2. References
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, George F. Nafciger,
1963
The retreat from Moscow, R.F. Delderfield, 1967
Napoleonic Wars, Vincent J. Esposito and John
Robert Elting, 1963
"The Campaign of 1812 in Russia"- Karl von
Clausewitz
4. INTRODUCTION
WHOFOUGHT?
LaGrandeArmée(French and Allies)
Commanded by Napoleon
Russia
Commanded by Tsar AlexanderI
WHEN?
Renaissance period
23 Jun 1812- 14 December1812
WHERE?
Eastern Europe (Russian Empire)
WHY?
Russia's commitment to Napoleon's Continental Systemwas a mere lip-
service.
Differences between France and Russia overinfluence in Poland and the
Balkans.
5. INTRODUCTION- Antagonists
1st
Corps- Marshal Davout
2nd
Corps-Marshal Oudinot
3rd
Corps-Michel Ney
4th
Corps- Prince Eugene
5th
Corps-Prince Poniatowski
6th
Corps- Marshal St. Cyr
7th
Corps- General Reynier
8th
Corps-King of Westphalia
9th
Corps Marshal Victor
10th
Corps- Marshal Macdonald
11th
Corps-Marshal Augereau
12th
Corps- Marshal Murat
13th
Corps-General Schvartzenberg
Old Guard- Marshal Bessieres
Young Guard- Marshal Mortier
Corps of engineer- General Eble
1st
Army- General Barclay de Tolly
2nd
Army- Prince Bagration+/Tormasov
3rd
Army- General Wittgenstein
4th
Army (Danube)- General Tchichagoff
Rearguard- Tormasov/Platov/
Miloradovich
Irregularforces
Cossacks- Platov
Militia- Miloradovich
LaGrandeArmée- Napoleon
Chief of Staff Marshal Berthier
Russian Army- TsarAlexander
Chief of Staff: Barclay de Tolly/Marshal
Kutusoff
400,000-600,000(422,000)/1,800
cannons
177,000 horses
200,000-400,000/
7. Strategy and Tactics
Strategy
Strategy of Indirect Approach
Strategy of the Central Position
Tactics
1 Battle of maneuver 2. Battle of
attrition
Reconnaissance
Concentrate artillery fire on the gaps
Pourexploitation force trough the
gaps
Pursue with mobile force
Strategy
Strategic defence
Retreating and attrition of the
enemy
Tactics
Scorched-earth tactics
Raid the enemy with light Cosacks
cavalery
LaGrandeArmée Russian Army
10. Russian Plan
DrissaCam
p
Mission:
Back the struggle to a considerable
distance, thus approaching their
reinforcements, gaining time,
weakening the enemy by means of
detachments which he would be
compelled to make, and gaining
space for strategical operations
upon his flank and rear
12. Battle of Borodino/07 Sep 1812
0630-1600
130,000
86,000 Infantry
28,000 Cavalry
16,000 Artillery and
Engineers
587 Guns
Losses
28,000/36 generals
120,000
72,000 Infantry
17,000 Cavalry
14,000 Artillery and
Engineers
7000 Cossacks
10,000 Militia
640 Guns
Losses
30,000/23 Generals
French Army Russian Army
Next year, afterwinterthe peasants would have to bury a
total of 58,521 corpses and the carcasses of 35,478 horses
15. OUTCOME
French losses:
370,000 dead, 200,000 POW
1550 cannon, almost all horses and
vehicles
the graph of Charles Joseph Minard
Russian losses:
150,000 dead, 300,000 wounded
16. KEY EVENT 1
CHANGING IN COMMAND-
DE TOLLY REPLACEDBY KUTUZOV
Causes
De Tolly was underpressure because he didn’t want to
accept decisive battle
Russian’s generals hated him(he was Scot)
He lost Battle of Smolensk
Effects
He was Russian, strong character, he continued
avoiding of resistance, he was able to avoid pressure
He had a lot of experience, he understood Russia better
then any otherRussian orFrench leader
His plan was: sacrifice everything, use terrain and time
advantages in orderto save army and win battle
17. KEY EVENT 2
VIOLATION OF PRINCIPLE OF WAR-
NAPOLEON HESITATES ON USING RESERVE DURING
BATTLE of BORODINO
Causes
Marshal Ney broke Russian defense and asked for
reinforcement
Earlierthat day, French rearwas attacked by Cossacks
Effects
Delay gave Russians time to retreat, reconsolidate and
reorganize
Napoleon missed chance to convert victory into triumph and
end waron the spot
He missed chance to change the course of warand possibly the
course of nineteenth century history
18. KEY EVENT 3
EVACUATION ANDBURNING OF MOSCOW
Causes
Russian’s troops were to weakfornew decisive battle
Napoleon’s troops were to farfromtheirdepots,
logistic became almost impossible
Effects
Russians avoided new battle, tookposition in south in
orderto close Napoleon’s retreat
French didn’t find supply in Moscow, troops lost
discipline
French had to leave Moscow and use the same way
forretreating
19. LESSONS LEARNED
Have a contingency plan. Take the time to
imagine what can go wrong, and develop
solutions to address it.
Napoleon didn’t plan to go deep in Russia, he
expected battle nearboundary
Follow principles of war.
He had advantage overthy enemy but he allowed
him to retreat
Don’t become over-confident
EmperorNapoleon 1st
vs. General Bonaparte
20. LESSONS LEARNED
Know when to cut yourlosses
If Napoleon had left Moscow immediately, he
may have returned with a salvageable army
“My losses are real but the enemy can take no
credit forthem”. Napoleon, January1813
21. LESSONS LEARNED
LOGISTICS
“When you do battle, even if you are winning, if
you continue fora long time it will dull your
forces and blunt you edge…If you keep your
armies out in the field fora long time, your
supplies will be insufficient. Transportation of
provisions itself consumes 20 times the amount
transported.”
“The line between disorderand orderlies in
logistics…”
Sun Tzu
