September 8 is the day of the Borodino battle of the Russian army. Day of the Borodino battle. On the eve of the great battle

Battle of Borodino / Image: fragment of the panorama of the Battle of Borodino

September 8 in Russia is celebrated Day of Military Glory of Russia - Day of the Battle of Borodino Russian army under the command of M.I. Kutuzov with the French army (1812). It was established by Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 13, 1995 "On the days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia."

The Battle of Borodino (in the French version - "the battle on the Moscow River", French Bataille de la Moskowa) - the largest battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian and French armies. The battle took place (August 26) on September 7, 1812 near the village of Borodino, located 125 kilometers west of Moscow, writes the Calend.ru edition.

Battle of Borodino in 1812

The main battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian army under the command of General M.I.Kutuzov and the French army of Napoleon I Bonaparte took place on August 26 (September 7) near the village of Borodino near Mozhaisk, 125 km west of Moscow.

It is considered the bloodiest one-day battle in history.

In this grandiose battle, about 300 thousand people took part on both sides with 1200 artillery pieces. At the same time, the French army had a significant numerical superiority - 130-135 thousand people against 103 thousand people in the Russian regular troops.

Prehistory

“In five years, I will be the master of the world. There is only Russia left, but I will crush it. "- with these words Napoleon and his 600,000-strong army crossed the Russian border.

Since the beginning of the invasion by the French army into the territory of the Russian Empire in June 1812, Russian troops have constantly retreated. The rapid advance and the overwhelming numerical superiority of the French made it impossible for the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, infantry general Barclay de Tolly, to prepare the troops for battle. The protracted retreat caused public discontent, so Emperor Alexander I removed Barclay de Tolly and appointed Infantry General Kutuzov as commander-in-chief.

However, the new commander-in-chief also chose the path of retreat. The strategy chosen by Kutuzov was based, on the one hand, on the exhaustion of the enemy, on the other, on the expectation of reinforcements sufficient for a decisive battle with Napoleon's army.

On August 22 (September 3), the Russian army, retreating from Smolensk, was stationed near the village of Borodino, 125 km from Moscow, where Kutuzov decided to give a general battle; it was impossible to postpone it further, since Emperor Alexander demanded from Kutuzov to stop the advance of Emperor Napoleon to Moscow.

The idea of ​​the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Kutuzov, was to inflict the greatest possible losses on the French troops through active defense, change the balance of forces, save the Russian troops for further battles and for the complete defeat of the French army. In accordance with this plan, the battle formation of the Russian troops was built.

The battle order of the Russian army was made up of three lines: the first housed the infantry corps, the second - the cavalry, and the third - the reserves. The army's artillery was evenly distributed throughout the position.

The position of the Russian army on the Borodino field had a length of about 8 km and looked like a straight line running from the Shevardinsky redoubt on the left flank through a large battery on Red Hill, later called the Raevsky battery, the village of Borodino in the center, to the village of Maslovo on the right flank.

The right flank formed 1st Army of General Barclay de Tolly consisting of 3 infantry, 3 cavalry corps and reserves (76 thousand people, 480 guns), the front of his position was covered by the Kolocha River. The left flank was formed by the smaller 2nd Army of General Bagration (34 thousand people, 156 guns). In addition, the left flank did not have such strong natural obstacles ahead of the front as the right. The center (the height near the village of Gorki and the space to the Raevsky battery) was occupied by the VI Infantry and III Cavalry Corps under the general command Dokhturova... A total of 13,600 men and 86 guns.

Shevardino fight

The prologue of the Borodino battle was the battle for the Shevardinsky redoubt on August 24 (September 5).

Here on the eve a pentagonal redoubt was erected, which at first served as part of the position of the Russian left flank, and after the left flank was pushed back, it became a separate forward position. Napoleon ordered an attack on the Shevardino position - the redoubt prevented the French army from turning around.

To gain time for engineering work, Kutuzov ordered to detain the enemy near the village of Shevardino.

The redoubt and the approaches to it were defended by the legendary 27th division of Neverovsky. Shevardino was defended by Russian troops consisting of 8,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry with 36 guns.

More than 40,000 French infantry and cavalry attacked Shevardin's defenders.

On the morning of August 24, when the Russian position on the left was not yet equipped, the French approached it. No sooner had the French forward units approached the village of Valuevo, the Russian huntsmen opened fire on them.

A fierce battle broke out in the area of ​​the village of Shevardino. In the course of it, it became clear that the enemy was going to deliver the main blow to the left flank of the Russian troops, which was defended by the 2nd Army under the command of Bagration.

During the stubborn battle, the Shevardinsky redoubt was almost completely destroyed.

The great army of Napoleon lost about 5,000 people in the Battle of Shevardin, approximately the same losses were suffered by the Russian army.

The battle at the Shevardino redoubt delayed the French troops and gave the Russian troops an opportunity to gain time to complete defensive work and build fortifications on the main positions. The Shevardino battle also made it possible to clarify the grouping of the French forces and the direction of their main attack.

It was established that the main enemy forces were concentrating in the Shevardin area against the center and left flank of the Russian army. On the same day, Kutuzov sent Tuchkov's 3rd corps to the left flank, secretly positioning it in the Utitsa area. A reliable defense was created in the area of ​​the Bagrationov flashes. The 2nd Free Grenadier Division of General M.S. Vorontsov occupied the fortifications directly, and the 27th Infantry Division of General D.P. Neverovsky stood in the second line behind the fortifications.

Battle of Borodino

On the eve of the great battle

25-th of August in the area of ​​the Borodino field there were no active hostilities. Both armies were preparing for the decisive, decisive battle, conducting reconnaissance and erecting field fortifications. On a small hill to the south-west of the village of Semenovskoye, three fortifications were built, which were named "Bagrationov flushes".

According to an ancient tradition, the Russian army prepared for the decisive battle, as for a holiday. The soldiers washed, shaved, put on clean linen, confessed, etc.

Emperor Napoleon Bonoparte on August 25 (September 6) personally conducted a reconnaissance of the terrain of the future battle and, discovering the weakness of the left flank of the Russian army, decided to inflict the main blow on it. Accordingly, he developed a battle plan. First of all, the task was set to seize the left bank of the Kolocha River, for which it was necessary to capture Borodino. This maneuver, according to Napoleon, was supposed to divert the attention of the Russians from the direction of the main attack. Then transfer the main forces of the French army to the right bank of the Kolocha and, relying on Borodino, which has become, as it were, the axis of approach, push back the Kutuzov army with the right wing into the corner formed by the confluence of the Kolocha with the Moscow River, and destroy it.

To accomplish this task, Napoleon on the evening of August 25 (September 6) began to concentrate the main forces (up to 95 thousand) in the area of ​​the Shevardinsky redoubt. The total number of French troops in front of the front of the 2nd Army reached 115 thousand.

Thus, Napoleon's plan pursued the decisive goal of destroying the entire Russian army in a general engagement. Napoleon did not doubt the victory, his confidence in which he expressed in words at sunrise on August 26 "" "This is the sun of Austerlitz" "!".

On the eve of the battle, the famous order of Napoleon was read out to French soldiers: “Warriors! Here is the battle that you have longed for. Victory depends on you. We need it; she will give us everything we need, comfortable apartments and a quick return to the fatherland. Act as you did under Austerlitz, Friedland, Vitebsk and Smolensk. Let the later offspring proudly remember your exploits on this day. Let it be said about each of you: he was in the great battle near Moscow! "

The beginning of the great battle

M.I.Kutuzov at the command post on the day of the Battle of Borodino

Battle of Borodino began at 5 a.m., on the day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, on the day when Russia celebrates the salvation of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.

The decisive battles unfolded for the Bagration flushes and the Raevsky battery, which the French managed to capture at the cost of heavy losses.

Battle scheme

Bagration flushes

At 5:30 am on August 26 (September 7) 1812 more than 100 French guns began shelling the positions of the left flank. Napoleon brought down the main blow on the left flank, trying from the very beginning of the battle to turn the tide in his favor.

At 6 o'clock in the morning after a short cannonade, the French attacked the Bagration flushes ( flushes They called field fortifications, which consisted of two faces, each 20-30 m long, at an acute angle, the angle with the top turned towards the enemy). But they came under canister fire and were thrown back by the flanking attack of the gamekeepers.

Averyanov. Fight for Bagration flushes

At 8 o'clock in the morning the French repeated their attack and captured the southern flush.
For the 3rd attack, Napoleon reinforced the attacking forces with 3 more infantry divisions, 3 cavalry corps (up to 35,000 people) and artillery, bringing its number to 160 guns. They were opposed by about 20,000 Russian troops with 108 guns.

Evgeny Korneev. Cuirassiers of His Majesty. Battle of the brigade of Major General N.M.Borozdin

After heavy artillery preparation, the French managed to break into the southern flush and between flushes. About 10 o'clock in the morning the flushes were captured by the French.

Then Bagration led a general counterattack, as a result of which the flushes were repulsed, and the French were thrown back to the starting line.

By 10 o'clock in the morning, the entire field above Borodino was already covered with thick smoke.

V 11 o'clock in the morning Napoleon threw about 45 thousand infantry and cavalry, and almost 400 guns into the new 4th attack against the flushes. The Russian troops had about 300 guns, and were 2 times inferior to the enemy in number. As a result of this attack, the 2nd combined grenadier division of M.S. Vorontsov, which took part in the Shevardino battle and withstood the 3rd attack on the flashes, retained about 300 out of 4,000 men.

Then, within an hour, there were 3 more attacks from the French troops, which were repulsed.

At 12 o'clock in the afternoon During the 8th attack, Bagration, seeing that the artillery of the flashes could not stop the movement of the French columns, led a general counterattack of the left wing, the total number of whose troops was only about 20 thousand people against 40 thousand from the enemy. A fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued, which lasted about an hour. During this time, the masses of French troops were thrown back to the Utitsky forest and were on the verge of defeat. The preponderance tended to the side of the Russian troops, but during the transition to a counterattack, Bagration, wounded by a shell fragment in the thigh, fell from his horse and was taken from the battlefield. The news of Bagration's injury instantly swept through the ranks of the Russian troops and undermined the morale of the Russian soldiers. Russian troops began to retreat. ( Approx. Bagration died of blood poisoning on September 12 (25), 1812)

After that, General D.S. took command of the left flank. Dokhturov. The French troops were drained of blood and unable to attack. The Russian troops were greatly weakened, but they retained their combat effectiveness, which was revealed in the course of repelling the attack of fresh French forces on Semyonovskoye.

In total, about 60,000 French troops took part in the battles for the flush, of which about 30,000 were lost, about half - in the 8th attack.

The French fought fiercely in the battles for the flushes, but all of their attacks, except the last, were repelled by the significantly smaller forces of the Russians. By concentrating forces on the right flank, Napoleon ensured a 2-3-fold numerical superiority in the battles for the flashes, thanks to which, as well as due to the injury of Bagration, the French still managed to push the left wing of the Russian army at a distance of about 1 km. This success did not lead to the decisive result that Napoleon hoped for.

The direction of the main attack of the "Great Army" shifted from the left flank to the center of the Russian line, to the Kurgan battery.

Raevsky's battery

The last battles of the Borodino battle in the evening took place near the batteries of the Raevsky and Utitsky kurgan.

A high mound, located in the center of the Russian position, dominated the surrounding area. A battery was installed on it, which had 18 guns at the beginning of the battle. The defense of the battery was assigned to the 7th Infantry Corps of Lieutenant General N.N. Raevsky, which consisted of 11 thousand bayonets.

At about 9 o'clock in the morning, in the midst of the battle for the Bagrationov flushes, the French launched the first attack on Raevsky's battery.A bloody battle took place on the battery.

The losses on both sides were enormous. A number of units on both sides lost most of the composition. General Raevsky's corps lost more than 6 thousand people. And, for example, the French infantry regiment Bonamy retained in its ranks after the battle for the Rayevsky battery 300 people out of 4100. For these losses, the Rayevsky battery received the nickname "the grave of the French cavalry" from the French. At the cost of huge losses (the commander of the French cavalry, the general and his comrades-in-arms, fell at Kurgan Hill), the French troops at 4 o'clock in the afternoon took the battery of Raevsky by storm.

However, the capture of the Kurgan Heights did not lead to a decrease in the stability of the Russian center. The same applies to flushes, which were only defensive structures of the position of the left flank of the Russian army.

End of the battle

Vereshchagin. End of the Battle of Borodino

After the occupation of the Rayevsky battery by the French troops, the battle began to subside. On the left flank, the French carried out unsuccessful attacks against Dokhturov's 2nd Army. In the center and on the right flank, the case was limited to artillery firefight until 7 pm.

V.V. Vereshchagin. End of the Battle of Borodino

In the evening of August 26, at 18 o'clock, the Battle of Borodino ended. The attacks stopped along the entire front. Until nightfall, only artillery skirmish and rifle fire continued in the advanced chasseurs' lines.

Results of the Borodino battle

What were the results of this bloodiest battle? Very sad for Napoleon, because there was no victory, which all those close to him had been waiting in vain for all day. Napoleon was disappointed with the results of the battle: the "Great Army" was able to force the Russian troops on the left flank and center to retreat only 1-1.5 km. The Russian army retained the integrity of the position and its communications, repelled many French attacks, while itself counterattacked. The artillery duel, for all its duration and ferocity, did not give advantages to either the French or the Russians. French troops captured the main strongholds of the Russian army - the Rayevsky battery and the Semyonovskie flashes. But the fortifications on them were almost completely destroyed, and by the end of the battle Napoleon ordered them to leave and withdraw the troops to their original positions. Few were captured (as well as guns), Russian soldiers took with them most of the wounded comrades. The general engagement was not a new Austerlitz, but a bloody slaughter with unclear results.

Perhaps, in tactical terms, the Battle of Borodino was another victory for Napoleon - he forced the Russian army to retreat and surrender Moscow. However, strategically, it was a victory for Kutuzov and the Russian army. In the campaign of 1812, a radical change took place. The Russian army withstood the battle with the strongest enemy and its morale only grew stronger. Its number and material resources will be restored soon. Napoleon's army lost heart, lost the ability to win, an aura of invincibility. Subsequent events will only confirm the correctness of the words of the military theorist Karl Clausewitz, who noted that "victory consists not simply in the seizure of the battlefield, but in the physical and moral defeat of the enemy's forces."

Later, while in exile, the defeated French emperor Napoleon admitted: “Of all my battles, the worst thing is that I gave near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy to win in it, and the Russians - to be called invincible. "

The number of losses of the Russian army in the Battle of Borodino was 44-45 thousand people. The French, according to some estimates, lost about 40-60 thousand people. The losses in the commanding staff were especially heavy: in the Russian army 4 generals were killed and mortally wounded, 23 generals were wounded and shell-shocked; in the Great Army 12 generals were killed and died of wounds, one marshal and 38 generals were wounded.

The Battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century and the bloodiest of all that happened before it. The most conservative estimates of cumulative casualties were that 2,500 people died in the field every hour. It is no coincidence that Napoleon called the battle of Borodino his greatest battle, although its results are more than modest for a great commander who is accustomed to victories.

The main achievement of the general battle at Borodino was that Napoleon was unable to defeat the Russian army. But first of all, the Borodino field became the cemetery of the French dream, that selfless faith of the French people in the star of their emperor, in his personal genius, which was the basis of all the achievements of the French Empire.

On October 3, 1812, the British newspapers "Courier" and "Times" published a report from the British ambassador Katkar from St. Petersburg, in which he reported that the armies of His Imperial Majesty Alexander I had won the most stubborn battle at Borodino. During October, The Times wrote 8 times about the Battle of Borodino, calling the day of the battle "a grandiose memorable day in Russian history" and "the fatal battle of Bonaparte." The British ambassador and the press did not consider the retreat after the battle and the abandonment of Moscow as a result of the battle, understanding the influence on these events of the unfavorable strategic situation for Russia.

For Borodino, Kutuzov received the rank of Field Marshal and 100 thousand rubles. The tsar granted Bagration 50 thousand rubles. For participation in the Battle of Borodino, each soldier was given 5 silver rubles.

The meaning of the Battle of Borodino in the minds of the Russian people

The Battle of Borodino continues to occupy an important place in the historical consciousness of very wide strata of Russian society. Today it, along with similar great pages of Russian history, is being falsified by the camp of Russophobic-minded figures who position themselves as “historians”. By distorting reality and forgeries in commissioned publications, at any cost, regardless of reality, they try to convey to wide circles the idea of ​​a tactical victory for the French with fewer losses and that the Battle of Borodino was not a triumph of Russian weapons.This is because the Battle of Borodino, as an event in which the strength of the spirit of the Russian people was manifested, is one of the cornerstone bricks that make Russia in the minds of modern society precisely as a great power. Throughout the modern history of Russia, Russophobic propaganda has been loosening these bricks.

Materials prepared by Sergei Shulyak, fragments of paintings by Russian artists and panoramas of the Battle of Borodino were used.

Day of the Borodino battle of the Russian army under the command of M.I. Kutuzov with the French army (1812)

The Battle of Borodino is the largest battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian army under the command of General M.I.Kutuzov and the French army of Napoleon I Bonaparte. It took place on August 26 (September 7), 1812 near the village of Borodino, 125 km west of Moscow.

During the 12-hour battle, the French army managed to capture the positions of the Russian army in the center and on the left wing, but after the cessation of hostilities, the French army withdrew to its original positions. Thus, in Russian historiography, it is believed that the Russian troops won a victory, but the next day the commander-in-chief of the Russian army M.I. army.

According to the recollections of the French general Pele, a participant in the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon often repeated a similar phrase: “ The battle of Borodino was the most beautiful and most formidable, the French showed themselves worthy of victory, and the Russians deserved to be invincible».

It is considered the bloodiest in history among one-day battles.

Raid of the Cossacks Platov and Uvarov

At a critical moment of the battle, Kutuzov decided to raid the cavalry of the cavalry generals Uvarov and Platov to the rear and flank of the enemy. By 12 noon, Uvarov's 1st Cavalry Corps (28 squadrons, 12 guns, a total of 2,500 horsemen) and Platov's Cossacks (8 regiments) crossed the Kolocha River near the village of Malaya. Uvarov's corps attacked the French infantry regiment and the Italian cavalry brigade of General Ornano in the area of ​​the crossing of the Voina river near the village of Bezzubovo. Platov crossed the Voynu River to the north and, going to the rear, forced the enemy to change position.

The simultaneous blow of Uvarov and Platov caused confusion in the enemy's camp and forced the troops to be pulled back to the left flank, which had stormed the Raevsky battery at Kurgan height. Viceroy of Italy Eugene Beauharnais with the Italian Guard and the Pear corps were sent by Napoleon against the new threat. Uvarov and Platov returned to the Russian army by 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

The raid of Uvarov and Platov delayed the decisive attack of the enemy by 2 hours, which made it possible to regroup the Russian troops. It was because of this raid that Napoleon did not dare to send his guard into battle. The cavalry sabotage, although it did not cause much damage to the French, caused Napoleon to feel insecure about his own rear.
« Those who were in the battle of Borodino, of course, remember that minute when the stubbornness of attacks decreased along the entire enemy line, and we ... could breathe more freely", - wrote a military historian, General Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky.

The overall result of the battle

The Battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century and the bloodiest of all that happened before it. According to the most conservative estimates of the cumulative losses, about 6,000 people were killed or injured every hour on the field, the French army lost about 25 percent of its strength, the Russian - about 30 percent. From the French side, 60 thousand cannon shots were fired, from the Russian side - 50 thousand. It is no coincidence that Napoleon called the battle of Borodino his greatest battle, although its results are more than modest for a great commander accustomed to victories.

Emperor Alexander I did not deceive about the actual state of affairs, but in order to support the people's hopes for an early end to the war, he announced the Battle of Borodino as a victory. Prince Kutuzov was promoted to field marshal general with the award of 100 thousand rubles. Barclay de Tolly received the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, Prince Bagration - 50 thousand rubles. Fourteen generals received the Order of St. George, 3rd degree. All the lower ranks who were in the battle were awarded 5 rubles each.

Since then, in the Russian, and after it in the Soviet (except for the period of the 1920-1930s) historiography, an attitude has been established to the Battle of Borodino as to the actual victory of the Russian army. In our time, a number of Russian historians also traditionally insist that the outcome of the Battle of Borodino was uncertain, and the Russian army won a "moral victory" in it.

Based on materials Wikipedia.org

Borodino - Tell me, uncle, is it not for nothing that Moscow, burned by a fire, was given over to the Frenchman? After all, there were fighting fights, Yes, they say, even what! No wonder the whole of Russia remembers About Borodin's Day! - Yes, there were people in our time, - Not like the current tribe: Bogatyrs are not you! They got a bad lot: Few returned from the field ... If it were not God's will, Moscow would not be given! We retreated in silence for a long time. It was annoying, they were waiting for the battle, The old men grumbled: “What are we? for winter apartments? Don't dare, perhaps, the Alien commanders to tear off the uniforms of the Russian bayonets? " And then they found a large field: There is where to roam free! They built a redoubt. Ours have ears on the crown! A little morning lit up the cannons And the blue tops of the forest - The French are right there. I put the charge into the cannon tightly And I thought: I'll treat my friend! Wait a minute, brother musyu! What is there to be cunning, perhaps to the battle; Already we will go to break the wall, Already we will stand with our heads For our homeland! We were in a shootout for two days. What's the use of such a trinket? We waited for the third day. Speeches were heard everywhere: "It's time to get to the buckshot!" And then a shadow fell on the field of the formidable battle of the Night. I lay down to take a nap at the gun carriage, And it was heard until dawn, How the Frenchman was jubilant. But our open bivouac was quiet: Who cleaned the beaten shako, Who sharpened the bayonet, grumbling angrily, Biting a long mustache. And only the sky lit up, Everything suddenly stirred noisily, Flashed behind the formation line. Our colonel was born with a grip: Servant to the king, father to soldiers ... Yes, sorry for him: he was struck down by damask steel, He sleeps in the damp earth. And he said, his eyes flashing: “Guys! Isn't Moscow behind us? Well die near Moscow, How our brothers died! " And we promised to die, And we kept the oath of allegiance in the battle of Borodino. Well it was a day! Through the flying smoke the French moved like clouds, And everything on our redoubt. Lancers with colorful badges, Dragoons with ponytails, All flashed before us, All visited here. You will not see such battles! .. Banners were worn like shadows, Fire glittered in the smoke, Damask steel sounded, buckshot squealed, The fighters' hand was tired to prick, And the mountain of bloody bodies prevented the nuclei from flying. The enemy experienced a lot that day, What does it mean that Russian battle is daring, Our hand-to-hand combat! .. The earth shook - like our breasts; Horses, people mingled in a heap, And volleys of thousands of guns Merged into a drawn-out howl ... Now it was getting dark. They were all ready to start a new battle in the morning And to stand to the end ... Here the drums crackled - And the busurmans retreated. Then we began to count the wounds, to count the comrades. Yes, there were people in our time, A mighty, dashing tribe: Bogatyrs are not you. They got a bad lot: Few returned from the field. If it were not God's will, Moscow would not be given!

Mikhail Yurjevich Lermontov, 1837 g.

Battle of Borodino / Image: fragment of the panorama of the Battle of Borodino

September 8 in Russia is celebrated Day of Military Glory of Russia - Day of the Battle of Borodino Russian army under the command of M.I. Kutuzov with the French army (1812). It was established by Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 13, 1995 "On the days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia."

The Battle of Borodino (in the French version - "the battle on the Moscow River", French Bataille de la Moskowa) - the largest battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian and French armies. The battle took place (August 26) on September 7, 1812 near the village of Borodino, located 125 kilometers west of Moscow, writes the Calend.ru edition.

Battle of Borodino in 1812

The main battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian army under the command of General M.I.Kutuzov and the French army of Napoleon I Bonaparte took place on August 26 (September 7) near the village of Borodino near Mozhaisk, 125 km west of Moscow.

It is considered the bloodiest one-day battle in history.

In this grandiose battle, about 300 thousand people took part on both sides with 1200 artillery pieces. At the same time, the French army had a significant numerical superiority - 130-135 thousand people against 103 thousand people in the Russian regular troops.

Prehistory

“In five years, I will be the master of the world. There is only Russia left, but I will crush it. "- with these words Napoleon and his 600,000-strong army crossed the Russian border.

Since the beginning of the invasion by the French army into the territory of the Russian Empire in June 1812, Russian troops have constantly retreated. The rapid advance and the overwhelming numerical superiority of the French made it impossible for the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, infantry general Barclay de Tolly, to prepare the troops for battle. The protracted retreat caused public discontent, so Emperor Alexander I removed Barclay de Tolly and appointed Infantry General Kutuzov as commander-in-chief.

However, the new commander-in-chief also chose the path of retreat. The strategy chosen by Kutuzov was based, on the one hand, on the exhaustion of the enemy, on the other, on the expectation of reinforcements sufficient for a decisive battle with Napoleon's army.

On August 22 (September 3), the Russian army, retreating from Smolensk, was stationed near the village of Borodino, 125 km from Moscow, where Kutuzov decided to give a general battle; it was impossible to postpone it further, since Emperor Alexander demanded from Kutuzov to stop the advance of Emperor Napoleon to Moscow.

The idea of ​​the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Kutuzov, was to inflict the greatest possible losses on the French troops through active defense, change the balance of forces, save the Russian troops for further battles and for the complete defeat of the French army. In accordance with this plan, the battle formation of the Russian troops was built.

The battle order of the Russian army was made up of three lines: the first housed the infantry corps, the second - the cavalry, and the third - the reserves. The army's artillery was evenly distributed throughout the position.

The position of the Russian army on the Borodino field had a length of about 8 km and looked like a straight line running from the Shevardinsky redoubt on the left flank through a large battery on Red Hill, later called the Raevsky battery, the village of Borodino in the center, to the village of Maslovo on the right flank.

The right flank formed 1st Army of General Barclay de Tolly consisting of 3 infantry, 3 cavalry corps and reserves (76 thousand people, 480 guns), the front of his position was covered by the Kolocha River. The left flank was formed by the smaller 2nd Army of General Bagration (34 thousand people, 156 guns). In addition, the left flank did not have such strong natural obstacles ahead of the front as the right. The center (the height near the village of Gorki and the space to the Raevsky battery) was occupied by the VI Infantry and III Cavalry Corps under the general command Dokhturova... A total of 13,600 men and 86 guns.

Shevardino fight

The prologue of the Borodino battle was the battle for the Shevardinsky redoubt on August 24 (September 5).

Here on the eve a pentagonal redoubt was erected, which at first served as part of the position of the Russian left flank, and after the left flank was pushed back, it became a separate forward position. Napoleon ordered an attack on the Shevardino position - the redoubt prevented the French army from turning around.

To gain time for engineering work, Kutuzov ordered to detain the enemy near the village of Shevardino.

The redoubt and the approaches to it were defended by the legendary 27th division of Neverovsky. Shevardino was defended by Russian troops consisting of 8,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry with 36 guns.

More than 40,000 French infantry and cavalry attacked Shevardin's defenders.

On the morning of August 24, when the Russian position on the left was not yet equipped, the French approached it. No sooner had the French forward units approached the village of Valuevo, the Russian huntsmen opened fire on them.

A fierce battle broke out in the area of ​​the village of Shevardino. In the course of it, it became clear that the enemy was going to deliver the main blow to the left flank of the Russian troops, which was defended by the 2nd Army under the command of Bagration.

During the stubborn battle, the Shevardinsky redoubt was almost completely destroyed.

The great army of Napoleon lost about 5,000 people in the Battle of Shevardin, approximately the same losses were suffered by the Russian army.

The battle at the Shevardino redoubt delayed the French troops and gave the Russian troops an opportunity to gain time to complete defensive work and build fortifications on the main positions. The Shevardino battle also made it possible to clarify the grouping of the French forces and the direction of their main attack.

It was established that the main enemy forces were concentrating in the Shevardin area against the center and left flank of the Russian army. On the same day, Kutuzov sent Tuchkov's 3rd corps to the left flank, secretly positioning it in the Utitsa area. A reliable defense was created in the area of ​​the Bagrationov flashes. The 2nd Free Grenadier Division of General M.S. Vorontsov occupied the fortifications directly, and the 27th Infantry Division of General D.P. Neverovsky stood in the second line behind the fortifications.

Battle of Borodino

On the eve of the great battle

25-th of August in the area of ​​the Borodino field there were no active hostilities. Both armies were preparing for the decisive, decisive battle, conducting reconnaissance and erecting field fortifications. On a small hill to the south-west of the village of Semenovskoye, three fortifications were built, which were named "Bagrationov flushes".

According to an ancient tradition, the Russian army prepared for the decisive battle, as for a holiday. The soldiers washed, shaved, put on clean linen, confessed, etc.

Emperor Napoleon Bonoparte on August 25 (September 6) personally conducted a reconnaissance of the terrain of the future battle and, discovering the weakness of the left flank of the Russian army, decided to inflict the main blow on it. Accordingly, he developed a battle plan. First of all, the task was set to seize the left bank of the Kolocha River, for which it was necessary to capture Borodino. This maneuver, according to Napoleon, was supposed to divert the attention of the Russians from the direction of the main attack. Then transfer the main forces of the French army to the right bank of the Kolocha and, relying on Borodino, which has become, as it were, the axis of approach, push back the Kutuzov army with the right wing into the corner formed by the confluence of the Kolocha with the Moscow River, and destroy it.

To accomplish this task, Napoleon on the evening of August 25 (September 6) began to concentrate the main forces (up to 95 thousand) in the area of ​​the Shevardinsky redoubt. The total number of French troops in front of the front of the 2nd Army reached 115 thousand.

Thus, Napoleon's plan pursued the decisive goal of destroying the entire Russian army in a general engagement. Napoleon did not doubt the victory, his confidence in which he expressed in words at sunrise on August 26 "" "This is the sun of Austerlitz" "!".

On the eve of the battle, the famous order of Napoleon was read out to French soldiers: “Warriors! Here is the battle that you have longed for. Victory depends on you. We need it; she will give us everything we need, comfortable apartments and a quick return to the fatherland. Act as you did under Austerlitz, Friedland, Vitebsk and Smolensk. Let the later offspring proudly remember your exploits on this day. Let it be said about each of you: he was in the great battle near Moscow! "

The beginning of the great battle

M.I.Kutuzov at the command post on the day of the Battle of Borodino

Battle of Borodino began at 5 a.m., on the day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, on the day when Russia celebrates the salvation of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.

The decisive battles unfolded for the Bagration flushes and the Raevsky battery, which the French managed to capture at the cost of heavy losses.

Battle scheme

Bagration flushes

At 5:30 am on August 26 (September 7) 1812 more than 100 French guns began shelling the positions of the left flank. Napoleon brought down the main blow on the left flank, trying from the very beginning of the battle to turn the tide in his favor.

At 6 o'clock in the morning after a short cannonade, the French attacked the Bagration flushes ( flushes They called field fortifications, which consisted of two faces, each 20-30 m long, at an acute angle, the angle with the top turned towards the enemy). But they came under canister fire and were thrown back by the flanking attack of the gamekeepers.

Averyanov. Fight for Bagration flushes

At 8 o'clock in the morning the French repeated their attack and captured the southern flush.
For the 3rd attack, Napoleon reinforced the attacking forces with 3 more infantry divisions, 3 cavalry corps (up to 35,000 people) and artillery, bringing its number to 160 guns. They were opposed by about 20,000 Russian troops with 108 guns.

Evgeny Korneev. Cuirassiers of His Majesty. Battle of the brigade of Major General N.M.Borozdin

After heavy artillery preparation, the French managed to break into the southern flush and between flushes. About 10 o'clock in the morning the flushes were captured by the French.

Then Bagration led a general counterattack, as a result of which the flushes were repulsed, and the French were thrown back to the starting line.

By 10 o'clock in the morning, the entire field above Borodino was already covered with thick smoke.

V 11 o'clock in the morning Napoleon threw about 45 thousand infantry and cavalry, and almost 400 guns into the new 4th attack against the flushes. The Russian troops had about 300 guns, and were 2 times inferior to the enemy in number. As a result of this attack, the 2nd combined grenadier division of M.S. Vorontsov, which took part in the Shevardino battle and withstood the 3rd attack on the flashes, retained about 300 out of 4,000 men.

Then, within an hour, there were 3 more attacks from the French troops, which were repulsed.

At 12 o'clock in the afternoon During the 8th attack, Bagration, seeing that the artillery of the flashes could not stop the movement of the French columns, led a general counterattack of the left wing, the total number of whose troops was only about 20 thousand people against 40 thousand from the enemy. A fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued, which lasted about an hour. During this time, the masses of French troops were thrown back to the Utitsky forest and were on the verge of defeat. The preponderance tended to the side of the Russian troops, but during the transition to a counterattack, Bagration, wounded by a shell fragment in the thigh, fell from his horse and was taken from the battlefield. The news of Bagration's injury instantly swept through the ranks of the Russian troops and undermined the morale of the Russian soldiers. Russian troops began to retreat. ( Approx. Bagration died of blood poisoning on September 12 (25), 1812)

After that, General D.S. took command of the left flank. Dokhturov. The French troops were drained of blood and unable to attack. The Russian troops were greatly weakened, but they retained their combat effectiveness, which was revealed in the course of repelling the attack of fresh French forces on Semyonovskoye.

In total, about 60,000 French troops took part in the battles for the flush, of which about 30,000 were lost, about half - in the 8th attack.

The French fought fiercely in the battles for the flushes, but all of their attacks, except the last, were repelled by the significantly smaller forces of the Russians. By concentrating forces on the right flank, Napoleon ensured a 2-3-fold numerical superiority in the battles for the flashes, thanks to which, as well as due to the injury of Bagration, the French still managed to push the left wing of the Russian army at a distance of about 1 km. This success did not lead to the decisive result that Napoleon hoped for.

The direction of the main attack of the "Great Army" shifted from the left flank to the center of the Russian line, to the Kurgan battery.

Raevsky's battery

The last battles of the Borodino battle in the evening took place near the batteries of the Raevsky and Utitsky kurgan.

A high mound, located in the center of the Russian position, dominated the surrounding area. A battery was installed on it, which had 18 guns at the beginning of the battle. The defense of the battery was assigned to the 7th Infantry Corps of Lieutenant General N.N. Raevsky, which consisted of 11 thousand bayonets.

At about 9 o'clock in the morning, in the midst of the battle for the Bagrationov flushes, the French launched the first attack on Raevsky's battery.A bloody battle took place on the battery.

The losses on both sides were enormous. A number of units on both sides lost most of the composition. General Raevsky's corps lost more than 6 thousand people. And, for example, the French infantry regiment Bonamy retained in its ranks after the battle for the Rayevsky battery 300 people out of 4100. For these losses, the Rayevsky battery received the nickname "the grave of the French cavalry" from the French. At the cost of huge losses (the commander of the French cavalry, the general and his comrades-in-arms, fell at Kurgan Hill), the French troops at 4 o'clock in the afternoon took the battery of Raevsky by storm.

However, the capture of the Kurgan Heights did not lead to a decrease in the stability of the Russian center. The same applies to flushes, which were only defensive structures of the position of the left flank of the Russian army.

End of the battle

Vereshchagin. End of the Battle of Borodino

After the occupation of the Rayevsky battery by the French troops, the battle began to subside. On the left flank, the French carried out unsuccessful attacks against Dokhturov's 2nd Army. In the center and on the right flank, the case was limited to artillery firefight until 7 pm.

V.V. Vereshchagin. End of the Battle of Borodino

In the evening of August 26, at 18 o'clock, the Battle of Borodino ended. The attacks stopped along the entire front. Until nightfall, only artillery skirmish and rifle fire continued in the advanced chasseurs' lines.

Results of the Borodino battle

What were the results of this bloodiest battle? Very sad for Napoleon, because there was no victory, which all those close to him had been waiting in vain for all day. Napoleon was disappointed with the results of the battle: the "Great Army" was able to force the Russian troops on the left flank and center to retreat only 1-1.5 km. The Russian army retained the integrity of the position and its communications, repelled many French attacks, while itself counterattacked. The artillery duel, for all its duration and ferocity, did not give advantages to either the French or the Russians. French troops captured the main strongholds of the Russian army - the Rayevsky battery and the Semyonovskie flashes. But the fortifications on them were almost completely destroyed, and by the end of the battle Napoleon ordered them to leave and withdraw the troops to their original positions. Few were captured (as well as guns), Russian soldiers took with them most of the wounded comrades. The general engagement was not a new Austerlitz, but a bloody slaughter with unclear results.

Perhaps, in tactical terms, the Battle of Borodino was another victory for Napoleon - he forced the Russian army to retreat and surrender Moscow. However, strategically, it was a victory for Kutuzov and the Russian army. In the campaign of 1812, a radical change took place. The Russian army withstood the battle with the strongest enemy and its morale only grew stronger. Its number and material resources will be restored soon. Napoleon's army lost heart, lost the ability to win, an aura of invincibility. Subsequent events will only confirm the correctness of the words of the military theorist Karl Clausewitz, who noted that "victory consists not simply in the seizure of the battlefield, but in the physical and moral defeat of the enemy's forces."

Later, while in exile, the defeated French emperor Napoleon admitted: “Of all my battles, the worst thing is that I gave near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy to win in it, and the Russians - to be called invincible. "

The number of losses of the Russian army in the Battle of Borodino was 44-45 thousand people. The French, according to some estimates, lost about 40-60 thousand people. The losses in the commanding staff were especially heavy: in the Russian army 4 generals were killed and mortally wounded, 23 generals were wounded and shell-shocked; in the Great Army 12 generals were killed and died of wounds, one marshal and 38 generals were wounded.

The Battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century and the bloodiest of all that happened before it. The most conservative estimates of cumulative casualties were that 2,500 people died in the field every hour. It is no coincidence that Napoleon called the battle of Borodino his greatest battle, although its results are more than modest for a great commander who is accustomed to victories.

The main achievement of the general battle at Borodino was that Napoleon was unable to defeat the Russian army. But first of all, the Borodino field became the cemetery of the French dream, that selfless faith of the French people in the star of their emperor, in his personal genius, which was the basis of all the achievements of the French Empire.

On October 3, 1812, the British newspapers "Courier" and "Times" published a report from the British ambassador Katkar from St. Petersburg, in which he reported that the armies of His Imperial Majesty Alexander I had won the most stubborn battle at Borodino. During October, The Times wrote 8 times about the Battle of Borodino, calling the day of the battle "a grandiose memorable day in Russian history" and "the fatal battle of Bonaparte." The British ambassador and the press did not consider the retreat after the battle and the abandonment of Moscow as a result of the battle, understanding the influence on these events of the unfavorable strategic situation for Russia.

For Borodino, Kutuzov received the rank of Field Marshal and 100 thousand rubles. The tsar granted Bagration 50 thousand rubles. For participation in the Battle of Borodino, each soldier was given 5 silver rubles.

The meaning of the Battle of Borodino in the minds of the Russian people

The Battle of Borodino continues to occupy an important place in the historical consciousness of very wide strata of Russian society. Today it, along with similar great pages of Russian history, is being falsified by the camp of Russophobic-minded figures who position themselves as “historians”. By distorting reality and forgeries in commissioned publications, at any cost, regardless of reality, they try to convey to wide circles the idea of ​​a tactical victory for the French with fewer losses and that the Battle of Borodino was not a triumph of Russian weapons.This is because the Battle of Borodino, as an event in which the strength of the spirit of the Russian people was manifested, is one of the cornerstone bricks that make Russia in the minds of modern society precisely as a great power. Throughout the modern history of Russia, Russophobic propaganda has been loosening these bricks.

Materials prepared by Sergei Shulyak, fragments of paintings by Russian artists and panoramas of the Battle of Borodino were used.

After the withdrawal of the Russian army from Smolensk, the commander-in-chief of infantry Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov decided, relying on a pre-selected position (near the village of Borodino, located 124 kilometers west of Moscow), to give the French army a general battle in order to inflict the greatest possible damage on it and stop the offensive to Moscow. Napoleon I set the goal in the Battle of Borodino to crush the Russian army, seize Moscow and force Russia to conclude peace on favorable terms.

The position of the Russian army on the Borodino field along the front and up to 7 kilometers in depth. Its right flank adjoined the Moskva River, the left flank - to an impenetrable forest, the center rested on the Kurgannaya Hill, which was covered from the west by the Semenov Stream.

The forest and bushes in the rear of the position made it possible to covertly position the troops and carry out a maneuver with reserves.

The position was reinforced with fortifications: at the end of the right flank, near the forest, with the front to the Moscow River, three flashes were built (field fortification in the form of an obtuse angle facing the enemy with its top); near the village of Gorki, on the new Smolensk road, there are two batteries, one higher than the other, one for three guns, the other for nine; in the center of the position, at a height - a large lunette (open from the rear field fortification, consisting of side ramparts and a ditch in front), armed with 18 guns, (later called the Rayevsky battery); in front and south of the village of Semenovskaya - three flushes (Bagration flushes); the village of Borodino, on the left bank of the Kolocha River, was put on a defensive position; a pentagonal redoubt (a closed rectangular, polygonal or round field fortification with an outer moat and parapet) for 12 guns was built on the Shevardin hill.

Napoleon achieved some success in the Battle of Borodino, but he did not decide his main task - to defeat the Russian army in a general battle. Kutuzov opposed the Napoleonic strategy of the general battle with another, higher form of struggle - the achievement of victory by a series of battles united by one plan.

In the Battle of Borodino, the Russian army showed examples of tactical art: maneuvering reserves from the depths and along the front, the successful use of cavalry for actions on the flank, perseverance and defensive activity, continuous counterattacks in the interaction of infantry, cavalry and artillery. The enemy was forced to conduct frontal attacks. The battle turned into a frontal clash, in which Napoleon's chances for a decisive victory over the Russian army were reduced to zero.

The battle of Borodino did not lead to an immediate turning point in the course of the war, but radically changed the course of the war. To successfully complete it, it took time to make up for losses, to prepare a reserve. It took only about 1.5 months when the Russian army led by Kutuzov was able to begin the expulsion of enemy forces from Russia.

Annually, on the first Sunday of September, the Borodino battle anniversary is widely celebrated at the Borodino field (Mozhaisky district of the Moscow region). The culmination of the holiday is the military-historical reconstruction of the episodes of the Borodino battle on the parade-theater to the west of the village of Borodin. More than a thousand lovers of military history, who made uniforms, equipment and weapons of the 1812 era with their own hands, are united in the "Russian" and "French" armies. At the same time, they demonstrate the tactics of warfare, knowledge of the military regulations of that time, the possession of firearms and cold weapons. The spectacle ends with a parade of military history clubs and the awarding of those who distinguished themselves in the battle.

On this day, more than 100 thousand people from Russia and foreign countries who are interested in the military history of the era of the Napoleonic wars gather annually on the Borodino field.

(Additional

One of the Days of Military Glory of Russia is Day of the Battle of Borodino in 1812 which is celebrated annually 8 September.

The battle of Borodino took place on August 26 (September 7) between the French and Russian armies. The French were commanded by Napoleon, and the Russians - by Kutuzov. The battle lasted 12 hours.

General Pele, who participated in the Battle of Borodino, recalled that Napoleon, recalling Borodino, said that the Battle of Borodino was the most formidable and most beautiful battle in which the French were worthy of victory, and the Russians could be considered invincible.

Prehistory of the Borodino battle

The French army in June 1812 invaded the territory of the Russian Empire and provoked a constant retreat of the Russian troops. The French suppressed in numbers and quickly moved forward, which was dissatisfied with the Emperor Alexander I. Therefore, he decided to remove the infantry general Barclay de Tolly from the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian army and appoint the infantry general Mikhail Kutuzov. But Kutuzov, in order to gather the necessary forces, first had to retreat.

The Russian army on August 22 (September 3), retreating from Smolensk, took up positions 125 km from Moscow near the village of Borodino, where Kutuzov decided to give a general battle. It was impossible to hesitate, since the emperor demanded to stop the advance of Napoleon's army to Moscow.

Initial alignment of forces

Data on the number of parties is ambiguous and in different historical sources the number of forces of the Russian army varies from 110 to 150 thousand people. The size of the French army is more definite - it is about 130 thousand soldiers, as well as 587 guns. The French army outnumbered the Russian in the experience of soldiers and heavy cavalry.

According to the plan of the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, the active defense of the Russians was to weaken the enemy's forces and change their ratio, thereby making it possible for the Russian troops to continue the battle and defeat the French army. According to this plan, the order of the Russian troops was built.

The starting position chosen by Kutuzov was a straight line, which on the left flank ran from the Shevardinsky redoubt through a battery located on Red Hill, which was later called the Raevsky battery, the village of Borodino was located in the center, and the village of Maslovo on the right flank.

On August 25 (September 6), Emperor Napoleon discovered a weak spot on the left flank of the Russian army, and it was there that Napoleon decided to strike. He developed a battle plan, according to which he was to first seize the left bank of the Kolocha River, capturing Borodino. As a result of this maneuver, the attention of the Russians should be diverted from Napoleon's main blow. Further, it was planned to transfer the main forces of the French to the right bank of the Kolocha River and, pushing Kutuzov's army with the right wing into the corner between the Moscow River and Kolocha, to destroy it.

On the morning of August 24 (September 5), before the main battle, the Russian rearguard, located 8 km from the main forces, attacked the enemy vanguard. The stubborn battle lasted for several hours.

Napoleon's troops were moving towards Borodino in three columns. The French tried to encircle the Shevardinsky redoubt, they captured the redoubt three times, but each time they were driven out by Russian troops. Thus, gradually weakening, the battle stopped, and Kutuzov gave the order to withdraw the troops towards the main forces.

The battle at the Shevardinsky redoubt allowed Kutuzov's troops to gain time to complete defensive work at the Borodino position, as well as to clarify the location of the enemy's forces and the estimated direction of the enemy's main attack.

On August 25 (September 6), throughout the day, the troops of both armies were preparing for the upcoming battle.

The beginning of the Battle of Borodino

On August 26 (September 7) at half past five in the morning, the French began shelling the left flank of the Russian troops from a hundred guns. Simultaneously with the shelling, the forces of the Delzon division moved to the village of Borodino (the center of the Russian positions), covered by the morning fog, which made a diversionary attack. The village was defended by the Guards Jaeger Regiment, commanded by K.I.Bistrom. This regiment, vainly defending against an enemy four times superior to them, was forced to retreat beyond the Kolocha River.

The course of the Borodino battle

After a short cannonade, the French began to attack Bagration's flushes. Despite the fierce attack of the French, the Russians were able to resist them with smaller forces, defending the flushes, but the last attack of the French was successful. Thus, Napoleon concentrated on the right flank three times the number of troops and, thanks to this, pushed the left flank of the Russian army for a kilometer. However, this success did not give the quick result expected by Napoleon, but improved the position of his troops, since the retreat of the Russians opened the central part of the positions for the attack of the French.

After the Bagration's flushes fell, Napoleon changed his plans and directed his forces not to the left wing of the Russian army, but to the weakened central part - to the Rayevsky battery. Raevsky's battery was located on a high mound, which towered in the very center of the Russian positions; at the time of the beginning of the battle, he had 18 guns. Lieutenant General N. N. Raevsky commanded the infantry corps, which defended the battery. The Russian cavalry and the Cossacks delayed the next French attack for two hours.

The bloody battle on the Raevsky battery began at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon with a crossfire of 150 guns, which was opened by the French from flushes and from the front. Rayevsky's battery went down at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

Napoleon, having received the news that Rayevsky's battery had fallen, at 17 o'clock began to move to the center of the Russian army, but soon, deciding that the enemy forces in the center were unshakable, the French stopped the offensive.

The result of the Borodino battle

The battle of Borodino is considered the bloodiest battle of the 19th century, since by the aggregate of losses it is estimated at 2,500 people who die every hour of the battle. Some divisions lost 80% of their composition. The French fired 60,000 cannon shots and 1.5 million rifle shots. It is no coincidence that the Battle of Borodino was called by Napoleon the greatest of his battles, despite the fact that the result for a commander accustomed to victories can be considered very modest.

Each commander, both Kutuzov and Napoleon, chalked up the victory in the Battle of Borodino. After the Battle of Borodino, Prince Kutuzov was promoted to field marshal and was given a salary of 100 thousand rubles. All the lower ranks who participated in the battle received 5 rubles each.

Today, a number of Russian historians insist that the outcome of the Borodino battle can be called uncertain, and the victory of the Russian army "moral". Some historians, both in our country and abroad, regard the Battle of Borodino as an unambiguous victory for Napoleon.

The battle of Borodino became a kind of indicator of the crisis of the French theory of a decisive general battle, since Napoleon's troops could not cope with the Russian army in order to force Russia to surrender, dictating its own terms of peace. Russian troops inflicted significant damage on the French army, thanks to which it was able to save strength for subsequent battles.

Romanchukevich Tatiana
for women's magazine website

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