2. Introduction
Patriotic War of 1812 — the military conflict in 1812
between Russia and the army of Napoleon Bonaparte,
which has intruded on Russian territory.
3. France before war
The military preparations of the
French army were completed in
March 1812.
The "Great army", assigned for a
campaign to Russia, was composed of
647 thousand persons and 1372 guns.
French were only half of that army,
into which entered the
representatives of the nations won by
Napoleon.
"The great army" was headed by
Napoleon; among his marshals were
L.Davu, M.Nei, I.Murat,
U.Ponyatovsky. Napoleon Bonapart
4. Russia before war
To the intruded enemy resisted 220 -
240 thousand Russian soldiers at 942
guns - in 3 times less, than was at the
opponent. Besides Russian armies have
been divided into 3 armies.
The moral spirit of the Russian army was
extremely high. Apart brilliant military
leaders Barklai De Tolli and Bagration,
the armies were commanded by talented
generals D.S.Dokhturov, A.P.Ermolov,
P.P.Konovnitsyn, M.I.Platov,
N.N.Raevsky. Barklai De Tolli, being the
military minister, became the
Commander-in-chief of the army.
Barklai De Tolli
5. The war beginning
The 12th of June 1812 Napoleon crossed Neman and entered the
Russian territory. He expected to surround and break two Russian
armies but Barklai, following his plan, moving to the connection with
the army of Bagration.
The 22nd of July Russian armies were unified in Smolensk. Having
repulsed series of attacks of the French army, the Russian armed
forces, the 6th of August, under the command of Barklai De Tolli
continued to retreat.
The plan of Napoleon, intending to crush Russian armies separately in
frontier battles and to compel Russia to the conclusion of peace on his
conditions, fell. The war was delayed, the losses of "Great army" grew.
On the occupied grounds the wave of the guerrillas movement rose.
From Smolensk, Napoleon sent to Alexander I a peace proposition,
but did not receive the answer. Napoleon continued move to Moscow
following Russian armies hoping for decisive battle.
6. Appointment of the new commander-in-chief
The unsatisfaction due to the long retreat
and the growing mistrust of Barklai De
Tolli in the army and generally in the
Russian society forced the emperor, the
8th of August, to appoint as commander-
in-chief M.I.Kutuzov, an experienced and
cautious commander.
Kutuzov started the preparation for the
decisive battle, for which the Russian
army receded at the position near the
village of Borodino, in 110 versts from
Moscow. There, on the 26th of August
(the 7th of September) took place the
battle that played the important role in
war.
M.I.Kutuzov
7. Loss of Moscow
The 27th of August, Kutuzov gave the
order to continue the retreat in the
direction of Moscow. Napoleon, hoping
for new battle, was moving after.
The 1st of September, at the military
council situated in a village near Moscow
Fili, Kutuzov took up the responsibility
for the heavy decision about the leaving
of the ancient capital without fight for
the sake of the army. Leaving the city,
Kutuzov and the Moscow general-
governor F.Rostopchin ordered to burn
warehouses.
The 2nd of September, Napoleon
entered Moscow left by inhabitants, and
in the evening the city burst into fire in
different places. The fire that covered all
Moscow, destroyed stocks of the
foodstuffs and arms; 70% of buildings
burned.
8. Borodino
After a fight proceeding all the day,
Frenchmen could occupy the
positions of the Russian army, but
did not crush it. The losses of the
French Army were estimated at 28
thousand, Russian - 45,6 thousand
persons.
Napoleon managed to save its
reserves (20 thousand); the reserves
of the Russian army were lost.
Kutuzov could not crush the French
army nor stop its approach; but
despite of heavy losses, the Russian
army was rescued and could
continue its campaign.
9. Deviation of Frenchmen
Three times Napoleon proposed to Alexander I
to start peace talks, but he did not answer him.
Napoleon could not stay in the devastated city
during the winter; that is why Napoleon and
the French Army left Moscow on the 7th of
October.
Kutuzov, camping in Tarutino, near Moscow,
was preparing for a counterattack. The 6th of
October, Kutuzov began a counterattack
against the army of Napoleon, expecting to go
to the winter apartments at the western border
of Russia.
The 12th of October 1812, as result of a bloody
battle in Maloyaroslavets, Napoleon was
compelled to recede along the ruined
Mozhaisk's road to Smolensk. Famine, strong
frosts, constant impacts of the Russian army on
the French army transformed their retreat into
flight. But it was not possible to completely
destroy the former "Great army".
10. The war end
Napoleon guessed the plan of Кuтuzov
to surround the French army at the
river Berezina, built a false passage
and the 14th-16th of November passed
the river in another place, lost 50
thousand persons, but saved marshals,
generals and its guards (9 thousand
people).
The 23rd of November Napoleon
abandoned the rests of the army and
secretly left for Paris. The 28th of
November, Russian armies finished
their counterattack, and the 25th of
December 1812, Alexander's I manifest
announced the final expulsion of the
aggressors from the territory of Russia
and the victorious end of the patriotic
war.
11. War has ended almost with utter defeat of Napoleonic army
and carrying over of military operations on territory of
Poland and Germany in 1813.
