Why did Napoleon invade Russia? - Historum

**Pacific_Victory** · May 30th, 2012, 07:19 AM

Obviously in hindsight we know it was a bad idea, but I'm curious as to why he thought it was a good idea at the time.

Had he managed to hold on to Russia would he even have had a chance of controlling the vast population?

Seems to me a classic case of spreading oneself too thin... what do you all think?

Duguesclin · May 30th, 2012, 07:35 AM

Political reasons are known:
1) Poland (mean: duchy of Warsowia),
2) Continental blocus.

Now he simply underestimated completely the difficuly of the task:
- climate changes,
- partisans (quite surprising given his spanish experience),
- logictics (as usual).

Elena · May 30th, 2012, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacific_Victory

Obviously in hindsight we know it was a bad idea, but I'm curious as to why he thought it was a good idea at the time.

Had he managed to hold on to Russia would he even have had a chance of controlling the vast population?

Seems to me a classic case of spreading oneself too thin... what do you all think?

It's not only Napoleon's mystery. On average three times each century one or the other European power decides to have a go at invading Russia...

**Rongo** · May 30th, 2012, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duguesclin

Political reasons are known:
1) Poland (mean: duchy of Warsowia),
2) Continental blocus.

Agreed. He was concerned that Russia was going to make a move on the duchy of Warsaw, and he also wanted to punish the Tsar for not adhering to the Continental System. At the time the Tsar's attention was turned to Turkey, so Napoleon thought this was a good chance to make a pre-emptive strike. Based on his previous battles with the Russians, he thought it would be a quick and easy victory. Oops...

macro · May 30th, 2012, 08:43 AM

Napoleon complex is an informal term describing an alleged type of

Inferiority_complex

which is said to affect some people, especially men, who are short in stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives.

Source: wikipedia

**Pacific_Victory** · May 30th, 2012, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macro

Napoleon complex is an informal term describing an alleged type of inferiority complex which is said to affect some people, especially men, who are short in stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives.

Source: wikipedia

hahaha Are you suggesting Napoleon was compensating for his stature by invading the LARGEST country he could get his hands on?

I like it

macro · May 30th, 2012, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacific_Victory

hahaha Are you suggesting Napoleon was compensating for his stature by invading the LARGEST country he could get his hands on?

I like it

mostly yes

I think power and money also played a role for the emperor.

Larrey · May 30th, 2012, 09:17 AM

It seems to have been fairly straighforward:

Napoleon wanted to force the Russian Czar to ditch his new alliance with the British, and return to his former alliance with France. Essentially Napoleon had no hope of getting at the British unless had could bring Russia to side with him. To do so, he first needed to hand the Russians a decent-sized military defeat. However, he turned up with La Grande Armée, 600 000 strong. The plan was pretty much that the Russians would come marching out of Russia to confront him, or face his massive army somewhere just inside the Russian border, and be defeated in a quick and for the Russians pretty hopeless war. It's how it had played out before. This time however, the Russians took one look at the monster Napoleon had brought to the party, made some quick estimates, and set off in the other direction, into Russia. So as Napoleon wanted to catch them, and defeat them in battle to force a peace with a new treaty of alliance, he had to go in after them. Which he did, with the known consequences.

**Pacific_Victory** · May 30th, 2012, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larrey

It seems to have been fairly straighforward:

Napoleon wanted to force the Russian Czar to ditch his new alliance with the British, and return to his former alliance with France. Essentially Napoleon had no hope of getting at the British unless had could bring Russia to side with him. To do so, he first needed to hand the Russians a decent-sized military defeat. However, he turned up with La Grande Armée, 600 000 strong. The plan was pretty much that the Russians would come marching out of Russia to confront him, or face his massive army somewhere just inside the Russian border, and be defeated in a quick and for the Russians pretty hopeless war. It's how it had played out before. This time however, the Russians took one look at the monster Napoleon had brought to the party, made some quick estimates, and set off in the other direction, into Russia. So as Napoleon wanted to catch them, and defeat them in battle to force a peace with a new treaty of alliance, he had to go in after them. Which he did, with the known consequences.

I just don't understand how invading someone's country is a good way to get them to ally with you...

Cavanboy · May 30th, 2012, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macro

Napoleon complex is an informal term describing an alleged type of inferiority complex which is said to affect some people, especially men, who are short in stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives.

Source: wikipedia

Napoleon was 5'7, well above the average height for his time, so I think we can throw "little man syndrome" as the cause for his invasion of Russia out the window.