Russian Campaign (1 giug 1812 anni – 1 dic 1812 anni)

Descrizione:

December 1812. Napoleon leads an army into Russia in one of the largest military campaigns Europe has ever seen. The Russians frustrate Napoleon’s usual tactics; instead of engaging, they retreat deeper into Russia, burning whatever they leave behind. The campaign quickly devolves into a logistical disaster: Napoleon only planned for a 30 day campaign, and the troops are hungry and ill-equipped because they cannot live off the burned land. Supplies become harder to transport as the troops dig deeper into Russia. The horses in the all-essential cavalry begin to die rapidly of malnutrition and overwork. Napoleon orders a retreat in October. Winter becomes the greatest threat to the troops. By the end of the retreat, only about 100 000 of the initial 600 000 men remain. Napoleon returns to Paris, his power greatly weakened and threatened again by multiple armies.