The Napoleonic wars became the most important stage in the history of the development of the entire European continent. Russia also did not stand aside from these battles, taking part in the military campaigns of the Third, Fourth and Fifth anti-French coalitions in Prussia and the Baltic. And later becoming the first country that was able to oppose the powerful enemy army with the spirit and courage of a simple soldier and the military genius of Russian commanders. Actually, the first successful episode of the Napoleonic Wars for the Russian forces was the Patriotic War of 1812. Briefly about it, probably, is known to each of our compatriots. Well, who did not hear about the battle of Borodino or the retreat of Napoleon from Moscow? Let us dwell on this page of our history.
The Patriotic War of 1812: briefly on the premises
The course of the Napoleonic Wars in their first decade was extremely unsuccessful for the opponents of the French emperor. The
battle of Trafalgar
, the battles of Austerlitz, Friedland and a number of other significant victories made Napoleon the ruler of all of Europe. In 1807, as a result of military defeats, Emperor
Alexander I had to sign the Tilsit Treaty, which was humiliating for Russia. Its main condition was the promise of the Russians to join the continental blockade of Great Britain. However, for Russia it was unprofitable both politically and economically. Alexander I contract was used only for respite and restoration of power, after which Russia violated the conditions of the continental blockade in 1810. This, as well as the desire of Alexander I for revenge and the return of the territorial possessions lost during previous battles, are the main reasons for the Patriotic War of 1812. Both sides understood the inevitability of a clash since 1810. Napoleon actively transferred his armies to Poland, creating a bridgehead there. In turn, the Russian emperor pulled together the main military forces in the western provinces.
Patriotic War of 1812: briefly about the main events
Napoleon's invasion began on June 12, 1812, when he crossed the Neman River with his 600,000th army. Russian troops in the amount of 240 thousand people were forced to retreat in front of superior enemy forces. There were only small battles, such as near Polotsk. The first serious battle took place on August 3 in the Smolensk region. The victory went to the French, but the Russians managed to save part of their army. The next battle took place when the talented strategist M. Kutuzov led the Russian armies. We are talking about the famous Borodino battle that took place in late August. Properly choosing the geographical location and positional position of the troops, the Russian commander managed to inflict huge losses on the enemy army. The battle of Borodino ended late in the evening of August 12 with a nominal victory of Napoleon. However, the heavy losses of the French army, coupled with the lack of its support in foreign lands, to a large extent contributed to its retreat from Russia in the future. On September 2, Kutuzov made, as it turned out, a visionary decision to leave the capital, into which Napoleon entered a day later. The latter stayed in it until October 7 in anticipation of surrender, or at least the start of negotiations on the Russian side. However, the fire in the city, the depletion of supplies in the Napoleonic army and the guerrilla war of local peasants forced him to leave the capital. Since mid-November, the war has taken a different turn. Now the hungry and exhausted French army is leaving Russia along a devastated path, and Russian mobile units are actively destroying it in hassles. The final defeat occurred on November 14-16 at the Berezina River. Only 30 thousand Napoleonic soldiers left Russia.
World War 1812: a brief summary of the results
The war had a major impact on Russian history. The results of the Patriotic War of 1812 are contradictory. On the one hand, it has caused tremendous damage to the domestic economy, infrastructure and human potential. On the other, it allowed in January 1813 to begin the overseas campaign of the Russian troops, ending in the destruction of the
French Empire and the restoration of the Bourbons in it. This actually leads to the restoration of reactionary regimes also throughout the continent. An important influence was also exerted on the internal socio-economic and cultural processes in Russia. So, the officers who visited Europe formed the backbone of the democratic movements in the country that led to
the 1825
Decembrist uprising .