Napoleon's desire for European domination resulted in a series of wars. Russian Emperor Alexander I sent an army to help the losing Prussian king. After several battles, none of which affected the course of the war, the battle of Friedland took place on June 2, 1807. The battle ended with the defeat of the Russian troops and the conclusion of the Tilsit peace. The disadvantageous treaty of Russia led to the Patriotic War of 1812, the reasons, course and results of which have been discussed for two centuries.
Conflict Background
The agreement, concluded on June 25, 1807, received the name "shameful" among the Russian nobility. The basic condition was the obligation of Russia to join the continental blockade against Great Britain, the enemy of Napoleon. The Russian emperor, who did not want to spoil relations with a long-standing partner, continued to trade, using the help of intermediaries. The actions of Alexander and the increase in customs duties on French goods aroused the wrath of Napoleon.
To rule Alexander, Napoleon threatened to restore Poland within the borders outlined before the creation of the Duchy of Warsaw, which was vassal to him, which would deprive Russia of some territories. Napoleon's pressure annoyed the Russian emperor.
Political disagreements and the double refusal of the Russian emperor Napoleon, who wanted to conclude a monarchical marriage with one of Alexander’s sisters, led to the final deterioration of Russian-French relations.
Course of war
On June 12, 1812, battle-trained French troops crossed the Neman River and invaded Russia. Napoleon planned to defeat the Russian troops in parts and capture Moscow. The Russian command faced the task of uniting the main forces under the leadership of M. B. Barclay de Tolly and P. Bagration. The meeting took place on July 22, 1812 near Smolensk. The command of the combined forces was assigned to M.I. Kutuzov.
A brilliant strategist, M.I. Kutuzov, decided to give the French a battle that began on August 26, 1812, 100 km from Moscow, near the town of Borodino. Opinions who won the battle of Borodino diverge: losses on both sides amounted to 50 thousand people. None of the commanders solved the tasks set for themselves: Kutuzov could not defend Moscow, Napoleon did not advance further. The moral victory of the Russian troops, which defended their positions at the cost of shed blood, became indisputable.
September 1, 1812 the military council decided to leave Moscow. When the French entered the abandoned city by residents and troops, fires began. Russian troops camped near the village of Tarutino, blocking the French way to the southern provinces. The people joining the partisan movement fiercely resisted. Napoleon left Moscow and sent a not-too-efficient army south to Kaluga. The battle of Maloyaroslavets broke his plans. The French turned. The battle near Vyazma turned the retreat into flight. The battle near the Berezina River made the Great Army forget the aggressive plans and leave the Russian lands. On December 25, 1812, the manifesto of Alexander 1 on the end of the war came out.
Reasons for the victory of the Russian Empire
A victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, the course and results of which changed the fate of Russia, would not have happened without the active participation of representatives of all social strata.
- The partisan movement unfolding in the occupied territories inflicted significant damage on the Great Army;
- A general patriotic upsurge rallied the people;
- The dedication of the participants in hostilities was manifested.
Even if we briefly review the results of the Patriotic War of 1812, we cannot but mention its participants. Forever inscribed in Russian history are the names of officers who showed heroism in protecting their native land:
- cavalry general N. N. Raevsky, distinguished himself in the battles of Saltanovka and Smolensk;
- Infantry General P.I. Bagration, under whose command in the Battle of Borodino the left wing of the army repelled all French attacks;
- Field Marshal M. B. Barclay de Tolly, in the battle of Borodino, commanded the center and right wing of the Russian army;
- Infantry General A.P. Ermolov, at a critical moment in the Battle of Borodino, personally leading the soldiers to the dominant heights;
- Field Marshal M. I. Kutuzov, who turned the offensive of the Great Army and named the people the savior of the Fatherland.
A significant role was played by the high level of Russian commanders and the economic potential for creating a combat-ready army.
The final defeat of the French as one of the outcomes of the war of 1812
The liberation of Russian land did not promise protection against the repeated invasive attempts of the French emperor. Alexander decided on the further movement of the army. Russian troops entered European lands in early 1813; Prussia and Austria joined them. In the battle of Leipzig, called the “Battle of the Peoples," the Napoleonic forces were defeated. At the beginning of 1814, allied forces entered France. Napoleon signed the abdication.
Congress of Vienna
In March 1815, Napoleon was able to regain power for a short time. The Allies crushed his army at the Battle of Waterloo (June 1815).
Representatives of the Allied countries gathered in Vienna in September 1815 (Vienna Congress) to discuss the future of Europe and resolve controversial issues. At the suggestion of the Russian emperor, the European monarchies united the Holy Alliance. The main positions in it were taken by Russia, Prussia and Austria, who played a major role in the fall of Bonaparte. The territorial division of Europe was revised: France was deprived of conquered lands. The Duchy of Warsaw almost entirely went to Russia, which also applies to the outcome of the 1812 war.
The impact of the war on the Russian economy
Speaking briefly about the outcome of the war of 1812, Russia paid a high price for the victory - the Russian economy suffered significant losses: agriculture and infrastructure were destroyed. The part of Russia along which Napoleonic troops marched had to be fully restored. Damage amounted to about a billion rubles, large for the Russian budget money.
And on the culture of Russia
Even if we briefly describe the results of the war of 1812, we cannot but touch upon this topic. The French emperor wrote to Alexander after the capture of Moscow: "The beautiful, magnificent city of Moscow no longer exists." This state of affairs did not last long. The burnt chaotic buildings were replaced by new ones, the old narrow streets were replaced by wide boulevards, and theater buildings arose. Russian diplomat and writer A. S. Griboedov wrote about the renewed Moscow: “The fire contributed a lot to decoration”. The decision to build in honor of the victory of the Russian troops of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on the Sparrow Hills in Moscow, Alexander I made immediately after the end of hostilities.
The themes of war and love for the Fatherland for decades have become fundamental in the work. Artists, writers, musicians, theater directors raised it in creativity. The world famous novel by L. N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”, the overture of P. I. Tchaikovsky “1812”, the Alexander Column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg are dedicated to the victory of the Russian people. The rejection of foreign and the glorification of domestic became fashionable. The French language, which took first place in the Russian noble society before the war, gave way to the Russian language, which by the middle of the 19th century had become well-established.
The development of free thinking
The war of liberation united Russian society and aroused patriotic sentiments. Representatives of all social strata sacrificed their lives, offered money and food, yards and estates for the deployment of troops. The publicist V. G. Belinsky called 1812 the year of the great era in the life of Russia, which awakened the previously dormant forces.
Ordinary, who reached Paris, saw a life alien to the usual way of life. Upon returning home, ordinary war veterans believed that they merit gratitude by waiting for the resignation of difficulties and heroism and waited for the abolition of serfdom. Not wanting to put up with the nobility, they staged riots.
The aspirations of the people did not bring results, the victory did not lead to socio-economic reforms. The sovereign, called the "liberator" in Europe, did nothing to liberate his people.
Doubts about the state system resulted in the development of a social movement that aimed at the accomplishment of tsarism. Faced with European orders, the enlightened part of society, the nobility, felt the difference between the appearance of a great empire and the outdated foundations of society. The advanced part of the Russian nobility united into secret societies, the first of which was the “Order of Russian Knights”, created in 1815. The Decembrists called themselves “children of 1812”, their first organization, the Union of Salvation, was formed under the leadership of Colonel General Staff A. M. Muravyov in 1816. The ruling circles, on the contrary, strengthened their assessment of the existing system as a strong and even advanced state system.
The changes caused by the results of the Patriotic War of 1812 can be briefly called a complete breakdown of stereotypes and the beginning of the transformation of Russian society.
Importance for domestic policy of Russia
Due to the accession of new territories, the Russian Empire increased, the composition of the population grew. Due to the struggle of the Polish people for sovereignty, Poland became a problem for the next hundred years. Serfdom spread to new territories, which aggravated the situation.
The Importance of War for Foreign Policy
The reasons, course and results of the war of 1812 showed Russia’s tough stance in the field of protecting its own interests and helped it take its rightful place in European politics. The international authority of Russia, which has seriously fallen since the conclusion of the Tilsit Peace, has grown markedly and over the next 10 years the country has occupied an important place in world politics.
Formed on the proposal of Alexander 1, the “Holy Union” assumed the interaction of European monarchs and became the forerunner of the European Parliament. The Vienna system lasted four decades; during this period, Europe was able to refrain from serious military conflicts.
In short: the outcome of the 1812 war for Europe was the end of the era of the Napoleonic Wars and the establishment of a new European order.