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N0KFQ > TODAY 24.06.15 16:20l 47 Lines 2170 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 59617_N0KFQ
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Subj: Today in History - Jun 24
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Sent: 150624/1417Z 59617@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.63
1812
Napoleon's Grande Armee invades Russia
Following the rejection of his Continental System by Czar
Alexander I, French Emperor Napoleon orders his Grande Armee, the
largest European military force ever assembled to that date, into
Russia. The enormous army, featuring some 500,000 soldiers and
staff, included troops from all the European countries under the
sway of the French Empire.
During the opening months of the invasion, Napoleon was forced to
contend with a bitter Russian army in perpetual retreat. Refusing
to engage Napoleon's superior army in a full-scale confrontation,
the Russians under General Mikhail Kutuzov burned everything
behind them as they retreated deeper and deeper into Russia. On
September 7, the indecisive Battle of Borodino was fought, in
which both sides suffered terrible losses. On September 14,
Napoleon arrived in Moscow intending to find supplies but instead
found almost the entire population evacuated, and the Russian
army retreated again. Early the next morning, fires broke across
the city, set by Russian patriots, and the Grande Armee's winter
quarters were destroyed. After waiting a month for a surrender
that never came, Napoleon, faced with the onset of the Russian
winter, was forced to order his starving army out of Moscow.
During the disastrous retreat, Napoleon's army suffered continual
harassment from a suddenly aggressive and merciless Russian army.
Stalked by hunger and the deadly lances of the Cossacks, the
decimated army reached the Berezina River late in November, but
found their way blocked by the Russians. On November 27, Napoleon
forced a way across at Studenka, and when the bulk of his army
passed the river two days later, he was forced to burn his
makeshift bridges behind him, stranding some 10,000 stragglers on
the other side. From there, the retreat became a rout, and on
December 8 Napoleon left what remained of his army to return to
Paris. Six days later, the Grande Armee finally escaped Russia,
having suffered a loss of more than 400,000 men during the
disastrous invasion.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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