Napoleon's Invasion of Russia 1812

I made a collage of clips from the movie War and Peace (Voyna i mir, 1967). This shows Napoleon's advance into Russia's heartland culminating in the battle of Borodino and the capture of Moscow in September. Translation of the dialogue (sorry for the lack of subtitles):

0:51 Kutuzov: "Go along, and Christ be with you."
3:59 "Sir, if we throw in one more division, the enemy will be beaten." Napoleon: "Not yet. It's easy to make mistakes in the heat of battle. Confirm and report to me."
4:28 Napoleon: "We should send in some of the reserve. What do you think?" Officer: "Send in Claparède's division." Napoleon: "I can't send that! Send in Friant's division instead."
4:55 "Sir, the enemy's leading elements have been pushed back. Prince Bagration has been wounded."
5:02 Kutuzov: "You, go find out what has happened.
5:12 "Your grace..."

6:45 Napoleon: "There it is, at last, that holy capital. There it is, at my feet, awaiting its destiny. Strange, beautiful, majestic... But why is the city's envoy taking so long?"
7:16 "Sir, the city has been abandoned. Everyone has left."


Some historical background:

"In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia. He aimed to compel Emperor Alexander I to remain in the Continental System and to remove the imminent threat of a Russian invasion of Poland. The French-led Grande Armée, consisting of 650,000 men (270,000 Frenchmen and many soldiers of allies or subject areas), crossed the Niemen River on 23 June 1812. Russia proclaimed a Patriotic War, while Napoleon proclaimed a Second Polish war. The Poles supplied almost 100,000 troops for the invasion-force, but against their expectations, Napoleon avoided any concessions to Poland, having in mind further negotiations with Russia. Russia maintained a scorched-earth policy of retreat, broken only by the Battle of Borodino on 7 September 1812. This required the Grande Armee to adjust its methods of operation, but it refused to do so. This refusal led to most of the losses of the main column of the Grande Armee, which in one case amounted to 95,000 troops in the space of a single week. The bloody confrontation of Borodino ended in a tactical defeat for Russia, thus opening the road to Moscow for Napoleon.

By 14 September 1812, the Grande Armée had captured Moscow. But by then, the Russians had largely abandoned the city, even releasing prisoners from Moscow's prisons to inconvenience the French. Alexander I refused to capitulate, and the governor, Count Fyodor Vasilievich Rostopchin, ordered the city burnt to the ground. With no sign of clear victory in sight, Napoleon began the disastrous Great Retreat from Moscow. The remnants of the Grande Armée crossed the Berezina River in November, and only 27,000 fit soldiers remained. Napoleon then left his army and returned to Paris to prepare to defend Poland against the advancing Russians. Some 380,000 men dead and 100,000 captured, the situation seemed less dire than at first. The Russians had lost around 210,000 men, leaving their army depleted. But thanks to their shorter supply-lines, they could replenish their armies faster than the French."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon%27s_invasion_of_Russia

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• napoleon
• invasion
• of
• russia
• campaign
• alexander
• kutuzov
• napoleonic
• war
• borodino
• strategy
• tactics

[Vanyaaynav]

In 2012 to be executed 200 years to great battle "Borodino". There will be a reconstruction, it will be possible interesting....

[westnblu]

@Hereticalable Well thanx 4 that didnt know that. About the only thing i was familiar was the month of July being named after him!! LOL Pardon my ignorance but u sometimes get surprised with reading comments posted by knowledgeable ppl as yourself thanx again.

[MBDmediaman]

This Russian take on the assault on Moscow sure beat the US version of '56! My Dad really enjoyed this long version, as we saw it in a San Diego theater in '68 while I was going to SD State Univ. I am not a war/violence junkie, as I was an active anti Vietnam war activist at the time. Not vs. the trigger pullers, but vs. the military/civilian brass that got us into the mess, from LBJ, McNamara on down and the four star brass. I supported the GIs as a flight ops specialist in W. Germany.

[Hereticalable]

@westnblu Napoleon certainly didn't have the racist and genocidal views of Hitler but the aim of conquering everything was the same. Both men were soldiers but Hitler had good generals he often ignored. As for Emperor's - well Britain's monarchy was technically Imperial for centuries with the largest Empire in history (and Victoria was known as Empress of India). Germany had it's Kaiser (which means Caeser) and Russia had it's Tsars (again named for Caeser).

[westnblu]

@Hereticalable World domination i agree was 1 thing they had in common but therein end the similarities. Napolean was an able general Hitler was not . Waltzed into Paris proclaimed himself Emperor without a shot being fired the French luved him they even named a brandy after him!! LOL There hasnt been an Emperor since the Roman times. Even the English called him Emperor cant recall the English calling Hitler Fuhrer can u? haha

[Hereticalable]

@westnblu Montreal too...credit where it is due by the world's language is English not French. America is mostly a product of Britain (of course there were plenty of Dutch, Germans, Spanish and French there too). Napoleon was a simple tyrant and conqueror - not much different to Hitler in regards to world domination.

[westnblu]

@Hereticalable Well Britain i can understand but America is the 'New World' less of a history yet the French have left their mark in the US especially in places like New Orleans

[Hereticalable]

@westnblu Germans have conquered Paris at least twice...and neither could touch Britain or American ;o)

[westnblu]

@luckyStrike89ru ok didnt know that thanx 4 that.