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There’s a copyright issue with music near the beginning so if you notice a sound issue it’s YouTube muting the sound. Doesn’t last very long.
Don't you think if Napoleon took his time and had smaller armies and many marshels to slowly gobble up Russia he could of done it especially waiting during winter.
Alexanders declaration to fight "A war to save holy Russia from the ani-Christ" seems very familiar, given the comments that Putin has said about the West and Ukraine recently. I don't think things will work out the same for Vlad, though.
Epic History TV is what the history channel should have been
really nice video.I really like watching your video because of your commentary.Been watching a lot of your video.I would like to ask if u are going to play the new Oregon trail game.I would like to see u play it
It's interesting how the two most significant things that helped bring down Napoleon were his decisions to turn on his allies, Spain and Russia.
And you can go and see the grave of Anna Pavlovna in the New Church in Delft; well you can see the door to the crypt where the Dutch royals are buried, I think.
Also, Macdonald for France facing Barclay for Russia: Scots have been fighting other peoples' wars since forever
Random question. If Napoleon was so gung-ho about invading Russia, why didn't he go around to Riga or St. Petersburg? They are both on the water and easy to get to and scurry away by sea, avoiding some of the issues with heat and winter.
It’s funny because Sweden, the country that had previously failed to invade Russia in 1709 was now under Napoelons control. I don’t think the Swedes really liked the French that much at the time even if they were led by a French marshal.
There was a big struggle in the Russian HQ: Attack or retreat. German-Baltic and foreign Generals (mostly germans too) recommended to withdraw and refuse a decisive battle. It was this strategy that saved the russian army and lured Napoleon's Grand Army further and further into Russia – with the logical consequences for the troops and supplies. The native russian generals understandably didn't want Napoleon to occupy large parts of russian heartland without resistance and pressed on Emperor Alexander for a decisive battle. Therefor, it was a battle between German and Russian strategy. In the end, Alexander chose the Russian strategy and Kutusov, an old, meritorious man but even questionable character, who could be blamed for a decisive defeat.
Russian and later Soviet historiography have made Kutusov a mystical god of war in the Patriotic War (see for ex. the russian War and Peace-Movie), completly suppressing, even disparaging, the Part, played by "German strategy" for the outcome of the campaign of 1812, personified in Barclay de Tolly. In the end, a little side kick to all Napoleon fans, there is one big different between Napoleon and Putin: Both ignored international rules but Napoleon was victorious (in the beginning).
great series, but as a dane it just gets depressing the further it goes on. Denmark was easily the biggest loser in all of this at the end.
You mentioned that it’s more important to have victory and to keep retreating than to have an open battle and risk defeat for ‘honour’, but it’s important to note the values dissonance we have here. In the 21st century we would definitely agree with that. But in the past including this time in history, we can’t underestimate the blow this had on soldiers’ morale, constantly retreating instead of fighting. I heard in another video that many members of the Russian army participated in orgies everyday during this time. So this was really wearing down on them, and making them unfit for battle. If Kutuzov had kept this up I think the state of the Russian army would have been disastrous.
100 years earlier – and very familiar to the French due to Voltaire's history of the Great Northern War – the Swedes had invaded Russia and been forced into a long drawn-out war because the Russians wouldn't give them a decisive battle early in the campaign. And yet Napoleon still appears to have believed that there'd be an early battle to destroy the Russian armies, despite knowing that they'd be so heavily outnumbered that fighting would be a bad idea.
You are the best of youtube historic videos reactors mate. You also provide some good staff of infos about every video
Thank you and keep it up <3
Honestly, Napoleon deserves to have a rather large hashmark next to his name when ranked among the best battlefield generals ever. Tactically brilliant, strategically had some rather large stuff ups, both militarily and especiallt politically
Again; The Continental System is the doom of Napoleon's French Empire. No Continental System, No war with Portugal, Spain and now Russia over them possibly trading with Great Britain.
Sure, France and Russia might have gotten into war anyways over Poland in between the Treaty of Tilsit and 1830, but this would've been a war being fought in Central-East Europe and not Eastern Europe. It would be Napoleon who would've been in the advantage in almost everything: being the defender (moral!), better logistics, easier movements of forces, better chances of defeating Russia on the battlefield,…
Without the colossal losses in Iberia and Russia, Napoleon (and his son Napoleon II) would've gotten enough forces to maintain the Empire and their grip over Central Europe. Revolutions would've probably occured (just like in our timeline) between 1830-1899, testing the fundaments of the French Empire aswell as those of the nations on which it has great influence over. Especially the Nationalistic Revolutions that did occur in our timeline would've been a great test. But again; a not so military weakened French Empire might hold out over most of its territory and influence.
If you’ve ever watched the four part epic War and Peace they recreate the battle of Borodino with like 10,000 extras and it’s awesome. It’s the same director I believe that did Waterloo.
It’s very accurate too as far as I can tell. You can recognize different parts of the battlefield and different moments in the battle.
To be fair, Kutuzov wouldn't have been beaten at Austerlitz (or at least not as much) if inexperienced Alexander didn't interfere with his plans and also his strategy. Kutuzov actually didn't want to fight at Austerlitz, he wanted to wait for reinforcements.
Looking forward to part 2
What is it with people assuming that any war can just be won in a couple of weeks, willy-nilly? His enemies had learned his tactics by now and had made military reforms. You'd think Napoleon had learned a lesson about the renewed strength of the other nations after the Austrians had sent him packing near Vienna.
Napoleon stopping to winter in Smolensk is not just a strategy that has come to us through hindsight. Marshall Berthier (who was responsible for logistics) and several other generals begged Napoleon to stop at Smolensk as their supply lines were in disarray.
It is an interesting, "what if," scenario as while Napoleon's main force would be more secure, the Russian armies would not have had to face Borodino. Those Russian armies could have been moved to sever Napoleon's supply lines while he sat and starved in Smolensk instead of Moscow. However, even if it went badly for Napoleon, he would have been much closer to friendly territory in Smolensk, so any retreat would likely have caused fewer casualties and left him in a stronger position in 1813.
Very cool watching this while reading Tolstoy’s War and Peace! Thanks VTH!
Napoleon loved being a conqueror so much, he forgot to transition into a ruler. He wouldve gone all the way to China if he could. Some men are just obsessed with conquest, no matter the cost.
The one time ignoring the quality of your infrastructure comes in handy
Did not know that the Prussians were allied with the French at this time, but that by Waterloo they were allied with the Brits. Makes me want to find out more.
So they started the invasion on June 24th. Apparently Hitler was no student of history, because he started his invasion on June 22nd, IIRC.
Marshal Macdonald for the French, Barclay de Tolly for the Russians – Scots playing both sides. What is their master plan?
Napoleon: HOLD YOUR FIRE! It’s my birfday 😌🥳
genuine question ; why do you support west brom haha? love the video as always !
Napoleon probably should have kept some of his army sheltered in Moscow for winter. Other option keep pushing South for supplies
Trading land for time is perfectly valid. Generally it's done to allow for 2 groups to unite, and you would do this to secure a battlefield that's more advantageous for your army. But in this case the primary benefit was the casualties it induced without many on your side.
2:32 Napoleon made it up to Russia for sure 😉
big win against reading, do you think you'll get playoffs?
I can’t recommend you enough to react to Cool History Bros.
Regarding your comments around 5 minute mark about ''If Napoleon knew when to stop'', well that, as the saying goes, would have required Napoleon to not be Napoleon. He didn't know when to stop. He saw military force as his only way of projecting power. Military force was his primary method of diplomacy… when he wasn't dealing with ''Family'', and even then.
Britain realized this pretty early on when Napoleon broke the Amiens treaty, before it was even signed, and Austria would come to create a strategy focusing on this fact when Metternich became chancellor (thanks to his service as Ambassador to Paris previously).
Metternich, says in his writings, that Napoleon himself told him in a private meeting by the end of 1810. that the decision to invade Russia was already made, more or less right after the marriage to Marie Louise.
Napoleon saw the invasion of Russia as a necessity, he no longer trusted Tsar Alexander (who in turn no longer trusted Napoleon because of the Alliance with Austria). Napoleon saw Russia as a threat that needed to be dealt with in the only way he knew how.
For Napoleon military force was something that brought him desirable, extremely one sided, diplomatic outcomes, nothing else did.
And that was his failing in Russia, thinking all he needed to do was defeat the army, take the capital, and await the surrender, like happened so many times before with Austria, Prussia etc.
And the allies would exploit this fact in 1813./1814. when the treaties continually proposed to Napoleon, mainly from Austria and Britain, were phrased in such a way that they would be unacceptable to him if he still thought he might turn them around with a single military victory.
For instance they proposed that French forces retreat from areas they still held, while maneuvering around Napoleon and doing their best to avoid a battle on his terms, keeping him continually convinced that he could still win a battle and end the war. Thus exhausting France of money and manpower and destroying Napoleon's reputation in France.
While Napoleon's economic policy… well… that's probably a topic for more research and another day. But suffice it to say the continental system not working and being flooded with corruptly obtained trading permits, was the least of his problems.
"From triumph to downfall, It is often only one step" Napoleon.
Alexander send an ultimatium to Napoleon in 1810-11 in which he required the French to evacuate the Duchy of Warsaw. He also tried to approach the Polish nobility (Prince Poniatowski) trying to get their support in the future war with France promising them a Polish kingdom (if he became their king) as well as the Prussians who approached Napoleon in 1811 ( Frederick William III even think or suggest to join the Confederation of the Rhine despite the desire for revenge ) and the Austrians.
The Russians plan of scortch earth strategy was planned from 1811 by General Barclay de Tolly (minister of war) who reorganize the Russian army after Friedland 1807. Napoleon was made aware of this military tactic by Bernadotte (in his effort to have peaceful relations with France) and by the French ambassador in Saint-Petersburg (le Marquis de Caulaincourt, but he doesn't care (I don't understand why).
It's insane to think that the French suffered from both extreme weather conditions. A big misconception of this invasion is that winter was the deadliest killer, but the intense heat waves of the summer were just as lethal and worked against Napoleon's campaign, slowing his forces down.
Once again, Napoleon's hubris was his downfall. If he had reversed course once it became clear the Russians weren't going to appear in open combat, he may have been able to preserve his empire. While it would have been humiliating, 500,000+ men would've been saved, and he could have used them to reinforce the areas already under his control.
600,000 troops in Spain. Good luck supplying that. In Spain it was said "Small Armies are destroyed, large armies starves." The British can always fall back to the Lines of Torres Vedras and wait for the French to starve.
Thanks for the content, even when you’re clearly pretty sick.
Guten Tag, wie geht's wie steht's?
It's insane thinking about the logistics of all of this. Definitely a interesting period of history and how things could've been different is just 1 thing changed and how Napoleon could've shown better judgement and less ambition.
About 1000 Kilometer between the Russian border and Moskau. About the length of Germany from top to bottom.
As a long time viewer I was waiting so long for this.
As Polish I feel obligated to watch any video about Napoleon. He gave us freedom. One might argue that it was for his convenience, but still, he gave us hope. Polish people probably see Napoleon in more positive light than any other nation (expect French duh).
I think that The Germans in WW2 reached the outskirts of Moscow in the same amount of time Napoleons troops did .
These reactions are great but EHTV also has a Napoleons Marshals series that is amazing at providing in depth details about all his marshals, their relationships with Napoleon, as well as the roles they played in that gigantic 20 year span. I think you may find those videos more interesting as well because they focus on individuals and I assume your knowledge in that area is minimal. I knew nothing about those guys and now I’m obsessed with learning about guys like Lannes, Massena, Bernadotte and others. They all have their own stories.
General Kutuzov was the ideal option for russian army, as he had already experience fighting napoleon and used all the advantages to his favor. geography, weather, supplies, guerrilla tactics, etc.
The narrator mentioned typhus. What he didn't mention is that typhus killed more soldiers than the Russians. The outbreak occurred before the invasion started, and got worse as they marched. The twenty percent dead were mostly killed by typhus, and the deaths continued. He lost so many soldiers that by Borodino he was reluctant to commit the Old Guard to battle because he needed them intact for the advance on Moscow, since every other unit was ravaged by disease and battle. Borodino was so deadly that it was the first single-day battle to rival Cannae for most deaths in one day in two thousand years (in Europe at least).
Voices of the past is this new history youtube channel that does great videos on history topics usually stuff people have never heard about and they have great quality vids . check them out . love your vids keep up the good work