Rem Word - Time and money. Russia. From Alexander the First to Vladimir Lenin. A story of love, wars and money

Bonaparte’s main plan is a huge dependent Poland, which includes Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania. A world with a shrunken Russia. Full continental blockade of England, then the occupation of Great Britain. Theoretically – a campaign to India, the return and growth of the French colonial possessions (the First Empire). Hypothetically, Napoleon becomes the ruler of the whole world.

It’s not so impossible. England owns 27% of the earth’s land, which, together with the colonies of France itself, as well as the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, which became part of the suzerain of the Commonwealth, makes up more than half of the territory of the globe.

This plan does not fit the liberation of the Russian peasants from serfdom. At the beginning of his career, Bonaparte serves the Convention and the Republic, introduces a progressive Civil Code, destroys the basis of the feudal system. However, he despises “ordinary people”, and tries not to resort to their assistance. He is not at all the benefactor of the people. In parts of Belarus and Lithuania, at the beginning of the summer of 1812, Napoleon abolished serfdom. The peasants begin to plunder the former oppressors, landlords and their families. They are not becoming noticeably more loyal to the French army. Napoleon is primarily interested in the supply of his troops. Three weeks later, he returns the peasants to the landlords, provides security, so that the nobles themselves collect food and give it to foragers. And so it happens. It should be borne in mind that the aristocracy of the region counted on the revival of the Commonwealth, and therefore was so welcoming to the conquerors. Considering his experience with the liberation of the serfs unsuccessful, Napoleon projects his conclusions throughout Russia. He does not pay attention to the fact that the Russian nobles are satisfied with their high position. There is autocracy here, but it is limited, in the extreme case of landlord discontent, by an apoplectic blow (a snuffbox to the temple). The gold saved during the expropriation of peasant reserves, the propensity to plunder churches and monasteries, arrogance, will subsequently turn into rivers of blood of Napoleonic soldiers.

Napoleon’s army is: 20,000 Prussian soldiers – Prussia is offered some territories of the current Baltic states, 30,000 Austrians, 100,000 Poles, 21,000 Italians, 300,000 French, 8,000 former Russian prisoners of war who believe that they are going to free the country from serf slavery, and also parts from other countries subordinate to the French Empire. Total about 6

battle of Borodino

At noon, Russian troops successfully counterattack. Marshal Bagration is in the front rows. A shard of the core injures the commander. The news of this instantly demoralizes the army. The retreat begins. The onslaught of the French is weakening after the raid on their rear of 2500 Cossacks by General Platov. The troops are regrouping. Napoleon leaves the left flank of the Russians, rushes to the center, recaptures the redoubts at the cost of almost all his heavy cavalry, and stops. At seven o’clock in the evening, the French emperor withdraws troops from the battlefield.

At night, having collected the wounded, the Russian army retreats to Mozhaisk, 105 kilometers west of Moscow. About 20,000 seriously wounded remain in the Mother See and later perish in the fire.

Losses of the parties. Russian army 42,000 killed (30% of the composition). Napoleon’s army – 35,000 people (25%).

After the battle at Maloyaroslavets, Napoleon realizes that he will not be able to gain a foothold in the south of Russia, and leaves the Smolensk road, plundered by his own troops. Survivors, including the servicemen of the German McDonald corps, remain 30,000 people. Of the imperial guard, numbering at the beginning of the invasion of 47 thousand, 400 or 500 survive. There are 100 thousand prisoners and deserters. A significant part of them voluntarily remained in Russia after the fall of Bonaparte’s empire.

The total loss of servicemen of the Russian Empire at this stage is 120 thousand people.

In pursuit of the enemy, the Russian army occupies almost the entire Grand Duchy of Warsaw. In 1815, according to the agreements of the Congress of Vienna, it becomes part of Russia, the population is sworn in to the Russian sovereign. However, some attributes of autonomy remain. So, for example, the Polish zloty will be replaced by the Russian ruble only in 1832. The formally neutral Dresden is captured. Leipzig and Berlin are liberated. In the battle of Lützen, Napoleon’s troops fearlessly attack the Russian-Prussian troops saturated with artillery, suffer twice as large losses (20 thousand), but eventually force the allies from Saxony to retreat. Two more such Pyrrhic victories follow. Bonaparte calls for an armistice. The Sixth Coalition is strengthened by Sweden, which has bargained for itself Norway (Danish possession) for military services, and a number of other European monarchies. Near Leipzig, Napoleon offers peace in exchange for the countries captured by his troops, with the condition that the French colonies return. The allies reject such a decision and, on October 16, 1813, a multi-day battle begins to boil – the Battle of the Nations. Forces of the Coalition – 300 thousand people, 1400 guns, France – 200 thousand, 600 guns. The battle lasts until October 19, boiling down to a chain of fierce battles. German soldiers in Bonaparte’s camp go over to the side of the Coalition, thus deciding the outcome of the case. Napoleon retreats, losing 80 thousand people killed, wounded and captured, and 325 guns. Allied losses – 54 thousand. Almost half of them are soldiers of the Russian Expeditionary Army. Six months later, on April 11, 1814, on the outskirts of the already captured Paris, Fontebleau, Napoleon signed an abdication for himself and his heirs.

Battle of the Nations at Leipzig

…After a series of battles on the outskirts, which brought an equal number of victims – 6—8 thousand, and a demonstration of artillery batteries, Russian troops occupied Paris without a fight. There are no excesses with the civilian population. Officers pay for alcohol with receipts, or put bottles under the table, thus removing them from the field of vision of not very picky waiters. Later, the Russian emperor, or rather, the working people of Russia, will pay for all this. The imposition of military indemnities on France, a perfectly reasonable proposal of Great Britain, Alexander I complacently rejects.

During the one and a half years of occupation, 40 thousand Russian soldiers leave their army, roughly speaking, they defect, because the Victory has already been achieved, the French women are very friendly, well-to-do, the local authorities in every possible way welcome the appearance of new citizens. Men, after the Napoleonic adventures, in France are simply catastrophically lacking.

In the wake of successes in foreign policy, Alexander the First believes that everything is fine in his state. He is in no hurry with the abolition of serfdom and other major reforms. His opinion is shared by the majority of the Russian nobility.

In 1816 the Baltic peasants were liberated. Initially, the inhabitants of Russian Pomorie, the Caucasus, the Far East, Alaska, parts of Asian possessions, the Finns and, to some extent, the Cossacks are free.

The emperor’s new toy is military settlements. Some similarities exist in Germany. This is Landver, a rural settlement, where a weapons depot for training is located, and the training of young villagers is carried out in their free time by a retired officer. Corporal punishment is prohibited. Landwehr is popular. Freed youth find these infrequent military exercises amusing. Almost half of the army in wartime is Landwehr militia, they serve well.