Napoleon's blunder in Russia. What led to his demise.

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Known in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812, the powerhouse Russia crushed Napoleon and Napoleon lost most of his soldiers, paving the way for his defeat and capture down the road at the Battle of Nations by Russia, Britain, Austria and all that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia

 

[Nilgiri]

What really led to his demise was not sorting out the Iberian peninsula and letting that fester on with a lot of his best troops and commanders there....while he charged into the mammoth expanse that is Russia.

@vostok @Desert Fox

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

What really led to his demise was not sorting out the Iberian peninsula and letting that fester on with a lot of his best troops and commanders there....while he charged into the mammoth expanse that is Russia.

@vostok @Desert Fox

If he didn't attack Russia he would have unified Europe.

 

[vostok]

What really led to his demise was not sorting out the Iberian peninsula and letting that fester on with a lot of his best troops and commanders there....while he charged into the mammoth expanse that is Russia.

@vostok @Desert Fox

Napoleon took 600000 troops to Russia. How many had he left in Spain?

 

[Desert Fox]

What really led to his demise was not sorting out the Iberian peninsula and letting that fester on with a lot of his best troops and commanders there....while he charged into the mammoth expanse that is Russia.

@vostok @Desert Fox

Interesting. Unfortunately my knowledge on this particular subject of history is minimal. Would like to learn from what others have to say.

But what I do know is that taking Moscow is never enough to defeat Russians.

 

[gangsta_rap]

Need to keep in mind that the French were not alone. They were drawing in troops from all across Europe in this invasion.

 

[Nilgiri]

Napoleon took 600000 troops to Russia. How many had he left in Spain?

I believe it peaked around 250,000 - 300,000 (in Spain) right around the time the Russian campaign was underway. These were battle hardened veterans too mostly and some of his top commanders (Jourdan, Suchet, Soult) at that point in time.

 

[vostok]

I believe it peaked around 250,000 - 300,000 (in Spain) right around the time the Russian campaign was underway. These were battle hardened veterans too mostly and some of his top commanders (Jourdan, Suchet, Soult) at that point in time.

135000 in 1812.

 

[MBT 3000]

winter and schorched earth tactics

 

[vostok]

Napoleon entered Moscow in early autumn, September 14, 1812. He got only 100000 troops. All the rest was lost in battles and due to non-combat reasons.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Great series.

 

[Nilgiri]

135000 in 1812.

Wiki provides this as the source for the 250k+ number:

Clodfelter, M. (2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Encyclopedia of Casualty and Other Figures, 1492-2015 (4th ed.).

Maybe the difference with your number is delineation of what constituted as French forces since they did have more localised elements attached to their main corps.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Invasion of Russia in 1812 resulted in huge losses. Resulted in Napoleon lost battle in 1813 at Leipzig. Resulted in Napoleon exiled in 1814. Basically Napoleon was finished once he lost in Russia.