Patriotic War of 1812 main dates. Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Vorobyovy Gory

A reference table on the history of the Patriotic War of 1812, it contains the main dates and major events Patriotic War 1812 against France and Napoleon. The table will be useful for schoolchildren and students in preparing for tests, exams and the Unified State Examination in history.

Causes of the Patriotic War of 1812

1) Russia’s actual refusal to participate in the continental blockade due to damage to foreign trade

2) Napoleon’s unsuccessful attempt to woo the sister of the Russian emperor

3) Napoleon’s support for the Poles’ desire to revive their state, which did not suit Russia.

4) Napoleon's desire for world domination. The only obstacle to the implementation of this plan remained Russia.

Plans of action of the parties and balance of forces

Plans of the parties	Russia's plan is to abandon general battles in the initial period of the war, preserve the army and draw the French deep into Russian territory. This was supposed to lead to a weakening of the military potential of Napoleon's army and ultimately to defeat	Napoleon's goal is not the capture and enslavement of Russia, but the defeat of the main forces of Russian troops during a short-term campaign and the conclusion of a new, tougher than Tilsit peace treaty, which would oblige Russia to follow in the wake of French policy
Balance of power	Russian army: Total number ~700 thousand people. (including Cossacks and militia) The following armies were located on the western border: 1st - Commander M.B. Barclay de Tolly 2nd - commander P.I. Bagration 3rd - Commander A.P. Tormasov	Napoleon's Grand Army: Total number 647 thousand people, including a contingent of countries dependent on France The 1st echelon of French troops that invaded Russia amounted to 448 thousand people.

Main events and dates of the Patriotic War

Dates	Events of the Patriotic War
	Russia joins the anti-French coalition of England, Austria, Sweden and the Kingdom of Naples.
	The infamous defeat at Austerlitz.
	With the mediation of Great Britain, a new coalition was hastily put together with the participation of Prussia, Russia, and Sweden. Prussian troops are defeated by Napoleon at Jena and Auerstadt, Prussia capitulates.
	The French are repulsed by Russian forces at the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau.
	In the battle of Friedland, the French gain the upper hand.
	The Treaty of Tilsit with France was imposed on Russia. Joining the continental blockade of England hit the Russian economy hard.
	Demonstrating loyalty to Napoleon, Alexander I was forced to go on a military campaign against Austria. Fighting were of a purely decorative nature: the Russian command notified the Austrians in advance of the offensive, giving time to withdraw the troops (“Orange War”).
	The invasion of Napoleonic army into Russia.
	The formation of the 1st Army of M.B. Barclay de Tolly and the 2nd Army of P.I. Bagration near Smolensk.
	The defeat of Russian troops in the battle for Smolensk and a new retreat.
	Appointment of M.I. Kutuzov as commander-in-chief.
	Battle of Borodino: losses on both sides were enormous, but neither Russia nor France gained an overwhelming advantage.
1812, 1 and 13 September.	Council in Fili: it was decided to leave Moscow without a fight in order to preserve the army.
1812, 4 - 20 September,	Tarutino maneuver of Russian troops. At the same time, a “small” (guerrilla) war flares up. The Moscow underground makes anti-French attacks.
	Napoleon realizes that he has fallen into a trap and faces a threat complete blockade Moscow by Russian troops. He quickly retreats.
	Battle of Maloyaroslavets. Napoleon's troops are forced to continue their retreat along the Smolensk road they had previously destroyed.
	Crossing the Berezina River. The feverish retreat of the French and their allies.
	The final expulsion of Napoleon from Russia. Alexander I makes the controversial decision to wage war against Napoleon to a victorious end and contribute to the liberation of Europe. The beginning of the foreign campaigns of the Russian army.
	Napoleonic forces were defeated in the famous “Battle of the Nations” near Leipzig (Austrian and Prussian troops fought on the Russian side).
	Russian troops entered Paris.
	The Vienna Congress of the victorious countries, at which Russia did not receive sufficient reward for its contribution to the defeat of Napoleon. Other participating countries were jealous of Russia's foreign policy successes and were not averse to contributing to its weakening.

battle of Borodino

	battle of Borodino
132 thousand people 640 guns	Balance of power	135 thousand people 587 guns
Main milestones of the battle: The main offensive attacks of the French: Left flank - Bagration's flushes Center - mound height (battery of General N. Raevsky) As a result of stubborn fighting, they were captured by the French in the afternoon, BUT the French failed to break through the defenses of the Russian troops!
44 thousand people	Losses of the parties	58.5 thousand people
Results of the battle (various estimates) 1. Victory of the Russian troops (M.I. Kutuzov) 2. Victory of the French troops (Napoleon) 3. Draw, since the parties failed to achieve their goals (Modern historians)

Partisan movement and people's militia

Guerrilla movement	Civil uprising
Specially organized army partisan detachments led by officers (D. Davydov, A. Figner, A. Benckendorff, etc.)	Created on the basis of the Manifestos of Emperor Alexander 1 of July 6 and 18, 1812 with the aim of creating strategic reserves and organizing resistance to the French
People's (peasant) partisan detachments (G. Kurin - Moscow province, V. Kozhina - Smolensk province, etc.)	The largest number of militias was in the Moscow province (30 thousand) and the St. Petersburg province (14 thousand)

Results of the Patriotic War of 1812:

1) Napoleon’s plans to establish world domination were thwarted

2) Awakening the national self-awareness of the Russian people and patriotic upsurge in the country

3) Liberation of European countries from French rule

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A source of information: History in tables and diagrams./ Edition 2e, St. Petersburg: 2013.

battle of Borodino

The Battle of Borodino in 1812 is a battle that lasted only one day, but has been preserved in the history of the planet among the most important world events. Napoleon took this blow, hoping to quickly conquer Russian Empire, but his plans were not destined to come true. It is believed that the Battle of Borodino was the first stage in the fall of the famous conqueror.

This was a time when Bonaparte’s troops had already managed to subjugate almost all of continental Europe, and the emperor’s power even extended to Africa. He himself emphasized in conversations with those close to him that in order to gain world domination, all he had to do was gain control over Russian lands.

To conquer Russian territory, he assembled an army of approximately 600 thousand people. The army rapidly advanced deeper into the state. However, Napoleon's soldiers died one after another under the blow of peasant militias, their health deteriorated due to the unusually difficult climate and poor nutrition. Nevertheless, the advance of the army continued, the French goal being the capital.

The bloody Battle of Borodino in 1812 became part of the tactics used by Russian commanders. They weakened the enemy army with minor battles, biding their time for a decisive blow.

The Battle of Borodino in 1812 was actually a chain consisting of several clashes with French troops, which resulted in huge losses on both sides. The first was the battle for the village of Borodino, which is located approximately 125 km from Moscow. On the Russian side, de Tolly’s chasseur regiments took part in it, and on the enemy’s side, the Beauharnais corps.

The Battle of Borodino in 1812 was in full swing when the battle for Bagration's flushes took place. 15 divisions of French marshals and two Russian ones, led by Vorontsov and Neverovsky, took part in it. On at this stage Bagration received a serious wound, which forced him to entrust command to Konovnitsyn.

By the time the Russian soldiers left the flashes, the Battle of Borodino (1812) had already been going on for about 14 hours. Summary further events: the Russians are located behind the Semenovsky ravine, where the third battle takes place. Its participants are people who attacked flushes and defended them. The French received reinforcements, which became the cavalry under the leadership of Nansouty. Uvarov's cavalry hastened to help the Russian troops, and the Cossacks under the command of Platov also approached.

Separately, it is worth considering the final stage of such an event as the Battle of Borodino (1812). Summary: the battles for the Raevsky battery, which went down in history as the “grave of the French cavalry,” lasted about 7 hours. This place really became the grave for many of Bonaparte's soldiers.

Historians remain perplexed as to why the Russian army abandoned the Shevadinsky redoubt. It is possible that the commander-in-chief deliberately opened the left flank in order to divert the enemy's attention from the right. His goal was to protect the new Smolensk road, using which Napoleon’s army would quickly approach Moscow.

Many historically important documents have been preserved that shed light on such an event as the war of 1812. The Battle of Borodino is mentioned in a letter that was sent by Kutuzov to the Russian emperor even before it began. The commander informed the Tsar that the terrain features (open fields) would provide the Russian troops with optimal positions. 7

The Battle of Borodino (1812) is briefly and extensively covered in so many historical sources that one gets the impression that it took a very long time. In reality, the battle, which began on September 7 at half past six in the morning, lasted less than a day. Of course, it turned out to be one of the bloodiest among all the short battles.

It's no secret how many lives were claimed by the Patriotic War of 1812. The Battle of Borodino made its bloody contribution. Historians have not been able to establish the exact number of those killed; they call 80-100 thousand dead on both sides. Calculations show that every minute at least a hundred soldiers were sent to the next world.

The Patriotic War of 1812 gave many commanders well-deserved glory. The Battle of Borodino, of course, immortalized a man like Kutuzov. By the way, Mikhail Illarionovich at that time was not yet a gray-haired old man whose one eye did not open. At the time of the battle, he was still an energetic, albeit aging man, and was not wearing his signature headband.

Of course, Kutuzov was not the only hero who was glorified by Borodino. Together with him, Bagration, Raevsky, and de Tolly entered history. It is interesting that the last of them did not enjoy authority among the troops, although he was the author of the brilliant idea to field partisan forces against the enemy army. If you believe the legend, during the Battle of Borodino, the general lost his horses three times, which died under a barrage of shells and bullets, but he himself remained unharmed.

Who won the victory? This question remains the main intrigue of the bloody battle, since both sides participating in it have their own opinion on this matter. French historians are convinced that Napoleon's troops won a great victory that day. Russian scientists insist on the opposite; their theory was once supported by Alexander the First, who proclaimed the Battle of Borodino an absolute victory for Russia. By the way, it was after him that Kutuzov was awarded the rank of Field Marshal.

It is known that Bonaparte was not satisfied with the reports provided by his military leaders. The number of guns captured from the Russians turned out to be minimal, as was the number of prisoners that the retreating army took with them. It is believed that the conqueror was completely crushed by the morale of the enemy.

The large-scale battle, which began on September 7 near the village of Borodino, has inspired writers, poets, artists, and then directors who covered it in their works for two centuries.

In 1839, a reconstruction of the events of the Battle of Borodino, carried out by Nicholas I, was created for the first time. 150 thousand military personnel ended up on the Borodino field. The centennial anniversary was celebrated no less richly. Preserved in the film archive a small amount of chronicle footage of how Nicholas II walked around the formation of soldiers participating in the reconstruction.

March on Moscow

Napoleon is credited with the phrase: “If I take Kyiv, I will take Russia by the feet; if I take possession of St. Petersburg, I will take her by the head; Having occupied Moscow, I will strike her in the heart.” Whether Napoleon spoke these words or not is now impossible to establish for sure. But one thing is clear: the main forces of Napoleonic army were aimed at capturing Moscow. On August 16, Napoleon was already at Smolensk with an army of 180 thousand and on the same day he began his assault. Barclay de Tolly did not consider it possible to fight here and retreated with his army from the burning city. The French Marshal Ney was pursuing the retreating Russian army, and the Russians decided to give him battle. On August 19, a bloody battle took place at Valutina Mountain, as a result of which Ney suffered heavy losses and was detained. The battle for Smolensk is the beginning of the people's, Patriotic, war: the population began to leave their homes and burn settlements along the route of the French army. Here Napoleon seriously doubted his brilliant victory and asked General P.A., who was captured in the battle of Valutina Gora. Tuchkova to write a letter to his brother so that he would bring to the attention of Alexander I Napoleon’s desire to make peace. He did not receive a response from Alexander I. Meanwhile, relations between Bagration and Barclay de Tolly after Smolensk became increasingly tense and irreconcilable: each saw his own path to victory over Napoleon. On August 17, the Extraordinary Committee approved Infantry General Kutuzov as the single commander-in-chief, and on August 29, in Tsarevo-Zaimishche, he already received the army. Meanwhile, the French had already entered Vyazma.

At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Kutuzov was appointed head of the St. Petersburg and then the Moscow militia, but the unsuccessful course of the war showed that an experienced commander of the entire Russian army was needed who enjoyed the trust of society. Alexander I was forced to appoint Kutuzov as commander-in-chief of the Russian army and militia.

Kutuzov initially continued Barclay de Tolly's strategy - retreat. He is credited with saying: “We will not defeat Napoleon. We will deceive him."

At the same time, Kutuzov understood the need for a general battle: firstly, this was required by public opinion, which was concerned about the constant retreat of the Russian army; secondly, further retreat would mean the voluntary surrender of Moscow.

On September 3, the Russian army stood near the village of Borodino. Here Kutuzov decided to give a big battle, but in order to distract the French to gain time to prepare fortifications, he ordered General Gorchakov to fight near the village of Shevardino, where there was a fortified redoubt (a closed-type fortification, with a rampart and a ditch, intended for all-round defense). All day on September 5 there was a battle for the Shevardinsky redoubt.

On September 7, near the village of Borodino (125 km west of Moscow), the largest battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 took place between the Russian and French armies. The numbers of armies were comparable - 130-135 thousand for Napoleon versus 110-130 thousand for Kutuzov (read about the Battle of Borodino on our website: Battle of Borodino).

After 12 hours of bloody battle, the French pressed the left flank and center of the Russian positions, but were unable to develop the offensive. The Russian army suffered heavy losses (40-45 thousand killed and wounded), the French - 30-34 thousand. There were almost no prisoners on either side. On September 8, Kutuzov ordered a retreat to Mozhaisk with the confidence that only in this way could the army be saved.

On September 13, a meeting was held in the village of Fili on the further plan of action. Most of the generals spoke in favor of a new battle. Kutuzov interrupted the meeting and ordered a retreat through Moscow along the Ryazan road. By the evening of September 14, Napoleon entered empty Moscow. On that same day, a fire began in Moscow, engulfing almost the entire Zemlyanoy City and White City, as well as the outskirts of the city, destroying three-quarters of the buildings.

There is still no single version about the causes of the fire in Moscow. There are several of them: organized arson by residents when leaving the city, deliberate arson by Russian spies, uncontrolled actions of the French, an accidental fire, the spread of which was facilitated by the general chaos in the abandoned city. Kutuzov directly pointed out that the French burned Moscow. Since the fire had several sources, it is possible that all versions are true.

More than half of the residential buildings, more than 8 thousand, were burned in the fire retail outlets, 122 temples out of 329 that existed; Up to 2 thousand wounded Russian soldiers left in Moscow died. The university, theaters, and libraries were destroyed, and the manuscript “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” and the Trinity Chronicle were burned in the Musin-Pushkin palace. Not the entire population of Moscow left the city, only more than 50 thousand people (out of 270 thousand).

In Moscow, Napoleon, on the one hand, builds a plan for a campaign against St. Petersburg, on the other hand, he makes attempts to make peace with Alexander I, but at the same time remains with his demands (a continental blockade of England, the rejection of Lithuania and the creation of a military alliance with Russia). He makes three offers of truce, but receives no response from Alexander to any of them.

On July 18, 1812, Alexander I issued a Manifesto and an appeal to the residents of the “Most Throne Capital of our Moscow” with a call to join the militia (temporary armed formations to help the active army to repel the invasion of Napoleonic army). Zemstvo militias were limited to 16 provinces directly adjacent to the theater of operations:

District I - Moscow, Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk provinces - was intended to protect Moscow.

District II - St. Petersburg and Novgorod provinces - provided “security” for the capital.

III district (Volga region) - Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Kostroma, Simbirsk and Vyatka provinces - reserve of the first two militia districts.

The rest of the provinces should remain “inactive” until “there is a need to use them for sacrifices and services equal to the Fatherland.”

The collection of militias was entrusted to the apparatus of state power, the nobility and the church. The military trained warriors, and a collection of funds for the militia was announced. Each landowner had to present a certain number of equipped and armed warriors from his serfs within a specified time frame. Unauthorized joining of the serfs' militia was considered a crime. Selection for the detachment was made by the landowner or peasant communities by lot.

There were not enough firearms for the militia; they were primarily allocated for the formation of reserve units of the regular army. Therefore, after the end of the gathering, all the militias, except for the St. Petersburg one, were armed mainly with edged weapons - pikes, spears and axes. Military training of the militia took place according to a shortened recruit training program by officers and lower ranks from the army and Cossack units. In addition to zemstvo (peasant) militias, the formation of Cossack militias began. Some wealthy landowners assembled entire regiments from their serfs or formed them at their own expense.

In some cities and villages adjacent to the Smolensk, Moscow, Kaluga, Tula, Tver, Pskov, Chernigov, Tambov, and Oryol provinces, “cordons” or “guard militias” were formed for self-defense and maintaining internal order.

The convening of the militia allowed the government of Alexander I to mobilize large human and material resources for the war in a short time. After completion of formation, the entire militia was under the unified command of Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov and the supreme leadership of Emperor Alexander I.

During the period that the Great French Army was in Moscow, the Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Tula, Ryazan and Kaluga militias defended the borders of their provinces from enemy foragers and marauders and, together with army partisans, blocked the enemy in Moscow, and when the French retreated, they were pursued by the militias of Moscow, Smolensk, Tver, Yaroslavl, Tula, Kaluga, St. Petersburg and Novgorod zemstvo provincial troops, Don, Little Russian and Bashkir Cossack regiments, as well as individual battalions, squadrons and detachments. The militia could not be used as an independent fighting force, because they had poor military training and weapons. But they fought against enemy foragers, looters, deserters, and also performed police functions to maintain internal order. They destroyed and captured 10-12 thousand enemy soldiers and officers.

After the end of hostilities on Russian territory, all provincial militias, except Vladimir, Tver and Smolensk, participated in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814. In the spring of 1813, the Moscow and Smolensk troops were disbanded, and by the end of 1814, all other zemstvo troops were disbanded.

Causes

1. the desire of Napoleon Bonaparte and the French bourgeoisie supporting him to establish world hegemony, which was impossible without the defeat and subjugation of Russia and Great Britain;

2. aggravation of contradictions between Russia and France, intensified both as a result of Russia’s non-compliance with the conditions of the continental blockade, and Napoleon’s support of anti-Russian sentiments in Poland, supporting local magnates in their aspirations to recreate the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth within its former borders;

3. the loss by Russia as a result of the conquests of France of its former influence in Central Europe, as well as Napoleon’s actions aimed at undermining its international authority;

4. the increase in personal hostility between Alexander I and Napoleon I, caused both by the refusal of the Russian side to marry the Grand Duchesses Catherine, then Anna, to the French Emperor, as well as hints

Napoleon about Alexander’s involvement in the murder of his father, Emperor Paul I.

Main battles

On the night of June 12 (24), 1812, the French army began crossing the border river. Neman and invaded Russia. The War of 1812 is usually divided into four stages:

1st - from the beginning of the war to the Battle of Smolensk (August 1812);

4th – from October to December 1812, i.e. until the complete defeat and expulsion of Napoleonic troops from Russia.

The first stage of the war was characterized by the failure of Napoleon's initial strategic plan. At the beginning, Barclay de Tolly's 1st Army headed towards the Drissa camp, but the balance of forces was unfavorable and the fortifications were weak. M.B. Barclay de Tolly managed to convince Alexander I to abandon the original plan and continue the retreat with the aim of connecting with Bagration's 2nd Army. There was a gap of 100 km between the 1st and 2nd armies. During the retreat, two battles took place - near Vitebsk and Mogilev, but Napoleon failed to defeat the Russian armies. Army P.I. Bagration, skillfully maneuvering and holding back the enemy's onslaught in battle, managed to get out from under the attacks of the French. In early August, the Russian armies united near Smolensk. This was a major success for the Russian command.

Near Smolensk, both Russian armies numbered about 120 thousand people, Napoleon's army - about 200 thousand. The French emperor hoped to draw the Russian army into a general battle and defeat it. From August 4 to 6, fierce battles took place near Smolensk, but when Napoleon pulled up the main forces to the city, the commander of the troops, M.B. Barclay de Tolly withdrew his troops from the burning city, continuing his retreat to the east. The war was becoming protracted, which particularly worried Napoleon. The communications of the French army were stretched, losses in battles, desertion, disease and looting grew. The convoys could not keep up with the movement of troops, and there was a shortage of food and fodder. The rear of the French army was harassed by partisans. The rumor that the French emperor would give freedom to the peasants did not come true. Having occupied Smolensk, Napoleon tried to enter into negotiations with Alexander I, but his proposal for peace was left unanswered. As a result, Napoleon continued to pursue the retreating Russian troops.

At this time, a patriotic upsurge was growing in the country. The further retreat of the army caused discontent both among the troops and in the rear, although the retreat tactics were justified and the only correct one given the remaining inequality of forces. Public opinion condemned the commander of the troops, M.B. Barclay de Tolly for his caution. Under these conditions, Alexander I yielded to the public and appointed M.I. as commander-in-chief. Kutuzov, for whom he had a personal dislike.

By this time, Kutuzov was 67 years old, he was a major military leader, a wise strategist, a talented diplomat, who became famous in the wars waged by Russia at the end of the 18th century. early XIX V. Kutuzov's appointment raised the morale of the army. However, the retreat continued at first. At the same time, under the pressure of the general mood, Kutuzov decided to give a general battle on the distant approaches to Moscow.

battle of Borodino

Kutuzov decided to give a general battle near the village of Borodino, 120 km away. from Moscow. The chosen position made it possible to cut off the two main roads to Moscow – New and Staraya Smolenskaya – on a narrow front. The rugged nature of the terrain made it difficult for the enemy to carry out a wide maneuver or detour Russian army, made it possible to successfully install artillery and hide part of the troops. Kutuzov was counting on the arrival of large reinforcements. His immediate task was to stop the further advance of French troops towards Moscow.

From the first days of the war, Napoleon was looking for a general battle with the Russian army. He did not think about possible failure; he believed that Moscow would be the end point of the Russian campaign, where he would dictate a victorious peace to Alexander I. Under Borodin, he hoped to knock down Russian troops from their occupied positions, throw them into the “sack” at the confluence of the Kolocha and Moscow rivers and defeat them.

The French army at Borodino numbered 130 - 135 thousand people (at Troitsky - 133.8 thousand) with 587 guns. The Russian army numbered about 150 thousand people (at Troitsky - 154.8 thousand) and 640 guns, while about 40 thousand were militias and Cossacks. The large reinforcements promised by the Governor General of Moscow F.V. Rostopchin did not arrive. Thus, Borodin’s opponents’ forces were approximately equal.

Battle plan. Kutuzov positioned his forces as follows. On the right flank, along the river. Kolochi, the troops of the 1st Army were standing, blocking the New Smolensk Road. The left flank and center were in open areas. Therefore, to strengthen them, earthen arrow-shaped structures were built - Semenovsky flushes (after the name of the village of Semenovskoye). A fortified artillery battery (Raevsky) was placed in the center. Ahead of the position was the Shevardinsky raid, which, apparently, was supposed to delay the advance and regrouping of enemy forces. On August 24, the Russian troops stationed here took the first enemy attack, after which they were forced to retreat.

The Battle of Borodino took place on August 26 (September 7), 1812. The offensive initiative in it belonged to Napoleon. He managed to create numerical superiority at all points of attack, forcing the Russians to repel attacks of twice or three times superior forces. The main blow was delivered on the left flank. Twice Semenov flushes changed hands. After General Bagration was mortally wounded, Russian troops withdrew. At the same time, there was a struggle for Raevsky’s battery located in the center, which also changed hands. Its final capture by Napoleonic troops was delayed by a raid behind French lines by Russian cavalry F.P. Uvarov and Cossacks M.I. Platova. By the end of the day the reserves were exhausted. Russian troops retreated 1 km, but French units failed to break through their defenses. They stopped the battle and were withdrawn to their original positions.

Results

The losses of both sides in the Battle of Borodino were enormous. The French lost about 35 thousand people, the Russian army - 35 thousand. Neither Napoleon nor Kutuzov achieved their goals. The French emperor did not achieve the defeat of the Russian army and the victorious end of the war. Kutuzov could not defend Moscow. This did not stop both sides

declare victory in battle. Nevertheless, the Battle of Borodino became a moral victory for the Russian army.

1. The idea of ​​Napoleon's invincibility was destroyed. Under Borodin, his best forces were defeated, thanks to which, in the future, the transfer of the initiative to the hands of Russian troops was prepared.

2. The morale of the Russian army has increased.

3. The hopes of the French soldiers for a quick end to this grueling war far from home collapsed, dissatisfaction with the duration of the campaign and, in general, endless wars increased.

Meaning

Russian victory:

2) Created the conditions for the liberation of European countries from French domination and the collapse of Napoleon’s empire.

4) Contributed to the growth of national self-awareness and consolidation of the Russian people.

5) Contributed to the emergence of a social movement (Decembristism).

6) Had a fruitful influence on the development of Russian national culture

Already in Moscow, this war would not turn into a brilliant victory for him, but a shameful flight from Russia the distraught soldiers of his once great army, which conquered all of Europe? In 1807, after the defeat of the Russian army in the battle with the French near Friedland, Emperor Alexander I was forced to sign the unfavorable and humiliating Treaty of Tilsit with Napoleon. At that moment, no one thought that in a few years Russian troops would drive Napoleon’s army to Paris, and Russia would take a leading position in European politics.

Causes and course of the Patriotic War of 1812

Main reasons

1. Violation by both Russia and France of the terms of the Tilsit Treaty. Russia sabotaged the continental blockade of England, which was disadvantageous for itself. France, in violation of the treaty, stationed troops in Prussia, annexing the Duchy of Oldenburg.
2. Policy regarding European countries carried out by Napoleon without taking into account the interests of Russia.
3. An indirect reason can also be considered that Bonaparte twice made attempts to marry the sisters of Alexander the First, but both times he was refused.

Since 1810, both sides have been actively pursuing preparation to war, accumulating military forces.

Beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812

Who, if not Bonaparte, who conquered Europe, could be confident in his blitzkrieg? Napoleon hoped to defeat the Russian army in border battles. Early in the morning of June 24, 1812, the Grand Army of the French crossed the Russian border in four places.

The northern flank under the command of Marshal MacDonald set out in the direction of Riga - St. Petersburg. Main a group of troops under the command of Napoleon himself advanced towards Smolensk. To the south of the main forces, the offensive was developed by the corps of Napoleon's stepson, Eugene Beauharnais. The corps of the Austrian general Karl Schwarzenberg was advancing in the Kiev direction.

After crossing the border, Napoleon failed to maintain the high tempo of the offensive. It was not only the vast Russian distances and the famous Russian roads that were to blame. The local population gave the French army a slightly different reception than in Europe. Sabotage food supplies from the occupied territories became the most massive form of resistance to the invaders, but, of course, only a regular army could provide serious resistance to them.

Before joining Moscow The French army had to participate in nine major battles. In a large number of battles and armed skirmishes. Even before the occupation of Smolensk, the Great Army lost 100 thousand soldiers, but, in general, the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812 was extremely unsuccessful for the Russian army.

On the eve of the invasion of Napoleonic army, Russian troops were dispersed in three places. The first army of Barclay de Tolly was near Vilna, the second army of Bagration was near Volokovysk, and the third army of Tormasov was in Volyn. Strategy Napoleon's goal was to break up the Russian armies separately. Russian troops begin to retreat.

Through the efforts of the so-called Russian party, instead of Barclay de Tolly, M.I. Kutuzov was appointed to the post of commander-in-chief, with whom many generals with Russian surnames sympathized. The retreat strategy was not popular in Russian society.

However, Kutuzov continued to adhere to tactics retreat chosen by Barclay de Tolly. Napoleon sought to impose a main, general battle on the Russian army as soon as possible.

The main battles of the Patriotic War of 1812

Bloody battle for Smolensk became a rehearsal for a general battle. Bonaparte, hoping that the Russians will concentrate all their forces here, is preparing the main blow, and pulls up an army of 185 thousand to the city. Despite Bagration's objections, Baclay de Tolly decides to leave Smolensk. The French, having lost more than 20 thousand people in battle, entered the burning and destroyed city. The Russian army, despite the surrender of Smolensk, retained its combat effectiveness.

The news about surrender of Smolensk overtook Kutuzov near Vyazma. Meanwhile, Napoleon advanced his army towards Moscow. Kutuzov found himself in a very serious situation. He continued his retreat, but before leaving Moscow, Kutuzov had to fight a general battle. The protracted retreat left a depressing impression on the Russian soldiers. Everyone was full of desire to give a decisive battle. When a little more than a hundred miles remained to Moscow, on a field near the village of Borodino the Great Army collided, as Bonaparte himself later admitted, with the Invincible Army.

Before the start of the battle, the Russian troops numbered 120 thousand, the French numbered 135 thousand. On the left flank of the formation of Russian troops were Semyonov’s flashes and units of the second army Bagration. On the right are the battle formations of the first army of Barclay de Tolly, and the old Smolensk road was covered by the third infantry corps of General Tuchkov.

At dawn, September 7, Napoleon inspected the positions. At seven o'clock in the morning the French batteries gave the signal to begin the battle.

The grenadiers of Major General took the brunt of the first blow Vorontsova and 27th Infantry Division Nemerovsky near the village of Semenovskaya. The French broke into Semyonov's flushes several times, but abandoned them under the pressure of Russian counterattacks. During the main counterattack here, Bagration was mortally wounded. As a result, the French managed to capture the flushes, but they did not gain any advantages. They failed to break through the left flank, and the Russians retreated in an organized manner to the Semyonov ravines, taking up a position there.

A difficult situation developed in the center, where Bonaparte’s main attack was directed, where the battery fought desperately Raevsky. To break the resistance of the battery defenders, Napoleon was already ready to bring his main reserve into battle. But this was prevented by Platov’s Cossacks and Uvarov’s cavalrymen, who, on Kutuzov’s orders, carried out a swift raid into the rear of the French left flank. This stopped the French advance on Raevsky's battery for about two hours, which allowed the Russians to bring up some reserves.

After bloody battles, the Russians retreated from Raevsky’s battery in an organized manner and again took up defensive positions. The battle, which had already lasted twelve hours, gradually subsided.

During Battle of Borodino The Russians lost almost half of their personnel, but continued to hold their positions. The Russian army lost twenty-seven of its best generals, four of them were killed, and twenty-three were wounded. The French lost about thirty thousand soldiers. Of the thirty French generals who were incapacitated, eight died.

Brief results of the Battle of Borodino:

1. Napoleon was unable to defeat the Russian army and achieve the complete surrender of Russia.
2. Kutuzov, although he greatly weakened Bonaparte’s army, was unable to defend Moscow.

Despite the fact that the Russians were formally unable to win, the Borodino field remained forever in Russian history field of Russian glory.

Having received information about losses near Borodino, Kutuzov I realized that the second battle would be disastrous for the Russian army, and Moscow would have to be abandoned. At the military council in Fili, Kutuzov insisted on the surrender of Moscow without a fight, although many generals were against it.

September 14 Russian army left Moscow. The Emperor of Europe, observing the majestic panorama of Moscow from Poklonnaya Hill, was waiting for the city delegation with the keys to the city. After the hardships and hardships of war, Bonaparte’s soldiers found long-awaited warm apartments, food and valuables in the abandoned city, which the Muscovites, who had mostly left the city with the army, did not have time to take out.

After widespread looting and looting Fires started in Moscow. Due to the dry and windy weather, the entire city was on fire. For safety reasons, Napoleon was forced to move from the Kremlin to the suburban Petrovsky Palace; on the way, he got lost and almost burned himself to death.

Bonaparte allowed the soldiers of his army to plunder what was not yet burned. The French army was distinguished by its defiant disdain for the local population. Marshal Davout built his bedroom in the altar of the Archangel Church. Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin The French used it as a stable, and in Arkhangelskoye they organized an army kitchen. The oldest monastery in Moscow, St. Daniel's Monastery, was equipped for cattle slaughter.

This behavior of the French outraged the entire Russian people to the core. Everyone burned with vengeance for the desecrated shrines and the desecration of the Russian land. Now the war has finally acquired the character and content domestic.

Expulsion of the French from Russia and the end of the war

Kutuzov, withdrawing troops from Moscow, committed maneuver, thanks to which the French army had already lost the initiative before the end of the war. The Russians, retreating along the Ryazan road, were able to march onto the old Kaluga road, and entrenched themselves near the village of Tarutino, from where they were able to control all directions leading from Moscow to the south, through Kaluga.

Kutuzov foresaw that precisely Kaluga land unaffected by the war, Bonaparte will begin to retreat. The entire time Napoleon was in Moscow, the Russian army was replenished with fresh reserves. On October 18, near the village of Tarutino, Kutuzov attacked the French units of Marshal Murat. As a result of the battle, the French lost more than four thousand people and retreated. Russian losses amounted to about one and a half thousand.

Bonaparte realized the futility of his expectations of a peace treaty, and the very next day after the Tarutino battle he hastily left Moscow. The Grand Army now resembled a barbarian horde with plundered property. Having completed complex maneuvers on the march to Kaluga, the French entered Maloyaroslavets. On October 24, Russian troops decided to drive the French out of the city. Maloyaroslavets as a result of a stubborn battle, it changed hands eight times.

This battle became a turning point in the history of the Patriotic War of 1812. The French had to retreat along the old Smolensk road they had destroyed. Now the once Great Army considered its successful retreats as victories. Russian troops used parallel pursuit tactics. After the battle of Vyazma, and especially after the battle near the village of Krasnoye, where the losses of Bonaparte’s army were comparable to its losses at Borodino, the effectiveness of such tactics became obvious.

In the territories occupied by the French they were active partisans. Bearded peasants, armed with pitchforks and axes, suddenly appeared from the forest, which numbed the French. The element of the people's war captured not only the peasants, but also all classes Russian society. Kutuzov himself sent his son-in-law, Prince Kudashev, to the partisans, who led one of the detachments.

The last and decisive blow was dealt to Napoleon's army at the crossing Berezina River. Many Western historians consider the Berezina operation almost a triumph of Napoleon, who managed to preserve the Great Army, or rather its remnants. About 9 thousand French soldiers were able to cross the Berezina.

Napoleon, who did not lose, in fact, a single battle in Russia, lost campaign. The Great Army ceased to exist.

Results of the Patriotic War of 1812

1. In the vastness of Russia, the French army was almost completely destroyed, which affected the balance of power in Europe.
2. The self-awareness of all layers of Russian society has increased unusually.
3. Russia, having emerged victorious from the war, strengthened its position in the geopolitical arena.
4. The national liberation movement intensified in European countries, conquered by Napoleon.

The outbreak of the Patriotic War of 1812 was caused by Napoleon's desire for world domination. In Europe, only Russia and England maintained their independence. Despite the Treaty of Tilsit, Russia continued to oppose the expansion of Napoleonic aggression. Napoleon was especially irritated by her systematic violation of the continental blockade. Since 1810, both sides, realizing the inevitability of a new clash, were preparing for war. Napoleon flooded the Duchy of Warsaw with his troops and created military warehouses there. The threat of invasion looms over Russia's borders. In turn, the Russian government increased the number of troops in the western provinces.

Napoleon became the aggressor

He began military operations and invaded Russian territory. In this regard, for the Russian people the war became a liberation and Patriotic war, since not only the regular army, but also the broad masses of the people took part in it.

Balance of power

In preparation for the war against Russia, Napoleon gathered a significant army - up to 678 thousand soldiers. These were perfectly armed and trained troops, seasoned in previous wars. They were led by a galaxy of brilliant marshals and generals - L. Davout, L. Berthier, M. Ney, I. Murat and others. They were commanded by the most famous commander of that time - Napoleon Bonaparte. The weak point of his army was its motley national composition. The aggressive plans of the French emperor were deeply alien to the German and Spanish, Polish and Portuguese, Austrian and Italian soldiers.

Active preparations for the war that Russia had been waging since 1810 brought results. She managed to create modern armed forces for that time, powerful artillery, which, as it turned out during the war, was superior to the French. The troops were led by talented military leaders - M. I. Kutuzov, M. B. Barclay de Tolly, P. I. Bagration, A. P. Ermolov, N. N. Raevsky, M. A. Miloradovich and others. They were distinguished by extensive military experience and personal courage. The advantage of the Russian army was determined by the patriotic enthusiasm of all segments of the population, large human resources, food and fodder reserves.

However, on initial stage During the war, the French army outnumbered the Russian one. The first echelon of troops that entered Russia numbered 450 thousand people, while the Russians on the western border were about 210 thousand people, divided into three armies. The 1st - under the command of M.B. Barclay de Tolly - covered the St. Petersburg direction, the 2nd - led by P.I. Bagration - defended the center of Russia, the 3rd - under General A.P. Tormasov - was located in the southern direction .

Plans of the parties

Napoleon planned to seize a significant part of Russian territory up to Moscow and sign a new treaty with Alexander to subjugate Russia. Napoleon's strategic plan was based on his military experience acquired during the wars in Europe. He intended to prevent the dispersed Russian forces from uniting and deciding the outcome of the war in one or more border battles.

Even on the eve of the war, the Russian emperor and his entourage decided not to make any compromises with Napoleon. If the clash was successful, they intended to transfer military operations to the territory Western Europe. In case of defeat, Alexander was ready to retreat to Siberia (all the way to Kamchatka, according to him) to continue the fight from there. Russia had several strategic military plans. One of them was developed by the Prussian General Fuhl. It provided for the concentration of most of the Russian army in a fortified camp near the city of Drissa on the Western Dvina. According to Fuhl, this gave an advantage in the first border battle. The project remained unrealized, since the position on Drissa was unfavorable and the fortifications were weak. In addition, the balance of forces forced the Russian command to initially choose a strategy of active defense. As the course of the war showed, this was the most correct decision.

Stages of the war

The history of the Patriotic War of 1812 is divided into two stages. First: from June 12 to mid-October - the retreat of the Russian army with rearguard battles in order to lure the enemy deep into Russian territory and disrupt his strategic plan. Second: from mid-October to December 25 - a counter-offensive of the Russian army with the goal of completely expelling the enemy from Russia.

Beginning of the war

On the morning of June 12, 1812, French troops crossed the Neman and invaded Russia by forced march.

The 1st and 2nd Russian armies retreated, avoiding a general battle. They fought stubborn rearguard battles with in separate parts the French, exhausting and weakening the enemy, inflicting significant losses on him.

Two main tasks faced the Russian troops - to eliminate disunity (not allow themselves to be defeated one by one) and to establish unity of command in the army. The first task was solved on July 22, when the 1st and 2nd armies united near Smolensk. Thus, Napoleon's original plan was thwarted. On August 8, Alexander appointed M.I. Kutuzov Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army. This meant solving the second problem. M.I. Kutuzov took command of the combined Russian forces on August 17. He did not change his retreat tactics. However, the army and the whole country expected a decisive battle from him. Therefore, he gave the order to look for a position for a general battle. She was found near the village of Borodino, 124 km from Moscow.

battle of Borodino

M.I. Kutuzov chose defensive tactics and deployed his troops in accordance with this. The left flank was defended by the army of P.I. Bagration, covered by artificial earthen fortifications - flushes. In the center there was an earthen mound where the artillery and troops of General N.N. Raevsky were located. The army of M.B. Barclay de Tolly was on the right flank.

Napoleon adhered to offensive tactics. He intended to break through the defenses of the Russian army on the flanks, encircle it and completely defeat it.

The balance of forces was almost equal: the French had 130 thousand people with 587 guns, the Russians had 110 thousand regular forces, about 40 thousand militias and Cossacks with 640 guns.

Early in the morning of August 26, the French launched an offensive on the left flank. The fight for flushes lasted until 12 noon. Both sides suffered huge losses. General P.I. Bagration was seriously wounded. (He died from his wounds a few days later.) Taking the flushes did not bring any particular advantages to the French, since they were unable to break through the left flank. The Russians retreated in an orderly manner and took up a position near the Semenovsky ravine.

At the same time, the situation in the center, where Napoleon directed the main attack, became more complicated. To help the troops of General N.N. Raevsky, M.I. Kutuzov ordered the Cossacks of M.I. Platov and the cavalry corps of F.P. Uvarov to carry out a raid behind French lines. The sabotage, which was not very successful in itself, forced Napoleon to interrupt the assault on the battery for almost 2 hours. This allowed M.I. Kutuzov to bring fresh forces to the center. The battery of N.N. Raevsky changed hands several times and was captured by the French only at 16:00.

The capture of Russian fortifications did not mean Napoleon's victory. On the contrary, the offensive impulse of the French army dried up. She needed fresh forces, but Napoleon did not dare to use his last reserve - the imperial guard. The battle, which lasted more than 12 hours, gradually subsided. The losses on both sides were enormous. Borodino was a moral and political victory for the Russians: the combat potential of the Russian army was preserved, while Napoleonic's was significantly weakened. Far from France, in the vast Russian expanses, it was difficult to restore it.

From Moscow to Maloyaroslavets

After Borodino, Russian troops began to retreat to Moscow. Napoleon followed, but did not strive for a new battle. On September 1, a military council of the Russian command took place in the village of Fili. M.I. Kutuzov, contrary to the general opinion of the generals, decided to leave Moscow. The French army entered it on September 2, 1812.

M.I. Kutuzov, withdrawing troops from Moscow, carried out an original plan - the Tarutino march-maneuver. Retreating from Moscow along the Ryazan road, the army turned sharply to the south and in the Krasnaya Pakhra area reached the old Kaluga road. This maneuver, firstly, prevented the French from seizing the Kaluga and Tula provinces, where ammunition and food were collected. Secondly, M.I. Kutuzov managed to break away from Napoleon’s army. He set up a camp in Tarutino, where the Russian troops rested and were replenished with fresh regular units, militia, weapons and food supplies.

The occupation of Moscow did not benefit Napoleon. Abandoned by the inhabitants (an unprecedented case in history), it burned in the fire. There was no food or other supplies in it. The French army was completely demoralized and turned into a bunch of robbers and marauders. Its decomposition was so strong that Napoleon had only two options - either immediately make peace or begin a retreat. But all the peace proposals of the French emperor were unconditionally rejected by M. I. Kutuzov and Alexander I.

On October 7, the French left Moscow. Napoleon still hoped to defeat the Russians or at least break into the unravaged southern regions, since the issue of providing the army with food and fodder was very acute. He moved his troops to Kaluga. On October 12, another bloody battle took place near the town of Maloyaroslavets. Once again, neither side achieved a decisive victory. However, the French were stopped and forced to retreat along the Smolensk road they had destroyed.

Expulsion of Napoleon from Russia

The retreat of the French army looked like a disorderly flight. He was accelerated by the unfolding partisan movement and Russian offensive actions.

The patriotic upsurge began literally immediately after Napoleon entered Russia. Robbery and looting French. Chinese soldiers caused resistance local residents. But this was not the main thing - the Russian people could not put up with the presence of invaders on their native land. Names go down in history ordinary people(G. M. Kurin, E. V. Chetvertakov, V. Kozhina), who organized partisan detachments. “Flying detachments” of regular army soldiers led by career officers (A.S. Figner, D.V. Davydov, A.N. Seslavin, etc.) were also sent to the French rear.

At the final stage of the war, M.I. Kutuzov chose the tactics of parallel pursuit. He took care of every Russian soldier and understood that the enemy’s forces were melting every day. The final defeat of Napoleon was planned near the city of Borisov. For this purpose, troops were brought up from the south and north-west. Serious damage was inflicted on the French near the city of Krasny in early November, when more than half of the 50 thousand people of the retreating army were captured or died in battle. Fearing encirclement, Napoleon hastened to transport his troops across the Berezina River on November 14-17. The battle at the crossing completed the defeat of the French army. Napoleon abandoned her and secretly left for Paris. The order of M.I. Kutuzov on the army of December 21 and the Tsar's Manifesto of December 25, 1812 marked the end of the Patriotic War.

The meaning of war

The Patriotic War of 1812 is the greatest event in Russian history. During its course, heroism, courage, patriotism and selfless love of all layers of society and especially ordinary people for their Motherland were clearly demonstrated. However, the war caused significant damage to the Russian economy, which was estimated at 1 billion rubles. During the hostilities, about 300 thousand people died. Many western regions were devastated. All this had a huge impact on further internal development Russia.