Resumo de Napoleon?s Invasion Of Russia

On the night of June 12, 1812, the Russian Emperor Alexander I, who was at a ball at the time, got a message about Napoleon's invasion. His heart shuddered at the news, but he retained his composure. Of course, Alexander had known when and where Napoleon was going to strike. He had been expecting this war, the first to be fought on the Russian territory in more than a century. From the very beginning of the war the Russian armies followed a retreat tactics. One may wonder, why? Russia knew about the forthcoming invasion and had time to prepare for it. But the retreat tactics was part of a strategy mapped out by Russian generals. Months before the invasion Alexander I approved a plan suggesting that it should be a predominantly defensive war. Under the plan, retreating Russian armies were to drag the enemy into the heart of Russia and let it be ravaged by cold winter, starvation, and guerrilla warfare. The author of the plan was the then Minister of War, General Barclay de Tolly.
Barclay de Tolly was really an outstanding military commander. He took command of two Russian armies operating against Napoleon. But his strategy of avoiding decisive action and retreating far inland proved largely unpopular in the Russian society and won him bitter reproaches and even accusations of betrayal. Few realized the soundness of his tactics. Barclay de Tolly's military talent and sang-froid saved the Russian army from shameful defeat. Barclay de Tolly was born into the family of an army lieutenant of Scottish descent. Having no influential connections and relying solely on his intellect, diligence and courage, he carved out a successful military career. Barclay de Tolly gained prominence in the Napoleonic Wars of 1808-1809. In early 1810 he was made Russian Minister of War and threw all his energy into preparations for a campaign against Napoleon. In March the same year he presented Alexander I with the above-mentioned plan. But it was suspended following political developments in Europe in 1811. Alexander accepted a proposal from Prussia to form an anti-Napoleon coalition and was considering a preventive war, which was thwarted by Prussia's double-dealing policy. Besides, there were alternative plans. Thus, having more than one project, Alexander failed to work out a uniform strategy and bring it to his generals' notice. This threw the Russian army into confusion and enabled the French to split the 1st Army commanded by Barclay de Tolly and the 2nd Army under General Pyotr Bagration, leaving them to fight alone. Alexander's persistent interference into military affairs was hampering the initiative. Still worse, he failed to appoint a commander-in-chief, evidently because he himself wanted to take command but hesitated, fearing a possible defeat. Meanwhile, he entrusted overall command to Barclay de Tolly.
Not all generals, however, shared his strategy. For example, Pyotr Bagration, an outspoken and uncompromising supporter of offensive tactics, didn't understand what was going on. Unwilling to put up with continuous retreat, he sent Barclay de Tolly a letter full of reproaches. Subsequent events proved that he had been wrong. Avoiding major battles, the Russian armies were slipping away from Napoleon.

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