Outline

Situation in 1811 Objective Moscow Burning City of Doom The long Retreat Coda Reactionary “Congress”

Soundtrack: “The 1812 Overture” by Pytor Tchaikovsky

Situation in 1811

Napoleon “liberated Poland” from Austria Russia, Prussia with victories in 1805-06 – “Grand Duchy of Warsaw”

Run Up to Invasion

• Russians see GD Warsaw as a launching point for invasion

• Russian Tsar Alexander I Rejects the Continental System in 1810– Russia has raw materials, but little commercial base– Needs trade to prosper

• This aggravates Napoleon, both sides prepare for war– Russian Church– Russian State

Napoleon Appeals to Allies

Russia is Backward

Reactionary

People in Bondage

Symbol of Old Europe

European Grand Armee

Grand Armee in 1812 was about 600,000 men, of which about half were French 100,000 Germans 100,000 Poles Over 25,000 of Austrian, Neapolitans, Italians

Figures vary of how much of the army invaded Russia, but at least 400,000, with about 200,000 in reserve in Poland

The Push Napoleon’s Troops

invaded Russia in June, 1812.

Russians refuse to fight, trading space for time, fighting only at Borodino Scorched Earth Skirmishes

Napoleon, frustrated, pushed toward Moscow, the ancient Capital of Russia

Logistics

• Russian Roads were pathetic by W. European standards

• Slows men down• But Especially the supply

train• Army outmarched its

supplies• Long undefended supply

line from Poland to Armee

Moscow

Napoleon Captures Moscow in September

City is abandoned and burns to the ground’

Without a stable base, Napoleons Men have to abandon the city Head home

The Long March Home…

Oh the Humanity..

Charles Joseph Minard’s Famous Diagram depicting the size of the Grand Armee during the Invasion and retreat

Defeat and Waterloo

Napoleon’s forces are routed at the Battle of Nations in 1813, the Coalition forces capture Paris in 1814, Has to Abdicate

Exile to Elba 100 days: Returns, raises an Army, and is

defeated again at Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington

St Helena

“Das Lied Vom Ende”

Congress of Vienna 1814-1815 Meeting of

Represenatives from all five powers

Russia – Tsar Alexander I Prussia – King Fredrick

William III Austria – Klemens von

Metternich France - Talleyrand England - Castlereagh

Goals of the Powers

Return France to Monarchy Stabilize Europe the “right” way Don’t overly embarrass France

King Louis XVIII Do not want him to fail Set France’s borders to 1792 – France holds onto

some early gains After 100 days though, 1790 with occupation force Bourbon King restored to Spain (1823)

Anglo-Austrian Arrangement Attempt to prevent Prussian

and Russian gains England argues for decreased

French Navy The Kingdom of the

Netherlands established Flanders and Dutch Republic

Austria gains power in Italy HRE = defunct; Now German

Confederation headed by Austria and Prussia

Summary

Main Goal of the Congress was to Turn back the clock on Enlightenment Revolution Republicanism

Also spurs nationalism