Napoleons Russian Campaign Essay -- Napoleon Russian Campaign

Napoleon's Russian Campaign The peace between France and Russia in 1807 lasted for five years but was not satisfactory to either side. The Tilsit settlement was thought of by Napoleon as no more than a convenient truce. In 1807 he had been in no position to invade Russia but there was no way that he could tolerate another European power for very long. Napoleon felt that a war with Russia was necessary ‘for crushing England by crushing the only power still strong enough him any trouble by joining her.’ Napoleon began preparing for the war. He secured the support of Austria and Prussia since even though neither was in any position to refuse. Emperor Francis of Austria provided 34,000 men to cover the French but sent secret messages to St. Petersburg assuring Alexander that Austrian hostilities would be kept to a minimum. Prussia though was placed in a less fortunate position. With Berlin occupied by French and most of their 1807 debt to be paid it had no alternative but to provide 25,000 men and supp ly quarters and rations for the entire army. The rest of Napoleon’s Grand Army came from the many countries under his direct control. The Kingdom of Italy sent 45,000 men, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw 35,000. The Kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony and Westphalia each sent 17,000 men and there were many additions from various other nations under Napoleon’s control. In all the army totaled to 600,000 men. While Napoleon had an enormous army he made though inadequate preparations for supplying the troops. The provisions that he arranged for were not intended to provide all that the troops would need as they fought their way to Moscow. This was because Napoleon visualized a short campaign ending in a decisive victory. In a speech to his troops on... ... into East Prussia. Russia though made a deal with East Prussia, which allowed the Russian troops to enter East Prussia and by the end of January 1813 the French were behind the Elbe River, far away from Russia. This marked the end of Napoleon’s Russian Campaign. Bibliography Gate, Curtis. The War Of The Two Emperors New York: Random House, 1985. Glover, Michael. The Napoleonic Wars: An Illustrated History New York: Hippocrene Books, 1979. Hilt, Douglas. Ten Against Napoleon Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1975. Holtman, Robert. The Napoleonic Revolution Philadelphia & New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1967. Nicolson, Nigel. Napoleon 1812 New York: Harper & Row, 1985. Riehn, Richard. 1812: Napoleon's Russian Campaign San Francisco: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1990. Walter, Jacob. The Diary Of A Napoleonic Foot Soldier London: Doubleday, 1991.