power of Marshal Kutuzov, could not hope to defeat him in a direct conflict.
Instead, they begin a defensive campaign of strategic retreat, damaging the land as they fell back and bothering the flanks of the French. As summer began, Napoleon's massive supply lines were stretched even thinner, and his force began to decline. By September, without having involved in a single battle, the French Army had been reduced by more than two thirds from exhaustion, hunger, disappearance, and raids by Russian forces. …show more content…
By the end of the day, around 100,000 men had already died, but neither side had gained a victory. Kutuzov realized that any further defense of the city would be ridiculous, and he left his forces, telling the citizens of Moscow to begin a massive and freaked migration. When Napoleon's army arrived on September 14, they found a city not that populated and a lot of supplies for the city, an insufficient comfort in the face of the approaching winter. Much worse, fires broke out in the city that night, and by the next day the French were missing shelter as