The Patriotic War of 1812 began on June 12 - on this day Napoleon's troops crossed the Neman River, unleashing wars between the two crowns of France and Russia. This war lasted until December 14, 1812, ending with the complete and unconditional victory of the Russian and allied forces. This is a glorious page of Russian history, which we will consider with reference to the official history textbooks of Russia and France, as well as to the books of bibliographers Napoleon, Alexander 1 and Kutuzov, who describe in great detail the events taking place at that moment.

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Start of the war

Causes of the War of 1812

The causes of the Patriotic War of 1812, like all other wars in the history of mankind, must be considered in two aspects - the causes on the part of France and the causes on the part of Russia.

Reasons from France

In just a few years, Napoleon radically changed his own ideas about Russia. If, upon coming to power, he wrote that Russia was his only ally, then by 1812 Russia had become a threat to France (consider the emperor) a threat. In many ways, this was provoked by Alexander 1 himself. So, this is why France attacked Russia in June 1812:

1. Violation of the Tilsit agreements: easing of the continental blockade. As you know, the main enemy of France at that time was England, against which the blockade was organized. Russia also participated in this, but in 1810 the government passed a law allowing trade with England through intermediaries. This effectively rendered the entire blockade ineffective, which completely undermined France's plans.
2. Refusals in dynastic marriage. Napoleon sought to marry into the Russian imperial court in order to become “God’s anointed.” However, in 1808 he was denied marriage to Princess Catherine. In 1810 he was denied marriage to Princess Anna. As a result, in 1811 the French emperor married an Austrian princess.
3. Transfer of Russian troops to the border with Poland in 1811. In the first half of 1811, Alexander 1 ordered the transfer of 3 divisions to the Polish borders, fearing an uprising of Poland, which could spread to Russian lands. This step was regarded by Napoleon as aggression and preparation for war for Polish territories, which by that time were already subordinate to France.

Soldiers! A new, second Polish war begins! The first ended in Tilsit. There, Russia promised to be an eternal ally for France in the war with England, but broke its promise. The Russian emperor does not want to give explanations for his actions until the French eagles cross the Rhine. Do they really think that we have become different? Are we really not the winners of Austerlitz? Russia presented France with a choice - shame or war. The choice is obvious! Let's go ahead, let's cross the Neman! The second Polish howl will be glorious for French arms. She will bring a messenger to the destructive influence of Russia on European affairs.

Thus began a war of conquest for France.

Reasons from Russia

Russia also had compelling reasons for participating in the war, which turned out to be a liberation war for the state. The main reasons include the following:

1. Large losses for all segments of the population from the break in trade with England. The opinions of historians on this point differ, since it is believed that the blockade did not affect the state as a whole, but exclusively its elite, who, as a result of the lack of opportunity to trade with England, lost money.
2. France's intention to recreate the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1807, Napoleon created the Duchy of Warsaw and sought to recreate the ancient state in its true size. Perhaps this was only in the event of the seizure of its western lands from Russia.
3. Napoleon's violation of the Peace of Tilsit. One of the main criteria for signing this agreement was that Prussia should be cleared of French troops, but this was never done, although Alexander 1 constantly reminded about this.

For a long time, France has been trying to encroach on Russia's independence. We always tried to be meek, hoping to deflect her attempts to seize us. With all our desire to maintain peace, we are forced to gather troops to defend our Motherland. There are no possibilities for a peaceful resolution of the conflict with France, which means there is only one thing left - to defend the truth, to defend Russia from invaders. I don't need to remind commanders and soldiers about courage, it's in our hearts. The blood of the victors, the blood of the Slavs, flows in our veins. Soldiers! You defend the country, defend the religion, defend the fatherland. I'm with you. God is with us.

Balance of forces and means at the beginning of the war

Napoleon's crossing of the Neman occurred on June 12, with 450 thousand people at his disposal. Around the end of the month, another 200 thousand people joined him. If we take into account that by that time there were no large losses on both sides, then the total number of the French army at the start of hostilities in 1812 was 650 thousand soldiers. It is impossible to say that the French made up 100% of the army, since the combined army of almost all European countries fought on the side of France (France, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Prussia, Spain, Holland). However, it was the French who formed the basis of the army. These were proven soldiers who had won many victories with their emperor.

Russia after mobilization had 590 thousand soldiers. Initially, the army numbered 227 thousand people, and they were divided on three fronts:

• Northern - First Army. Commander: Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly. Number of people: 120 thousand people. They were located in the north of Lithuania and covered St. Petersburg.
• Central - Second Army. Commander - Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration. Number of people: 49 thousand people. They were located in the south of Lithuania, covering Moscow.
• Southern - Third Army. Commander - Alexander Petrovich Tormasov. Number of people: 58 thousand people. They were located in Volyn, covering the attack on Kyiv.

Also in Russia, partisan detachments were active, the number of which reached 400 thousand people.

The first stage of the war - The offensive of Napoleon's troops (June-September)

At 6 o'clock in the morning on June 12, 1812, the Patriotic War with Napoleonic France began for Russia. Napoleon's troops crossed the Neman and headed inland. The main direction of the attack was supposed to be on Moscow. The commander himself said that “if I capture Kyiv, I will lift the Russians by the feet, if I capture St. Petersburg, I will take them by the throat, if I take Moscow, I will strike the heart of Russia.”

The French army, commanded by brilliant commanders, was looking for a general battle, and the fact that Alexander 1 divided the army into 3 fronts was very beneficial to the aggressors. However, at the initial stage, Barclay de Tolly played a decisive role, who gave the order not to engage in battle with the enemy and to retreat deeper into the country. This was necessary to combine forces, as well as to strengthen reserves. Retreating, the Russians destroyed everything - they killed livestock, poisoned water, burned fields. In the literal sense of the word, the French moved forward through the ashes. Later, Napoleon complained that the Russian people were carrying out a vile war and did not behave according to the rules.

Northern direction

Napoleon sent 32 thousand people led by General MacDonald to St. Petersburg. The first city on this route was Riga. According to the French plan, MacDonald was supposed to capture the city. Connect with General Oudinot (he had 28 thousand people at his disposal) and move on.

The defense of Riga was commanded by General Essen with 18 thousand soldiers. He burned everything around the city, and the city itself was very well fortified. By this time, MacDonald had captured Dinaburg (the Russians abandoned the city at the beginning of the war) and did not take further active action. He understood the absurdity of the assault on Riga and waited for the arrival of artillery.

General Oudinot occupied Polotsk and from there tried to separate Wittgenstein's corps from the army of Barclay de Tolly. However, on July 18, Wittgenstein launched an unexpected blow on Oudinot, who was saved from defeat only by the arrival of Saint-Cyr's corps. As a result, balance came and no more active offensive operations were carried out in the northern direction.

South direction

General Ranier with an army of 22 thousand people was supposed to act in the southern direction, blocking the army of General Tormasov, preventing it from connecting with the rest of the Russian army.

On July 27, Tormasov surrounded the city of Kobrin, where Ranier’s main forces gathered. The French suffered a terrible defeat - in 1 day 5 thousand people were killed in the battle, which forced the French to retreat. Napoleon realized that the southern direction in the Patriotic War of 1812 was in danger of failure. Therefore, he transferred General Schwarzenberg’s troops there, numbering 30 thousand people. As a result of this, on August 12, Tormasov was forced to retreat to Lutsk and take up defense there. Subsequently, the French did not undertake active offensive actions in the southern direction. The main events took place in the Moscow direction.

The course of events of the offensive company

On June 26, the army of General Bagration advanced from Vitebsk, whose task Alexander 1 set to engage in battle with the main forces of the enemy in order to wear them down. Everyone realized the absurdity of this idea, but only by July 17 was it possible to finally dissuade the emperor from this idea. The troops began to retreat to Smolensk.

On July 6, the large number of Napoleon's troops became clear. To prevent the Patriotic War from dragging on for a long time, Alexander 1 signed a decree on the creation of a militia. Literally all residents of the country are enrolled in it - there are about 400 thousand volunteers in total.

On July 22, the armies of Bagration and Barclay de Tolly united near Smolensk. The command of the united army was taken over by Barclay de Tolly, who had 130 thousand soldiers at his disposal, while the front line of the French army numbered 150 thousand soldiers.

On July 25, a military council was held in Smolensk, at which the issue of accepting the battle was discussed in order to launch a counteroffensive and defeat Napoleon with one blow. But Barclay spoke out against this idea, realizing that an open battle with an enemy, a brilliant strategist and tactician, could lead to a monumental failure. As a result, the offensive idea was not implemented. It was decided to retreat further - to Moscow.

On July 26, the retreat of the troops began, which General Neverovsky was supposed to cover by occupying the village of Krasnoye, thereby closing the bypass of Smolensk for Napoleon.

On August 2, Murat with a cavalry corps tried to break through the defenses of Neverovsky, but to no avail. In total, more than 40 attacks were launched with the help of cavalry, but it was not possible to achieve the desired result.

August 5 is one of the important dates in the Patriotic War of 1812. Napoleon began the assault on Smolensk, capturing the suburbs by evening. However, at night he was driven out of the city, and the Russian army continued its massive retreat from the city. This caused a storm of discontent among the soldiers. They believed that if they managed to drive the French out of Smolensk, then it was necessary to destroy it there. They accused Barclay of cowardice, but the general implemented only one plan - to wear down the enemy and take a decisive battle when the balance of forces was on the side of Russia. By this time, the French had all the advantage.

On August 17, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov arrived in the army and took command. This candidacy did not raise any questions, since Kutuzov (a student of Suvorov) was highly respected and was considered the best Russian commander after the death of Suvorov. Having arrived in the army, the new commander-in-chief wrote that he had not yet decided what to do next: “The question has not yet been resolved - either lose the army, or give up Moscow.”

On August 26, the Battle of Borodino took place. Its outcome still raises many questions and disputes, but there were no losers then. Each commander solved his own problems: Napoleon opened his way to Moscow (the heart of Russia, as the Emperor of France himself wrote), and Kutuzov was able to inflict heavy damage on the enemy, thereby making the initial turning point in the battle of 1812.

September 1 is a significant day, which is described in all history textbooks. A military council was held in Fili, near Moscow. Kutuzov gathered his generals to decide what to do next. There were only two options: retreat and surrender Moscow, or organize a second general battle after Borodino. Most of the generals, on the wave of success, demanded a battle in order to defeat Napoleon as soon as possible. Kutuzov himself and Barclay de Tolly opposed this development of events. The military council in Fili ended with Kutuzov’s phrase “As long as there is an army, there is hope. If we lose the army near Moscow, we will lose not only the ancient capital, but also all of Russia.”

September 2 - following the results of the military council of generals, which took place in Fili, it was decided that it was necessary to leave the ancient capital. The Russian army retreated, and Moscow itself, before the arrival of Napoleon, according to many sources, was subjected to terrible looting. However, this is not even the main thing. Retreating, the Russian army set the city on fire. Wooden Moscow burned down almost three-quarters. The most important thing is that literally all food warehouses were destroyed. The reasons for the Moscow fire lie in the fact that the French would not get anything that could be used by the enemies for food, movement or in other aspects. As a result, the aggressor troops found themselves in a very precarious position.

The second stage of the war - Napoleon's retreat (October - December)

Having occupied Moscow, Napoleon considered the mission completed. The commander's bibliographers later wrote that he was faithful - the loss of the historical center of Rus' would break the victorious spirit, and the country's leaders had to come to him asking for peace. But this did not happen. Kutuzov settled down with his army 80 kilometers from Moscow near Tarutin and waited until the enemy army, deprived of normal supplies, weakened and itself made a radical change in the Patriotic War. Without waiting for a peace offer from Russia, the French emperor himself took the initiative.

Napoleon's quest for peace

According to Napoleon's original plan, the capture of Moscow was to be decisive. Here it was possible to establish a convenient bridgehead, including for a campaign against St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia. However, the delay in moving around Russia and the heroism of the people, who fought for literally every piece of land, practically thwarted this plan. After all, a trip to the north of Russia in winter for the French army with irregular food supplies actually amounted to death. This became clearly clear towards the end of September, when it began to get colder. Subsequently, Napoleon wrote in his autobiography that his biggest mistake was the campaign against Moscow and the month spent there.

Realizing the gravity of his situation, the French emperor and commander decided to end the Patriotic War of Russia by signing a peace treaty with it. Three such attempts were made:

1. September 18. A message was sent through General Tutolmin to Alexander 1, which stated that Napoleon revered the Russian emperor and offered him peace. All that is required from Russia is to give up the territory of Lithuania and return to the continental blockade again.
2. September 20. Alexander 1 received a second letter from Napoleon with a peace proposal. The conditions offered were the same as before. The Russian emperor did not respond to these messages.
3. The 4th of October. The hopelessness of the situation led to Napoleon literally begging for peace. This is what he writes to Alexander 1 (according to the major French historian F. Segur): “I need peace, I need it, at all costs, just save your honor.” This proposal was delivered to Kutuzov, but the Emperor of France never received a response.

Retreat of the French army in the autumn-winter of 1812

It became obvious to Napoleon that he would not be able to sign a peace treaty with Russia, and that staying for the winter in Moscow, which the Russians had burned while retreating, was reckless. Moreover, it was impossible to stay here, since constant raids by militias caused great damage to the army. So, during the month that the French army was in Moscow, its strength decreased by 30 thousand people. As a result, the decision was made to retreat.

On October 7, preparations began for the retreat of the French army. One of the orders on this occasion was to blow up the Kremlin. Fortunately, this idea did not work out for him. Russian historians attribute this to the fact that due to high humidity, the wicks got wet and failed.

On October 19, the retreat of Napoleon's army from Moscow began. The purpose of this retreat was to reach Smolensk, since it was the only major nearby city that had significant food supplies. The road went through Kaluga, but Kutuzov blocked this direction. Now the advantage was on the side of the Russian army, so Napoleon decided to bypass. However, Kutuzov foresaw this maneuver and met the enemy army at Maloyaroslavets.

On October 24, the battle of Maloyaroslavets took place. During the day, this small town passed from one side to the other 8 times. In the final stage of the battle, Kutuzov managed to take fortified positions, and Napoleon did not dare to storm them, since the numerical superiority was already on the side of the Russian army. As a result, the French plans were thwarted, and they had to retreat to Smolensk along the same road along which they went to Moscow. It was already a scorched land - without food and without water.

Napoleon's retreat was accompanied by heavy losses. Indeed, in addition to clashes with Kutuzov’s army, we also had to deal with partisan detachments that daily attacked the enemy, especially his rear units. Napoleon's losses were terrible. On November 9, he managed to capture Smolensk, but this did not bring a fundamental change in the course of the war. There was practically no food in the city, and it was not possible to organize a reliable defense. As a result, the army was subjected to almost continuous attacks by militias and local patriots. Therefore, Napoleon stayed in Smolensk for 4 days and decided to retreat further.

Crossing the Berezina River

The French were heading to the Berezina River (in modern Belarus) to cross the river and cross to the Neman. But on November 16, General Chichagov captured the city of Borisov, which is located on the Berezina. Napoleon's situation became catastrophic - for the first time, the possibility of being captured was actively looming for him, since he was surrounded.

On November 25, by order of Napoleon, the French army began to imitate a crossing south of Borisov. Chichagov bought this maneuver and began transferring troops. At this point, the French built two bridges across the Berezina and began crossing on November 26-27. Only on November 28, Chichagov realized his mistake and tried to give battle to the French army, but it was too late - the crossing was completed, albeit at the loss of a huge number of human lives. 21 thousand French died while crossing the Berezina! The “Great Army” now consisted of only 9 thousand soldiers, most of whom were no longer capable of combat.

It was during this crossing that unusually severe frosts occurred, to which the French emperor referred, justifying huge losses. The 29th bulletin, which was published in one of the newspapers in France, said that until November 10 the weather was normal, but after that very severe cold came, for which no one was prepared.

Crossing the Neman (from Russia to France)

The crossing of the Berezina showed that Napoleon's Russian campaign was over - he lost the Patriotic War in Russia in 1812. Then the emperor decided that his further stay with the army did not make sense and on December 5 he left his troops and headed to Paris.

On December 16, in Kovno, the French army crossed the Neman and left Russian territory. Its strength was only 1,600 people. The invincible army, which terrified all of Europe, was almost completely destroyed by Kutuzov's army in less than 6 months.

Below is a graphical representation of Napoleon's retreat on the map.

Results of the Patriotic War of 1812

The Patriotic War between Russia and Napoleon was of great importance for all countries involved in the conflict. Largely thanks to these events, England's undivided dominance in Europe became possible. This development was foreseen by Kutuzov, who, after the flight of the French army in December, sent a report to Alexander 1, where he explained to the ruler that the war needed to be ended immediately, and the pursuit of the enemy and the liberation of Europe would be beneficial to strengthening the power of England. But Alexander did not listen to the advice of his commander and soon began a campaign abroad.

Reasons for Napoleon's defeat in the war

When determining the main reasons for the defeat of Napoleonic army, it is necessary to dwell on the most important ones, which are most often used by historians:

• A strategic mistake by the Emperor of France, who sat in Moscow for 30 days and waited for representatives of Alexander 1 with pleas for peace. As a result, it began to get colder and provisions ran out, and constant raids by partisan movements brought a turning point in the war.
• Unity of the Russian people. As usual, in the face of great danger, the Slavs unite. It was the same this time. For example, the historian Lieven writes that the main reason for the defeat of France lies in the massive nature of the war. Everyone fought for the Russians - women and children. And all this was ideologically justified, which made the morale of the army very strong. The Emperor of France did not break him.
• The reluctance of Russian generals to accept a decisive battle. Most historians forget about this, but what would have happened to Bagration’s army if he had accepted a general battle at the beginning of the war, as Alexander 1 really wanted? 60 thousand of Bagration’s army against 400 thousand of the aggressor army. It would have been an unconditional victory, and they would hardly have had time to recover from it. Therefore, the Russian people should express words of gratitude to Barclay de Tolly, who, by his decision, gave the order for the retreat and unification of the armies.
• The genius of Kutuzov. The Russian general, who received excellent training from Suvorov, did not make a single tactical miscalculation. It is noteworthy that Kutuzov never managed to defeat his enemy, but managed to tactically and strategically win the Patriotic War.
• General Frost is used as an excuse. To be fair, it must be said that the frost did not have any significant impact on the final result, since at the time the abnormal frosts began (mid-November), the outcome of the confrontation was decided - the great army was destroyed.

On June 22, 1941, at 4 o’clock in the morning, Nazi Germany treacherously invaded the USSR without declaring war. This attack ended the chain of aggressive actions of Nazi Germany, which, thanks to the connivance and incitement of the Western powers, grossly violated the elementary norms of international law, resorted to predatory seizures and monstrous atrocities in the occupied countries.

In accordance with the Barbarossa plan, the fascist offensive began on a wide front by several groups in different directions. An army was stationed in the north "Norway", advancing on Murmansk and Kandalaksha; an army group was advancing from East Prussia to the Baltic states and Leningrad "North"; the most powerful army group "Center" had the goal of defeating the Red Army units in Belarus, capturing Vitebsk-Smolensk and taking Moscow on the move; army group "South" was concentrated from Lublin to the mouth of the Danube and led an attack on Kyiv - Donbass. The Nazis' plans boiled down to delivering a surprise attack in these directions, destroying border and military units, breaking through deep into the rear, and capturing Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv and the most important industrial centers in the southern regions of the country.

The German army command expected to end the war in 6-8 weeks.

190 enemy divisions, about 5.5 million soldiers, up to 50 thousand guns and mortars, 4,300 tanks, almost 5 thousand aircraft and about 200 warships were thrown into the offensive against the Soviet Union.

The war began in extremely favorable conditions for Germany. Before the attack on the USSR, Germany captured almost all of Western Europe, whose economy worked for the Nazis. Therefore, Germany had a powerful material and technical base.

Germany's military products were supplied by 6,500 of the largest enterprises in Western Europe. More than 3 million foreign workers were involved in the war industry. In Western European countries, the Nazis looted a lot of weapons, military equipment, trucks, carriages and locomotives. The military-economic resources of Germany and its allies significantly exceeded those of the USSR. Germany fully mobilized its army, as well as the armies of its allies. Most of the German army was concentrated near the borders of the Soviet Union. In addition, imperialist Japan threatened an attack from the East, which diverted a significant part of the Soviet Armed Forces to defend the country's eastern borders. In theses of the CPSU Central Committee "50 years of the Great October Socialist Revolution" An analysis of the reasons for the temporary failures of the Red Army in the initial period of the war is given. They are due to the fact that the Nazis used temporary advantages:

• militarization of the economy and all life in Germany;
• long preparation for a war of conquest and more than two years of experience in conducting military operations in the West;
• superiority in weapons and numbers of troops concentrated in advance in border zones.

They had the economic and military resources of almost all of Western Europe at their disposal. Miscalculations in determining the possible timing of Hitler Germany’s attack on our country and the associated omissions in preparation for repelling the first blows played a role. There was reliable information about the concentration of German troops near the borders of the USSR and Germany’s preparations for an attack on our country. However, the troops of the western military districts were not brought to a state of full combat readiness.

All these reasons put the Soviet country in a difficult situation. However, the enormous difficulties of the initial period of the war did not break the fighting spirit of the Red Army or shake the fortitude of the Soviet people. From the first days of the attack, it became clear that the plan for a lightning war had collapsed. Accustomed to easy victories over Western countries, whose governments treacherously surrendered their people to be torn to pieces by the occupiers, the Nazis met stubborn resistance from the Soviet Armed Forces, border guards and the entire Soviet people. The war lasted 1418 days. Groups of border guards fought bravely at the border. The garrison of the Brest Fortress covered itself with unfading glory. The defense of the fortress was led by Captain I. N. Zubachev, regimental commissar E. M. Fomin, Major P. M. Gavrilov and others. On June 22, 1941, at 4:25 a.m., fighter pilot I. I. Ivanov made the first ram. (In total, about 200 rams were carried out during the war). On June 26, the crew of Captain N.F. Gastello (A.A. Burdenyuk, G.N. Skorobogatiy, A.A. Kalinin) crashed into a column of enemy troops on a burning plane. From the first days of the war, hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers showed examples of courage and heroism.

lasted two months Battle of Smolensk. Born here near Smolensk soviet guard. The battle in the Smolensk region delayed the enemy's advance until mid-September 1941.
During the Battle of Smolensk, the Red Army thwarted the enemy's plans. The delay of the enemy offensive in the central direction was the first strategic success of the Soviet troops.

The Communist Party became the leading and directing force for the country's defense and preparation for the destruction of Hitler's troops. From the first days of the war, the party took emergency measures to organize resistance to the aggressor; a huge amount of work was carried out to reorganize all work on a military basis, turning the country into a single military camp.

“To wage a war for real,” wrote V.I. Lenin, “a strong, organized rear is needed. The best army, the people most devoted to the cause of the revolution will be immediately exterminated by the enemy if they are not sufficiently armed, supplied with food, and trained” (Lenin V.I. Poln. sobr. soch., vol. 35, p. 408).

These Leninist instructions formed the basis for organizing the fight against the enemy. On June 22, 1941, on behalf of the Soviet government, V. M. Molotov, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR, spoke on the radio with a message about the “robbery” attack of Nazi Germany and a call to fight the enemy. On the same day, a Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was adopted on the introduction of martial law on the European territory of the USSR, as well as a Decree on the mobilization of a number of ages in 14 military districts. On June 23, the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution on the tasks of party and Soviet organizations in war conditions. On June 24, the Evacuation Council was formed, and on June 27, the resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR “On the procedure for the removal and placement of human contingents and valuable property” determined the procedure for the evacuation of productive forces and the population to the eastern regions. In the directive of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated June 29, 1941, the most important tasks for mobilizing all forces and means to defeat the enemy were outlined to party and Soviet organizations in the front-line regions.

“...In the war imposed on us with fascist Germany,” this document said, “the question of life and death of the Soviet state is being decided, whether the peoples of the Soviet Union should be free or fall into enslavement.” The Central Committee and the Soviet government called for realizing the full depth of the danger, reorganizing all work on a war footing, organizing comprehensive assistance to the front, increasing the production of weapons, ammunition, tanks, aircraft in every possible way, and in the event of a forced withdrawal of the Red Army, removing all valuable property, and destroying what cannot be removed. , in enemy-occupied areas to organize partisan detachments. On July 3, the main provisions of the directive were outlined in a speech by J.V. Stalin on the radio. The directive determined the nature of the war, the degree of threat and danger, set the tasks of transforming the country into a single combat camp, comprehensively strengthening the Armed Forces, restructuring the work of the rear on a military scale, and mobilizing all forces to repel the enemy. On June 30, 1941, an emergency body was created to quickly mobilize all the country’s forces and resources to repel and defeat the enemy - State Defense Committee (GKO) led by I.V. Stalin. All power in the country, state, military and economic leadership was concentrated in the hands of the State Defense Committee. It united the activities of all state and military institutions, party, trade union and Komsomol organizations.

In war conditions, the restructuring of the entire economy on a war footing was of paramount importance. At the end of June it was approved “Mobilization national economic plan for the third quarter of 1941.”, and on August 16 “Military-economic plan for the IV quarter of 1941 and 1942 for the regions of the Volga region, the Urals, Western Siberia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia" In just five months of 1941, over 1,360 large military enterprises were relocated and about 10 million people were evacuated. Even according to the admission of bourgeois experts evacuation of industry in the second half of 1941 and early 1942 and its deployment in the East should be considered among the most amazing feats of the peoples of the Soviet Union during the war. The evacuated Kramatorsk plant was launched 12 days after arriving at the site, Zaporozhye - after 20. By the end of 1941, the Urals were producing 62% of cast iron and 50% of steel. In scope and significance this was equal to the largest battles of wartime. The restructuring of the national economy on a war footing was completed by mid-1942.

The party carried out a lot of organizational work in the army. In accordance with the decision of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree on July 16, 1941 “On the reorganization of political propaganda bodies and the introduction of the institution of military commissars”. From July 16 in the Army, and from July 20 in the Navy, the institution of military commissars was introduced. During the second half of 1941, up to 1.5 million communists and more than 2 million Komsomol members were mobilized into the army (up to 40% of the total strength of the party was sent to the active army). Prominent party leaders L. I. Brezhnev, A. A. Zhdanov, A. S. Shcherbakov, M. A. Suslov and others were sent to party work in the active army.

On August 8, 1941, J.V. Stalin was appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the USSR. In order to concentrate all the functions of managing military operations, the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was formed. Hundreds of thousands of communists and Komsomol members went to the front. About 300 thousand of the best representatives of the working class and intelligentsia of Moscow and Leningrad joined the ranks of the people's militia.

Meanwhile, the enemy stubbornly rushed towards Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv, Odessa, Sevastopol and other important industrial centers of the country. An important place in the plans of fascist Germany was occupied by the calculation of the international isolation of the USSR. However, from the first days of the war, an anti-Hitler coalition began to take shape. Already on June 22, 1941, the British government announced its support for the USSR in the fight against fascism, and on July 12 it signed an agreement on joint actions against fascist Germany. On August 2, 1941, US President F. Roosevelt announced economic support for the Soviet Union. On September 29, 1941, the conference of representatives of the three powers(USSR, USA and England), at which a plan for Anglo-American assistance in the fight against the enemy was developed. Hitler's plan to isolate the USSR internationally failed. On January 1, 1942, a declaration of 26 states was signed in Washington anti-Hitler coalition about using all the resources of these countries to fight against the German bloc. However, the Allies were in no hurry to provide effective assistance aimed at defeating fascism, trying to weaken the warring parties.

By October, the Nazi invaders, despite the heroic resistance of our troops, managed to approach Moscow from three sides, while simultaneously launching an offensive on the Don, in the Crimea, near Leningrad. Odessa and Sevastopol defended themselves heroically. On September 30, 1941, the German command launched the first, and in November - the second general offensive against Moscow. The Nazis managed to occupy Klin, Yakhroma, Naro-Fominsk, Istra and other cities in the Moscow region. Soviet troops conducted a heroic defense of the capital, showing examples of courage and heroism. The 316th Infantry Division of General Panfilov fought to the death in fierce battles. A partisan movement developed behind enemy lines. About 10 thousand partisans fought near Moscow alone. On December 5-6, 1941, Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive near Moscow. At the same time, offensive operations were launched on the Western, Kalinin and Southwestern fronts. The powerful offensive of Soviet troops in the winter of 1941/42 drove the Nazis back in a number of places to a distance of up to 400 km from the capital and was their first major defeat in the Second World War.

Main result Moscow battle was that the strategic initiative had been wrested from the hands of the enemy and the plan for a lightning war had failed. The defeat of the Germans near Moscow was a decisive turn in the military operations of the Red Army and had a great influence on the entire further course of the war.

By the spring of 1942, military production had been established in the eastern regions of the country. By the middle of the year, most of the evacuated enterprises were set up in new locations. The transition of the country's economy to a war footing was basically completed. In the deep rear - in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Siberia, and the Urals - there were over 10 thousand industrial construction sites.

Instead of the men who went to the front, women and youth came to the machines. Despite very difficult living conditions, Soviet people worked selflessly to ensure victory at the front. We worked one and a half to two shifts to restore industry and supply the front with everything necessary. The All-Union Socialist Competition developed widely, the winners of which were awarded a challenge Red Banner of the State Defense Committee. Agricultural workers organized above-plan plantings for the defense fund in 1942. The collective farm peasantry supplied the front and rear with food and industrial raw materials.

The situation in the temporarily occupied areas of the country was extremely difficult. The Nazis plundered cities and villages and abused the civilian population. German officials were appointed at the enterprises to supervise the work. The best lands were selected for farms for German soldiers. In all occupied settlements, German garrisons were maintained at the expense of the population. However, the economic and social policies of the fascists, which they tried to implement in the occupied territories, immediately failed. Soviet people, brought up on the ideas of the Communist Party, believed in the victory of the Soviet country and did not succumb to Hitler’s provocations and demagoguery.

Winter offensive of the Red Army in 1941/42 dealt a powerful blow to Nazi Germany and its military machine, but Hitler’s army was still strong. Soviet troops fought stubborn defensive battles.

In this situation, the nationwide struggle of the Soviet people behind enemy lines, especially partisan movement.

Thousands of Soviet people joined partisan detachments. Guerrilla warfare developed widely in Ukraine, Belarus and the Smolensk region, Crimea and a number of other places. In cities and villages temporarily occupied by the enemy, underground party and Komsomol organizations operated. In accordance with the resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks dated July 18, 1941. “On the organization of the fight in the rear of German troops” 3,500 partisan detachments and groups, 32 underground regional committees, 805 city and district party committees, 5,429 primary party organizations, 10 regional, 210 inter-district city and 45 thousand primary Komsomol organizations were created. To coordinate the actions of partisan detachments and underground groups with units of the Red Army, by decision of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on May 30, 1942, a central headquarters of the partisan movement. Headquarters for the leadership of the partisan movement were formed in Belarus, Ukraine and other republics and regions occupied by the enemy.

After the defeat near Moscow and the winter offensive of our troops, the Nazi command was preparing a new major offensive with the goal of capturing all the southern regions of the country (Crimea, North Caucasus, Don) right up to the Volga, capturing Stalingrad and separating Transcaucasia from the center of the country. This posed an extremely serious threat to our country.

By the summer of 1942, the international situation had changed, characterized by the strengthening of the anti-Hitler coalition. In May - June 1942, agreements were concluded between the USSR, England and the USA on an alliance in the war against Germany and on post-war cooperation. In particular, an agreement was reached on the opening in 1942 in Europe second front against Germany, which would significantly speed up the defeat of fascism. But the Allies delayed its opening in every possible way. Taking advantage of this, the fascist command transferred divisions from the Western Front to the Eastern Front. By the spring of 1942, Hitler's army had 237 divisions, massive aviation, tanks, artillery and other types of equipment for a new offensive.

Intensified Leningrad blockade, exposed to artillery fire almost daily. In May, the Kerch Strait was captured. On July 3, the Supreme Command gave the order to the heroic defenders of Sevastopol to leave the city after a 250-day defense, since it was not possible to hold Crimea. As a result of the defeat of Soviet troops in the region of Kharkov and the Don, the enemy reached the Volga. The Stalingrad Front, created in July, took on powerful enemy attacks. Retreating with heavy fighting, our troops inflicted enormous damage on the enemy. In parallel, there was a fascist offensive in the North Caucasus, where Stavropol, Krasnodar, and Maykop were occupied. In the Mozdok area, the Nazi offensive was suspended.

The main battles took place on the Volga. The enemy sought to capture Stalingrad at any cost. The heroic defense of the city was one of the brightest pages of the Patriotic War. The working class, women, old people, teenagers - the entire population rose to defend Stalingrad. Despite the mortal danger, workers at the tractor plant sent tanks to the front lines every day. In September, battles broke out in the city for every street, for every house.

What is Patriotic War? How many of them were there in the history of Russia? Who defines the war as domestic and why?

The concept of “patriotic war” is used not only in Russian historiography, but also in some other countries. The Koreans call the war with the Americans this way, the Croats - with the Serbs (even this concept is included in the preamble of the constitution, which gives a brief overview of the country's history), the Abkhazians use it in relation to the war for independence.

There may be different terminological variations, but it is important to understand that any culture, any civilization is built around the concept of “holy war”. It forms a sacralized space, serves as a kind of matrix that lays the foundations for the definition of “us” and “strangers”, the idea of ​​​​heroism, the fatherland.

A patriotic war is a war in which what is at stake is not the conquest of additional territories or the right to possess new resources, but the very existence of the country.

In Russia, the term “patriotic war” was first attributed to the war of 1812, and it was initially used as a contrast to the foreign campaign of 1813–1814. Those. a patriotic war on one’s own territory - and a war outside the fatherland. Kutuzov had a negative attitude towards the prospect of a foreign campaign; he believed that it was contrary to the interests of Russia. In the end, he turned out to be right: after the victory over Napoleon, the former allies began to prepare a coalition against Russia. The war against our country would have taken place if Napoleon had not fled from the island of Elba and the loyalty of Russia would not have been required.

For the first time, the events of 1812 began to be understood as a patriotic war during the period of Nicholas I: this is how the battles with Napoleon were called in the 1830s by Mikhailovsky and Danilevsky. This fit into the ideological context of the reign of Nicholas I - building a national model of statehood, revising some of the Westernizing hobbies of the previous government. (Meanwhile, in France this war is called the Russian War; Napoleon himself considered it the Second Polish War, believing that it was a war for Poland, and in Western historiography it is considered the war of the Sixth Coalition).

At the official level, the term “patriotic war” was not assigned to the events of 1812. But their anniversaries were celebrated regularly and en masse (the last time this happened in the Russian Empire was in 1912), and the decrees on holding holidays already included the phrase “patriotic war.”

At the beginning of the Soviet period, the significance of 1812 was downplayed. The Pokrovsky school, which dominated historiography at that time, viewed it as a bourgeois and imperialist war, just like the rest of the wars of pre-revolutionary Russia. However, already in 1932 the celebration of the victory over Napoleon resumed. In 1937, a school history textbook by Shestakov appeared, which proposed a new ideological paradigm - with an appeal to Russian history, to its heroics. The term "patriotic war" again became common. In particular, it appeared in the speeches of Stalin, who addressed the topic of 1812.

The second war, which in our historiography is usually called the Patriotic War, began in 1941. Then, after the attack on the USSR, Molotov in his speech (and Stalin took part in its preparation) announced the beginning of a patriotic war. Thus, there was a departure from the class paradigm of the nature of war: now it was a question of defending the fatherland.

However, there were other wars, even if they were not recorded in official history as “domestic,” but were of precisely this nature.

There was the Crimean War of 1853–1856. Nicholas I intended to declare it a patriotic war: he did not want to admit defeat and tried to show that failures in Crimea did not decide anything in the general course of battles. Nicholas I prepared a manifesto in which he addressed the people and declared the Crimean War a patriotic one. However, the emperor died suddenly, and these plans remained unrealized.

The war of 1914–1918 was marked as imperialist, largely as a result of Bolshevik propaganda. However, in its first stages there was a great patriotic upsurge. Both the tsar - with a special manifesto - and the people (in many songs, for example) called it patriotic. In France, by the way, the First World War is considered “the people’s war.”

However, anti-war propaganda and erroneous steps by the authorities led to the fact that the patriotic upsurge subsided. It has become unclear what the country is fighting for: is it shedding blood for the elite? That is why it did not gain a foothold in the popular consciousness as domestic.

If we take into account official decrees, then there will be two domestic wars in Russian history. The first will be the war not of 1812 (it was declared as such later), but of 1914–1918. And the second is the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. If we take into account the essential features, then this series certainly needs to be expanded:

many wars were domestic, although they were not declared as such. For example, the militia of Minin and Pozharsky, the Northern War of Peter I, the Crimean War.

By the way, difficulties arise with the nomination of not only domestic, but also world wars. Now both in Western and domestic historiography the point of view on both the war “against twelve languages” - with Napoleon, and on the Crimean War is being revised: they are beginning to be called, if not world wars, then proto-world wars.

Russia is at the crossroads of civilizations, and many of our country’s wars were of a civilizational nature (Huntington wrote about this type of clashes). These were not wars between the Margrave of Saxony and the Duke of Brandenburg, these were wars of survival, and the main question was whether the country would exist or not.

Russia has historically taken on the civilizational mission of opposing the Western project. Our country is an obstacle to the implementation of this project. This was the case with Napoleon and Hitler.

Let's look at the composition of Napoleonic troops in 1812. In addition to three hundred thousand French, there were another 312 thousand representatives of other ethnic groups. Thus, the backbone was the French, but Russia fought not with France, but with integrated Europe.

The idea of ​​a united Europe was also pursued by Hitler, who believed that 250 years of “Asianism” were over. If you look at the composition of the prisoners captured by the Soviet army, it turns out that there were not only Italians, Germans, Romanians and Finns, but also “volunteers” from Denmark, Norway, France, Holland, and other countries. We were able to mobilize fewer people than the Germans because all of Europe worked for them. So, it was, of course, a war of a civilizational nature.

Every nation needs its own sacred history. If we do not decide on what is valuable and sacred for us, no nation-building will be learned. And what, if not war, expresses this identity? This is the most important factor for a country's self-awareness.

Recently, the Great Patriotic War has been addressed quite often, but there is no holistic understanding of it. In Soviet historiography, fascism was the highest product of imperialism, and they fought against it. Today, no answer is even given to the question of who we fought with, and the war is often interpreted in the spirit of “revisionism” (remember, for example, the scandalous publications of Minkin, who claims that it would be better if Hitler had won: he would have left someday, but now we would became part of Europe). There is an undermining of national memory, a desacralization of the defining moments of our history.

It is possible to realize oneself as a nation only in the conditions of the onset of the outside world. Understand what we live for and what we are ready to die for.

V.E. Bagdasaryan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, expert at the Center for Problem Analysis and Public Management Design

143,000,000 Soviet citizens killed, 1,800,000 killed in captivity or immigrated - the Great Patriotic War broke into every home on June 22, 1941. Over the course of 4 terrible years, fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers and wives remained “bones” at the fronts. The Second World War is called a “terrible lesson of the past,” “a political miscalculation,” and a “bloody massacre.” Why did the terrible war begin, what was its course, what were the results?

Background of the Second World War. Where do “legs grow” from?

The prerequisites are hidden in the Versailles-Washington system established after the First World War. Germany and its ambitions were humiliated and brought to its knees. In the 1920s, the National Socialist German Workers' Party, promoting far-right views, entered the political arena. Party supporters proclaimed the ideas of “revenge for defeat in the First World War” and the establishment of world domination of the German nation. European politicians looked at a "rising Germany" and thought they could govern it. France and Great Britain “pushed” the country towards the borders of the Union, pursuing their own benefits. But they could not think that on September 1, 1939, German troops would invade Poland (the Second World War would begin).

ATTENTION! The Second World War lasted more than 6 years (September 1, 1939 - September 2, 1945). WWII - June 22, 1941 - May 9, 1945.

Why did the Great Patriotic War begin? 3 reasons

Historians talk about dozens of factors that influenced the outbreak of the war. Let's face it, the war began with the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939. “Behind Europe’s back,” Germany and the Soviet Union agree that they will be “on the same side.” After the outbreak of World War II, the USSR invaded Poland on September 17, 1939. On September 22, 1939, a parade of the Wehrmacht and the Red Army solemnly took place in Brest.

Joseph Stalin did not believe that Hitler would “stick a knife in the back” and attack the USSR. Moreover: when Minsk fell on June 28, 1941, the leader was in a panic (and even thought that he would be arrested for a crime against the people). The first days of the Second World War, the Red Army retreated, and the Germans easily took one city after another.

Let’s not forget that there were massive repressions in the USSR: during the last “purge” in June 1941, experienced military leaders were killed (shot, expelled).

The causes of the Second World War lie in:

1. Hitler's desire for “domination of the whole world” (“Germany from sea to sea”). Resources were needed for conquest, and the territory of the USSR with its natural resources seemed like a “tidbit.”
2. The desire of the Soviet authorities to “crush” Eastern Europe.
3. Contradictions between the socialist system and capitalism.

What plans did Germany have?

German tacticians and strategists had several plans on the territory of the Soviet Union.

1. War plan "Barbarossa". In the summer of 1940, a “blitzkrieg” plan was developed: in 10 weeks (i.e., 2.5 months), German troops were supposed to paralyze the industry of the Urals, crush the European part of the country and reach the Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan line. On June 17, 1941, Hitler signed the very order that launched the offensive.
2. "Ost." Jews and Gypsies were completely destroyed; Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians turned into “slaves” who served the German invaders. Up to 140,000,000 people were to be destroyed. Mass genocide, violence, murder, concentration camps, torture, medical “experiments” - all this awaited those who live today in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
3. "Oldenburg" and "Goering's Green Folder". Cultural and historical values ​​were to be exported to Germany. Soviet museums were simply robbed, and gold, precious stones, art and antiques were sent to the West by the trainload.

By the summer of 1941, there were 5,500,000 soldiers trained to kill at the borders of the USSR, versus 2,900,000 Soviet (this is the number of military personnel concentrated in the border districts). It’s not worth talking about weapons: one rifle for three, a limited number of bullets, “rusty iron” - all this “came up” more than once in the memories of veterans.

The Soviet Union was not ready for war:

1. Stalin ignored the memos about “pulling up” the German armies to the lines. It seemed to the leader that Germany would not invade and fight on 2 fronts.
2. Lack of talented military leaders. The “Little Blood War” technique turned out to be a failure. The idea that the Red Army would move to the West, and the workers of the whole world would join its ranks, also turned out to be unfounded.
3. Problems with army supplies. According to some information, the Wehrmacht had 16 times more rifles (not to mention tanks and aircraft). The warehouses were located close to the borders, so they were quickly captured by the enemy.

Despite all the miscalculations and problems, Soviet soldiers snatched victory with sweat and blood. In the rear, women, children, old people, and disabled people produced weapons day and night; partisans risked their lives trying to collect as much information as possible about enemy groups. The Soviet people stood up to defend their Motherland.

How did events develop?

Historians talk about 3 main stages. Each of them is divided into dozens of small stages, and behind every success of the Red Army there are shadows of dead soldiers.

Strategic defense. June 22, 1941 – November 18, 1942

At this time, the Barbarossa plan collapsed. In the first stages, enemy troops took Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus without any problems. Moscow was ahead - an important geopolitical and economic goal. The capture of Moscow would automatically mean the fragmentation of the Red Army and the loss of control.

September 30, 1941 – January 7, 1942, i.e. For almost 4 months there were heavy battles with varying success, but Soviet troops were able to push back the enemy.

The Battle of Moscow was Hitler's first failure. It became clear that the Blitzkrieg had failed; the Western world saw that the “invincible Adolf” could lose; The morale and fighting spirit of the people rose.

But ahead were Stalingrad and the Caucasus. The victory near Moscow provided a “respite.” The partisan struggle gradually unfolds, and an anti-Hitler coalition is formed. The USSR is transferring the economy to a military footing, so the supply of the army is improving (KV-1 and T-34 tanks, Katyusha rocket launcher, IL-2 attack aircraft).

Radical fracture. November 19, 1942 – end of 1943

Until the fall of 1942, victories were either on the side of the USSR or on the side of Germany. At this stage, the strategic initiative passes into the hands of the Soviet Union: 26 strategic operations (23 of them offensive), assistance from allies and Lend-Lease, “first news” of the collapse of the Hitler coalition, strengthening the authority of the USSR.

All results were given with sweat and blood. At this stage, there are a number of major battles that “turned” the course of the war.

• The Battle of Stalingrad and the defeat of German troops;
• battle for the Dnieper;
• Kursk Bulge.

The stage ends at the end of 1943 with the liberation of Kyiv and the “crossing of the Dnieper.”

Europe liberated from Nazism. January 1944 – May 9, 1945

Let us remember that World War II ended on September 2, 1945. But Europe freed itself from the shackles of Nazism in the spring.

In the fall of 1944, the Soviet command carried out a series of operations to liberate the country from enemy armies: Korsun-Shevchenkovskaya, Lvov-Sandomierz, Yassko-Kishinevskaya. Siege Leningrad, which found itself “cut off” from food and security, was liberated. Thanks to the East Prussian, Vistula-Oder, and West Carpathian operations, it was possible to create all the conditions to “go to Berlin.”

On May 1, 1945, Adolf Hitler takes poison and leaves the people “to their fate.” The provisional government, which “by chance” was headed by K. Doenitz, in its “death convulsions”, tries to negotiate a separate peace with Great Britain and France, but fails. There are tribunals, high-profile scandals, trials and verdicts ahead. On May 8, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender was signed in Karlshorst (a suburb of Berlin). Germany is defeated.

May 9, 1945 becomes Victory Day, a symbol of endless courage, unity and the ability to repel the enemy.

The Great Patriotic War is a terrible lesson in history, for which the Soviet Union paid too high a price. The exact number of deaths is impossible to calculate (figures vary from source to source). But the Soviet people were faced with another task - to raise the destroyed economy from its knees.

Patriotic War of 1812- This is a war between the French and Russian empires, which took place on the territory of. Despite the superiority of the French army, under the leadership, the Russian troops managed to show incredible valor and ingenuity.

Moreover, the Russians managed to emerge victorious in this difficult confrontation. To this day, the victory over the French is considered one of the most significant in Russia.

We bring to your attention a brief history of the Patriotic War of 1812. If you want a brief summary about this period of our history, we recommend reading.

Causes and nature of the war

The Patriotic War of 1812 occurred as a result of Napoleon's desire for world domination. Before this, he managed to successfully defeat many opponents.

His main and only enemy in Europe remained. The French Emperor wanted to destroy Britain through a continental blockade.

It is worth noting that 5 years before the start of the Patriotic War of 1812, the Tilsit Peace Treaty was signed between Russia and Russia. However, the main point of this agreement was not published then. According to him, he pledged to support Napoleon in the blockade directed against Great Britain.

However, both the French and the Russians were well aware that sooner or later a war would also break out between them, since Napoleon Bonaparte was not going to stop at subjugating Europe alone.

That is why countries began to actively prepare for a future war, building up their military potential and increasing the size of their armies.

Patriotic War of 1812 briefly

In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded the territory of the Russian Empire. Thus, for this war it became Patriotic, since not only the army, but also the majority of ordinary citizens took part in it.

Balance of power

Before the start of the Patriotic War of 1812, Napoleon managed to assemble a huge army, which included about 675 thousand soldiers.

All of them were well armed and, most importantly, had extensive combat experience, because by that time France had subjugated almost all of Europe.

The Russian army was almost as good as the French in the number of troops, which numbered about 600 thousand. In addition, about 400 thousand more Russian militias took part in the war.

Russian Emperor Alexander 1 (left) and Napoleon (right)

Moreover, unlike the French, the advantage of the Russians was that they were patriotic and fought for the liberation of their land, thanks to which the national spirit rose.

In Napoleon’s army, with patriotism, things were exactly the opposite, because there were many hired soldiers who did not care what or what they fought for.

Battles of the Patriotic War of 1812

At the height of the Patriotic War of 1812, Kutuzov chose defensive tactics. Bagration commanded the troops on the left flank, Raevsky’s artillery was located in the center, and Barclay de Tolly’s army was on the right flank.

Napoleon preferred to attack rather than defend, since this tactic repeatedly helped him emerge victorious from military campaigns.

He understood that sooner or later the Russians would stop retreating and they would have to accept battle. At that point in time, the French emperor was confident of his victory and, I must say, there were good reasons for this.

Before 1812, he had already managed to show the whole world the power of the French army, which was able to conquer more than one European country. The talent of Napoleon himself, as an outstanding commander, was recognized by everyone.

Battle of Borodino

From Moscow to Maloyaroslavets

The Patriotic War of 1812 continued. After the Battle of Borodino, the army of Alexander 1 continued its retreat, getting closer and closer to Moscow.

Crossing of the Italian Corps of Eugene Beauharnais across the Neman, June 30, 1812

The French followed, but no longer sought to engage in open battle. On September 1, at the military council of Russian generals, Mikhail Kutuzov made a sensational decision, with which many did not agree.

He insisted that Moscow be abandoned and all property in it destroyed. As a result, this is exactly what happened.

Entry of the French into Moscow, September 14, 1812

The French army, exhausted physically and mentally, needed replenishment of food supplies and rest. However, bitter disappointment awaited them.

Once in Moscow, Napoleon did not see a single inhabitant or even an animal. Leaving Moscow, the Russians set fire to all the buildings so that the enemy could not take advantage of anything. This was an unprecedented incident in history.

When the French realized the deplorability of their stupid situation, they were completely demoralized and defeated. Many soldiers stopped obeying their commanders and turned into gangs of robbers running around the outskirts of the city.

Russian troops, on the contrary, were able to break away from Napoleon and enter the Kaluga and Tula provinces. They had food supplies and ammunition hidden there. In addition, the soldiers could take a break from a difficult campaign and join the ranks of the army.

The best solution to this absurd situation for Napoleon was the conclusion of peace with Russia, but all his proposals for a truce were rejected by Alexander 1 and Kutuzov.

A month later, the French began to leave Moscow in disgrace. Bonaparte was furious at this outcome of events and did everything possible to engage the Russians in battle.

Having reached October 12, near the city of Maloyaroslavets, a major battle took place, in which both sides lost many people and military equipment. However, the final victory did not go to anyone.

Victory in the Patriotic War of 1812

The further retreat of Napoleon's army looked more like a chaotic flight than an organized exit from Russia. After the French began to loot, local residents began to unite into partisan detachments and engage in battles with the enemy.

At this time, Kutuzov carefully pursued Bonaparte's army, avoiding open clashes with it. He wisely took care of his warriors, fully aware that the enemy’s forces were melting before his eyes.

The French suffered serious losses in the battle of the city of Krasny. Tens of thousands of invaders died in this battle. The Patriotic War of 1812 was coming to an end.

When Napoleon tried to save the remnants of the army and transport them across the Berezina River, he once again suffered a heavy defeat from the Russians. It should be understood that the French were not prepared for the unusually severe frosts that struck at the very beginning of winter.

Obviously, before the attack on Russia, Napoleon did not plan to stay in it for so long, as a result of which he did not take care of warm uniforms for his troops.

Napoleon's retreat from Moscow

As a result of an inglorious retreat, Napoleon abandoned the soldiers to their fate and secretly fled to France.

On December 25, 1812, Alexander 1 issued a manifesto, which spoke of the end of the Patriotic War.

Reasons for Napoleon's defeat

Among the reasons for Napoleon's defeat in his Russian campaign, the most often cited are:

• popular participation in the war and mass heroism of Russian soldiers and officers;
• the length of Russia's territory and harsh climatic conditions;
• military leadership talent of the commander-in-chief of the Russian army Kutuzov and other generals.

The main reason for Napoleon's defeat was the nationwide rise of Russians to defend the Fatherland. In the unity of the Russian army with the people we must look for the source of its power in 1812.

Results of the Patriotic War of 1812

The Patriotic War of 1812 is one of the significant events in the history of Russia. Russian troops managed to stop the invincible army of Napoleon Bonaparte and showed unprecedented heroism.

The war caused serious damage to the economy of the Russian Empire, which was estimated at hundreds of millions of rubles. More than 200 thousand people died on the battlefields.

Battle of Smolensk

Many settlements were completely or partially destroyed, and their restoration required not only large sums of money, but also human resources.

However, despite this, victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 strengthened the morale of the entire Russian people. After it, many European countries began to respect the army of the Russian Empire.

The main result of the Patriotic War of 1812 was the almost complete destruction of Napoleon's Grand Army.

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