Reasons For Napoleon’s Defeat Essay, Research Paper

Reasons for Napoleon’s Defeat

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The Campaign of 1812 should have been a another crusade for Napoleon, but he now

faced 2 new policies that he had never faced before, the severe Russian winter and the

notorious scorched-earth policy. On June 23, 1812 Napoleon’s Grande Armee, over

500,000 men strong, poured over the Russian border. An equal amount of Russian

forces awaited them. The result of the campaign was a surprise. Two authors, General

carl von Clausewitz and Brett James, show similarities in reasons why Napoleon had lost

this campaign to Russia.

Napoleon believed that after a few quick victorious battles, he could convince

Alexander to return to the Continental System. He also decided that if he occupied

Moscow, the Russian government would crumple and ask for peace.

” A single blow delivered at the heart of the Russian Empire, at Moscow the Great,

at Moscow the Holy, will instantly put this whole blind, apathetic mass at my

mercy.” pg 6, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia

This was his belief he expressed in March 1812. However, when Napoleon eventually

took over Moscow, the Tsar still did not surrender. Napoleon, sent a message to the

Tsar, demanding a immediate surrender. However, the Tsar could not surrender

because if he did, he would be assassinated by the nobles.

Clausewitz replies by saying, ” Napoleon was unable to grasp the fact that Alexander

would not, could not negotiate. The Tsar knew well that he would be disposed and

assassinated if he tried so.” pg 256, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia

General Clausewitz said, “Napoleon believed if he defeated the Russian Army and

occupied Moscow, the Russian leadership will fall apart and the government would call

for peace.” pg 253, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia Brett James also agreed that

Napoleon’s occupation had no result. ” The occupation of Napoleon in Moscow did not

have a effect on the government.” Pg 13, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia

With his battle plan set, Napoleon prepared his troops for the attack on Russia. But,

Napoleon did not consider the fierce Russian winter which awaited him. According to

Ludwig Wilhelm Gottlob Schlosser, a onlooker, he described the army by saying,

” The French, down to the lowliest drummer were very fastidious. These poor French

devils were not satisfied with less than soup, meat and vegetables, roast, and salad for

their midday meal, and there was no sign of their famous frugality. They were

completely devoid of the coming winter.” pg 13, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia

Napoleon was even warned by General Rapp about the extremities of the oncoming

winter in Russia.

” The natives say we shall have a severe winter,” Napoleon retorted scornfully, ”

Bah! You and your natives! We shall see how fine it is.” pg 147, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat

in Russia

Napoleon should have heeded Rapp’s words. As the Grand Armee marched toward

Moscow, many horses and men were lost in the freezing snow, and for those who

remained, their morale and effectiveness was at the nadir.

General Clausewitz states his point by saying,

“With more precaution and better regulations as to subsistence, with more careful

consideration of his marches, which would have prevented the unnecessary and

enormous accumulation of masses on one and the same road, he would have preserved

his army in a more effective condition.” pg 255, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia

Brett James also shared the same opinion, ” Napoleon appeared to have made no effort

to discover the facts in Russia, or prepare his troops for it.” pg 140, 1812

Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia

As Napoleon and his army was making their way to Moscow, they encountered typhus,

colds, and dysentery. Even the mighty Napoleon had caught a mild case of the flu.

However, his soldiers had received the brunt of the attack.

Captain Thomas- Joesph Aubry relives this ordeal, ” After this the typhus made

appalling inroads in our ranks. We were fourty-three officers in our ward. All of them

died, one after the other, and delirious from this dreadful disease, most of them singing,

some in Latin, others in German, others again in Italian – and singing psalms, canticles,

or the mass.” pg 210, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia General Clausewitz wrote, ” The

bad water and the air-borne insects caused dysentery, typhus, and diarrhea.” pg 136,

The Campaign of 1812 in Russia Brett James also wrote, ” Bad water, bad air, and bad

sanitation all contributed to the vile diseases.” pg 213 1812, Napoleon’s defeat in Russia

Napoleon had lost about 80,000 men altogether from diseases alone. But there were

some remedies for the sick, doctors provided gruel for the dysentery and warm soup for

the colds. Napoleon could have lowered the casualties if he had brought more doctors

and more supplies.

When Napoleon had finally reached Moscow, he discovered it deserted. Two days later,

a great fire broke out in Moscow, temporarily forcing Napoleon and some of his troops

out of Moscow. If Napoleon had reached Moscow with at 300,000 men instead of

90,000, he could have continued his campaign and defeat the weakened Russian army.

The Emperor could have reached Moscow with at least 300,000 men if he had taken

better care of his troops and had not fought every battle that he came across. Brett

James shows that Napoleon regarded his army as mere numbers and did not

contemplate that they would be affected by hunger and fatigue.

“He would not have lost a 100,000 men if he had not chosen on every occasion to take

the bull by the horns.” pg 86, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia “Moscow was a good

weeks march away, but already the army was already disintegrating through sheer

hunger.” pg 147, 1812 Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia

General Clausewitz also relates with Brett by declaring, “He reached Moscow with

90,000 men, he should have reached it with 300,000. This would have happened if he

treated his army with more care and forbearance.” pg 255, The Campaign of 1812 in

Russia

If Napoleon only had at least 300,000 men, he could have waited for supplies with the

comfort of knowing that he was safe. Instead, Napoleon retreated and allowed his army

to slowly wither under the attack of the Russian guerrillas.

Therefore I have shown some reasons why Napoleon had lost the Campaign of 1812 to

Russia. However, Napoleon did not lose the war out of military errors but of a simple

miscalculation – a miscalculation that was made by Hitler a century later. Napoleon

believed that if he occupied Moscow, the Russian government would collapse and he

would rule Europe with little opposition. But as history reveals, this tactic does not

work and Napoleon is defeated, paving the way for other nations to deny Napoleon’s

lust for power.