NAPOLEON’S INVASION OF RUSSIA

“Never Get Involved in a Land War in Asia!”

AKA

The Patriotic War Not to be confused with the Great

Patriotic War

AKA

The First Fatherland War Not be confused with the Second

Fatherland War

AKA

The War of 1812 Not to be confused with War of 1812

between England and America

Reasons

Continental system imposed on Napoleon’s empire and allies

This hurt Russia’s economy Czar Alexander tacitly allowed Russians

to break the trade embargo with England His actions irritated Napoleon

Grande Armée

Largest army assembled in Europe up that point

Around 600,000 men crossed Neman river headed towards Moscow

Of these, 300,000 were French

Russian Imperial Army

Vastly outnumbered Army facing Napoleon immediately

comprised of 175,000 men Total army, including reserves, numbered

488,000 Russia’s only ally, Sweden, did not send

troops to its aid

Russian Tactics

Generals knew they could not defeat French in battle

Strategic retreats burning crops as they went along

Moscow

Czar Alexander insisted on a battle for Moscow

After bloody battle, Kutuzov gave up Moscow to the invaders

Napoleon had captured the enemy’s capital

He waited for five weeks for Alexander to negotiate

Alexander refused so Napoleon decided to withdraw his hungry, ragged, troops

Effects

Contributed to Napoleon’s downfall Russian foreign policy after this was

focused on preventing another invasion Russia became more isolated and fearful

of the outside world Russian people were more patriotic than

before Mother Russia

Crime and Punishment

Focus on Russian people All the main characters are Russian

Svidrigailov ‘s dislike of being abroad “Marfa Petrovna herself invited me to go

abroad, seeing I was bored, but I’ve been abroad before, and always felt sick there… it’s better at home” (284)

Attachment to ‘Mother Russia’

Tsarevskaya, Lyubov. "Napoleon's Invsion of Russia." Voice of Russia. Jacques-Louis David, 11 August 2010. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/08/11/15327269.html>.

Moore, Richard. "1812 Invasion of Russia: Napoleonis Wars." www.Napoleonguide.com. Richard Moore, 1999. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.napoleonguide.com/campaign_russia.htm

"History and Culture of Russia." www.geographia.com. geographia.com, n.d. Web. 18 Nov 2010. <http://www.geographia.com/russia/rushis05.htm>.

"French Invasion of Russia." Article Base 9 October 2010: n. page. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.articlesbase.com/public-relations-articles/french-invasion-of-russia-3438676.html>.

Durant, Will, and Ariel Durant. The Story of Civilization: The Age of Napoleon: A History of European Civilization from 1789 to 1815. XI. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975. Print.