Episodes
The Tsar's Wooden Menace: Scorched Earth and the Fall of Moscow
In 1812, Napoleon expected a decisive battle at Smolensk and a Tsar begging for peace. Instead, he found a burning city, a vanished army, and a strategy that would destroy the Grande Armée. This episode of Fexingo History digs into the scorched-earth policy that turned Napoleon's invasion into a catastrophe. Lucas and Luna explore the burning of Smolensk and Moscow, the roles of Barclay de Tolly and Rostopchin, and the brutal logic behind denying the enemy shelter. They also touch on the…
Napoleon's Missing Supplies: The Logistics Disaster of 1812
This episode of Fexingo History digs into the logistical catastrophe that doomed Napoleon's invasion of Russia before a single major battle. Hosts Lucas and Luna explore how the Grande Armée's supply system collapsed after crossing the Niemen in June 1812, turning a planned swift campaign into a slow-motion disaster. We look at the overstretched magazines, the failure of the depot system, the breakdown of the French intendant service, and the catastrophic reliance on foraging in a vast…
Napoleon's Secret Weapon: The Polish Agents of 1812
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna pull back the curtain on a shadowy piece of the 1812 campaign: the Polish intelligence network that fed Napoleon secrets about Russia. From the Duchy of Warsaw to the streets of Vilna, we trace the double agents, the coded letters, and the tragic fate of those who thought Napoleon would restore Poland. Meet the real people behind the intrigue — like the aristocrat who spied for France while dining with the Tsar, or the priest who turned his…
Napoleon's Russian Prisoners: The Forgotten Captivity
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a rarely told chapter of the 1812 campaign: the fate of the tens of thousands of French and allied soldiers who survived the retreat from Moscow only to be captured by the Russians. Discover the brutal forced marches to the interior, the overcrowded prisons of Vladimir, Kostroma, and Saratov, and the slow reintegration of the lucky few who made it back to France years later. Learn about Alexander I's surprisingly lenient policy, the…
Napoleon's Generals: The Marshals Who Failed Him in Russia
In this episode, Lucas and Luna step back from the battles to look at the men Napoleon trusted most — the marshals of the Grande Armée — and how their rivalries, exhaustion, and plain bad judgment turned a catastrophic retreat into a rout. From Murat's hot-headed cavalry charges to Ney's legendary rearguard courage, from Davout's iron discipline to Berthier's overwhelmed staff work, we explore how the marshals' personal flaws and interpersonal feuds amplified every disaster of 1812. Along the…
The Song of Ice and Fire: Russia's Winter of 1812
We all know Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia ended in catastrophe. But how much of that was the brutal winter, and how much was the sheer scale of Russia's geography and the resilience of its people? In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the specifics of the 1812 winter: the early onset of freezing temperatures, the terrifying 'General Winter' mythology, and the actual recorded temperatures that turned Napoleon's Grande Armée into a shivering, starving mob. They trace the army's retreat…
The Polish Wife Who Spied for Napoleon in 1812
In October 1812, as Napoleon's Grande Armée sat in burning Moscow waiting for a peace that would never come, a Polish countess named Marie Walewska slipped through enemy lines with a secret mission. She carried letters from her husband—and from Napoleon himself—to Tsar Alexander I in Saint Petersburg, hoping to broker the peace that might have saved the army. This episode follows Walewska's extraordinary journey, from her first meeting with Napoleon in 1807 to her desperate embassy in 1812, and…
The Man Who Fed Napoleon's Army: Winter, Hunger, and the Road Back
In the winter of 1812, as Napoleon's Grande Armée staggered back from Moscow, the difference between life and death often came down to a few sacks of flour, a hidden depot, or a quick-thinking quartermaster. This episode follows the forgotten supply officers, foragers, and wagon masters who kept a starving army moving—and whose failures turned retreat into catastrophe. We meet intendant général Mathieu Dumas, the artillery officer Jean-Baptiste Éblé, and the Polish guide who led stragglers…
The Drunken General Who Betrayed Napoleon at Krasnyi
In November 1812, as the Grande Armée stumbled west through the snow, a single French division under General Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers was ordered to hold the town of Krasnyi. But Baraguey, an aging veteran of the revolutionary wars, had spent the night drinking. When the Russians attacked at dawn, he surrendered without a fight — handing Napoleon's retreating army a fatal blow. This episode digs into the strange, sordid story of the Krasnyi fiasco: how Baraguey's drunkenness, his bitter…
Napoleon's Russian Horses: The Forgotten Famine
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a neglected chapter of Napoleon's 1812 invasion: the catastrophic equine losses that crippled the Grande Armée before a single shot was fired. From the immense cavalry and transport train that crossed the Niemen in June, to the fatal shortage of forage in Lithuania and the scorched-earth tactics that left horses starving, they trace how the army's mobility and fighting strength were fatally compromised. They examine the strategic…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Bridge Builders Who Saved the Army at the Berezina
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna delve into the forgotten heroes of Napoleon's disastrous 1812 invasion: the pontonniers—the engineers who built the bridges across the Berezina River. While many focus on the cavalry and infantry, these specialists, led by General Jean-Baptiste Éblé, worked in freezing water to construct the two bridges that allowed the remnants of the Grande Armée to escape. We explore Éblé's earlier career, the desperate improvisation at Studienka, the role…
The 1812 Winter: How Cold Killed Napoleon's Grande Armée
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the brutal Russian winter of 1812 and its role in the destruction of Napoleon's Grande Armée. While the retreat from Moscow is often blamed on 'General Winter', the reality is more complex. Lucas unpacks the timeline of temperatures, the early onset of cold that caught the French off guard, and the devastating impact of frostbite, hypothermia, and starvation on troops who were already exhausted and undersupplied. The conversation covers…
The Polish Lancers of 1812: Napoleon's Uhlans and the Myth of the Charge at Somosierra
In this episode of Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, Lucas and Luna turn to the Polish lancers who rode with the Grande Armée — the uhlans of the Vistula Legion and the 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard. We trace their origins in the partitioned Poland of the late 18th century, their legendary charge at Somosierra in 1808, and their harrowing service in 1812, from the crossing of the Niemen to the ice of the Berezina. We meet Józef Poniatowski, the Polish prince who gave his life…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Imperial Guard's Last Stand
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final days of Napoleon's Imperial Guard during the 1812 Russian campaign. They focus on the Guard's role at the Battle of Krasnyi, where Marshal Ney's rearguard action saved the remnants of the Grande Armée, and the harrowing crossing of the Berezina River. Discover how the elite units, from the Vieille Garde to the Jeune Garde, were decimated by cold, hunger, and Cossack attacks. Learn about the pontonniers who built the bridges under fire, the…
Marshal Davout Napoleon's Iron Marshal in 1812
In this episode of Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, Lucas and Luna turn their attention to one of the Emperor's most trusted and feared commanders: Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout, the 'Iron Marshal.' While previous episodes covered the epic battles of Borodino and the tragic Berezina crossing, little has been said about the man who led the Grande Armée's I Corps—the largest and most disciplined corps in Napoleon's army. From his relentless pursuit at the Battle of Saltanovka to his command at…
Napoleon's Polish Allies: The Hope and Heartbreak of 1812
In 1812, Napoleon's Grande Armée included over 100,000 Poles, Lithuanians, and other Polish-speaking troops, many of whom believed that a victory over Russia would restore the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This episode follows the Polish 5th Corps under Prince Józef Poniatowski from their fervent preparations in the Grand Duchy of Warsaw to their heroic stand at Borodino and their devastating losses during the retreat from Moscow. We explore how the promise of independence drove their…
Yorck's Defection: The Convention That Broke Napoleon's Germany
In December 1812, as Napoleon's shattered Grande Armée limped westward, a single Prussian general made a decision that would reshape Europe. General Johann David Yorck, commanding the Prussian auxiliary corps, found himself isolated in the Baltic winter with Russian forces closing in. Without orders from his king, Yorck signed the Convention of Tauroggen — a neutrality pact that pulled Prussia out of the war and lit the fuse for the War of Liberation. This episode explores Yorck's gamble, the…
Bernadotte's Betrayal: How Sweden Sided with Russia in 1812
In 1812, as Napoleon's Grande Armée marched on Moscow, a former French marshal was plotting against him. Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, the newly adopted Crown Prince of Sweden, signed the secret Treaty of Abo with Tsar Alexander I, promising Swedish support against his old commander. This episode explores Bernadotte's stunning defection, his background as a revolutionary soldier turned royal, and how his diplomatic shift forced Napoleon to divert troops to northern Europe. We also examine the…
Prince Bagration: The Georgian Lion of 1812
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna dive into the life and legacy of Prince Pyotr Bagration, the fiery Georgian general who became one of the most beloved commanders of the Russian army during Napoleon's invasion of 1812. Born into the royal Bagrationi dynasty, Bagration rose through the ranks under the legendary Suvorov, earning a reputation for fearless aggression and tactical brilliance. In 1812, he commanded the 2nd Western Army, clashing bitterly with the cautious Barclay de…
The Russian Partisans Who Destroyed Napoleon's Grande Armée
While much of the story of Napoleon's 1812 invasion focuses on battles and the winter, a hidden force was just as deadly: Russian partisans. This episode explores the irregular warfare waged by Cossacks, peasants, and army deserters against the Grande Armée's supply lines. We meet Denis Davydov, the hussar poet who led devastating raids, and discuss the terror of Cossack attacks led by Matvei Platov. We also touch on the legend of peasant leader Vasilisa Kozhina. These partisans forced Napoleon…
The Battle That Forced Napoleon's Retreat: Maloyaroslavets 1812
In October 1812, after a month in a burning Moscow, Napoleon Bonaparte finally ordered the Grande Armée to retreat. But instead of taking the untouched southern road through Kaluga, he ended up marching back along the same devastated route to Smolensk. The turning point was a small, bloody engagement at the town of Maloyaroslavets – a battle that saw the town change hands eight times in a single day. In this episode, we explore the desperate fighting between General Dmitry Dokhturov's Russians…
The Burning of Moscow: Napoleon's Pyrrhic Victory
After Borodino, Napoleon expected Moscow to surrender. Instead, he found an abandoned city that went up in flames. This episode delves into the pivotal days after the battle—Kutuzov's controversial decision to abandon Moscow without a fight, Governor-General Rostopchin's orchestrated evacuation and the mysterious fires that consumed the city. We explore the chaotic occupation, Napoleon's failed peace overtures to Tsar Alexander I, and how the loss of Moscow's supplies doomed the Grande Armée.…
The Berezina Crossing: Napoleon's Last Gamble
In November 1812, Napoleon's Grande Armée, already shattered by cold and starvation, faced annihilation at the Berezina River. This episode follows the desperate engineering feat that saved the Emperor but drowned thousands. We examine the river's treacherous ice, General Éblé's pontoon bridges, the Russian trap by Chichagov and Wittgenstein, and the tragic chaos of the crossing. Discover how a freezing swamp became the final act of Napoleon's Russian disaster, with casualties that dwarfed any…
Barclay de Tolly: The Russian General Who Saved Moscow by Retreating
While Napoleon's Grande Armée advanced on Moscow in 1812, the Russian commander who orchestrated the controversial retreat was not Kutuzov but a Baltic German general named Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Barclay's strategic decision to avoid a decisive battle and burn supplies — a scorched earth campaign that saved the Russian army at the cost of his reputation. They discuss Barclay's German heritage, his tense rivalry with the aristocratic Bagration…
Borodino: The Bloodiest Day of Napoleon's Invasion
In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine the Battle of Borodino, the horrific climax of Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia. Fought on September 7, 1812, near the village of Borodino, this battle saw the Grande Armée and the Russian army under General Kutuzov clash in a brutal, seesaw struggle. Lucas details the key positions—the Bagration Fleches, the Raevsky Redoubt—and the immense casualties, including the mortal wounding of Prince Bagration. He explains why Napoleon's failure to commit his…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Spanish Ulcer That Doomed the Grande Armée
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the devastating impact of the Peninsular War on Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Despite the popular focus on the Russian winter, the real rot began in Spain, where the Grande Armée lost 300,000 veteran soldiers to guerrilla warfare and the British army under Wellington. They discuss the strategic drain of resources, the erosion of Napoleon's best troops, and how the 'Spanish Ulcer' left the Emperor with a hollowed-out army for the 1812…
Napoleon's Conscription Crisis: The 1812 Class That Never Came
In 1812, Napoleon faced a hidden crisis that crippled the Grande Armée before it ever crossed the Niemen: the failure to conscript the 1812 class of French soldiers. While historians often focus on the retreat, the typhus, and the battles, this episode examines the administrative collapse that left the army understrength from day one. Lucas and Luna explore the chaotic conscription process, the widespread draft dodging, the desertion rates that surprised even Napoleon's war ministry, and the…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Cuirassiers Who Rode to Ruin
In this episode of Napoleon's Invasion of Russia: The Mistake That Ended an Empire, Lucas and Luna turn to the heavy cavalry of the Grande Armée — the cuirassiers. These armored horsemen, veterans of Austerlitz and Wagram, rode into Russia with shining breastplates and high hopes. By winter, they were eating their own horses and freezing on the open steppe. Lucas traces their journey from the Niemen crossing to the catastrophic retreat, focusing on the 2nd and 4th Cuirassier Divisions under…
The Great Retreat: Napoleon's Lost Survivors of 1812
In this episode, we follow the harrowing final weeks of Napoleon's Grande Armée as it staggers out of Russia in December 1812. We focus on the forgotten survivors—the men who made it past the Berezina only to face freezing temperatures, Cossack attacks, and starvation. Lucas and Luna discuss the disintegration of discipline, the role of the Vieille Garde in holding the retreat together, and the devastating losses at the crossing of the Berezina. We also look at the fate of the wounded left…
The Forgotten General: Gouvion Saint-Cyr in Napoleon's 1812 Campaign
While many of Napoleon's marshals faltered or fled during the disastrous Russian campaign, one man held his ground: Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Saint-Cyr, a reluctant marshal known for his intellectual reserve, commanded the Bavarian and Polish troops of VI Corps during the 1812 invasion. They delve into his crucial role in the First Battle of Polotsk in August 1812, where he was severely wounded but secured a tactical victory against Wittgenstein's…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Doctors Who Died in Russia
While the Grande Armée's retreat from Moscow is legendary, the medical catastrophe behind it is less known. This episode of Fexingo History examines the collapse of French military medicine during Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia. Lucas and Luna explore the heroic efforts of surgeon-in-chief Dominique-Jean Larrey, who performed amputations in blizzards and saved thousands with his 'flying ambulances.' They discuss the devastating impact of typhus, dysentery, and frostbite on the army, the…
Napoleon's Lost Army: The Imperial Guard’s Last Stand in 1812
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the fate of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard during the catastrophic 1812 invasion of Russia. They focus on the Guard’s transformation from an invincible elite to a shattered remnant, examining key moments like the retreat from Moscow, the battle of Krasnyi where Marshal Ney led the rearguard, and the devastating crossing of the Berezina where the Guard protected the emperor. They discuss the role of the Vieille Garde, the Middle Guard, and the Young Guard, as…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Emperor's Fatal Snowbound Christmas
In late December 1812, as Napoleon's Grande Armée stumbled through the snow toward the Niemen River, a bizarre scene unfolded: the Emperor of the French, in a sleigh disguised in a Polish nobleman's fur cloak, celebrated Christmas in a freezing inn near Kovno. This episode of Fexingo History focuses on the last week of the retreat—the disintegration of the army's rear guard, the Emperor's psychological collapse, and the fateful decision to abandon the remnants at Smorgoni. Drawing on letters…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Great Retreat's Forgotten Dead
The Grande Armée's retreat from Moscow is often remembered for the Berezina crossing and the Cossack attacks. But the real killer was something far more mundane: cold, hunger, and the collapse of discipline. In this episode, Lucas and Luna focus on the two weeks between Maloyaroslavets and Smolensk, where Napoleon's army first began to disintegrate. They trace the fate of Marshal Ney's rearguard, the desperate fight for Krasnyi, and the shocking moment when the Emperor abandoned his own troops.…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Spanish Ulcer That Doomed the Grande Armée
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Napoleon's entanglement in the Peninsular War crippled his ability to invade Russia. They discuss the 200,000 veterans trapped in Spain, the role of Marshal Soult and General Wellesley, the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, and the intelligence failures that left Napoleon blind. Specific facts include the number of French troops tied down (around 280,000), the strategic impact of the Battle of Salamanca, and how the Spanish guerrillas, or 'partidas', disrupted…
The 1812 Invasion: Napoleon's Irish Legion
In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte authorized the creation of the Irish Legion — a unique military unit of Irish exiles, deserters from British service, and adventurers who dreamed of liberating Ireland with French help. This episode explores the Legion's formation under Gen. Bernard MacSheehy, its role in the 1809 Walcheren Campaign, its march into Russia in 1812 as part of the Grande Armée's 8th Division under Gen. Junot, and its near-total destruction at the Battle of Krasnyi in November 1812. We…
The Prisoners of 1812: Napoleon's Captives in Russia
While the Grande Armée's retreat from Moscow is legendary, less known is the fate of the tens of thousands of prisoners taken by the Russians during Napoleon's 1812 invasion. This episode follows the harrowing journey of captured French, Italian, Polish, and German soldiers as they were marched east into the Russian interior, often to spend years in captivity. We explore the conditions in prisoner-of-war camps, the policies of Tsar Alexander I, and the stories of individuals like the French…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion and the Devastating Typhus Epidemic
In episode 162 of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a catastrophic and often overlooked factor in Napoleon's failed Russian campaign: the typhus epidemic that ravaged the Grande Armée. They trace the disease's origins in overcrowded, unsanitary camps in Poland and Lithuania, its spread along the march to Moscow, and its role in the disastrous retreat. Learn about the role of body lice, the symptoms that disabled tens of thousands, and how typhus—more than Russian bullets or the…
The Polish Lancers of Napoleon's Imperial Guard in 1812
In 1812, Napoleon's elite Polish Chevau-Légers of the Imperial Guard were among the most formidable cavalry in Europe. This episode focuses on their origins as the Polish Light Horse Guards, their legendary charge at Somosierra in 1808, and their near-destruction during the retreat from Moscow. Lucas and Luna explore the unit's composition—drawn from the Polish szlachta (nobility)—their distinctive lambskin czapkas and lances, and their role as Napoleon's personal escort. We also discuss the…
The Swedish Prince Who Fought for Napoleon: Bernadotte's Betrayal
In 1812, while Napoleon marched into Russia, a former French marshal turned Swedish crown prince made a decision that would help seal the Emperor's fate. Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte — a Gascon republican who rose through the ranks, married Napoleon's former fiancée Désirée Clary, and was elected Swedish heir apparent in 1810 — chose Russia over France. This episode explores Bernadotte's remarkable journey from revolutionary soldier to Crown Prince of Sweden, his secret alliance with Tsar Alexander…
The 1812 Invasion: Napoleon's Italian Soldiers in the Grande Armée
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the role of Italian troops in Napoleon's disastrous 1812 campaign in Russia. While much has been said about the French, Poles, and Germans, the 27,000 soldiers of the Kingdom of Italy and the Neapolitan contingent fought and died alongside them — often forgotten, but crucial to understanding the multinational character of the Grande Armée. Lucas traces their journey from the Po Valley to the forests of Russia, focusing on the Italian…
Napoleon's Star Lost: The Astronomy That Betrayed Him
In 1812, Napoleon's Grande Armée trusted a star map that was decades out of date. This episode reveals how faulty astronomy — specifically the flawed star catalogue of the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille — combined with Russia's vast northern latitudes to throw off celestial navigation. The result: supply columns got lost, couriers missed rendezvous, and the army marched blind across a trackless continent. We explore the little-known collision between the Enlightenment's scientific…
Napoleon's 1812 Invasion: The Polish Uprising That Never Was
Episode 157 of Napoleon's Invasion of Russia takes you to the Duchy of Warsaw in the summer of 1812, where Napoleon's great gamble hinged not just on Russian armies but on a Polish uprising that never came. We explore the political machinations of Prince Józef Poniatowski, the hopes pinned on the restoration of the Kingdom of Poland, and why the szlachta (Polish nobility) hesitated. From the Sejm's declaration of the Confederacy of the General Confederation of the Kingdom of Poland on June 28…
Marshal Davout's 1812 Campaign: Iron Marshal vs Scorched Earth
While Napoleon's invasion of Russia is often told through the lens of the emperor himself or his marshals Ney and Murat, this episode focuses on the overlooked but crucial role of Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout, the 'Iron Marshal'. We trace his command of the Grande Armée's I Corps from the crossing of the Niemen through the battles at Saltanovka, Smolensk, and Borodino, where his corps bore the brunt of the fighting. We examine his bitter rivalry with Marshal Murat, his strained relationship…
The Lithuanian Grand Duchy: Napoleon's Forgotten Ally in 1812
In June 1812, as Napoleon's Grande Armée crossed the Niemen River into Russia, he hoped the peoples of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania would rise against Tsar Alexander I. Instead, he found a land of empty villages and cautious nobles. This episode explores the short-lived provisional government Napoleon established in Vilnius, the Lithuanian Tatar cavalry that fought for him, and the disastrous failure to win local support. We meet Count Michał Kleofas Ogiński, who composed his famous…
The Grand Army's Last Horses: Cavalry Collapse in 1812
When Napoleon crossed the Niemen in June 1812, his Grande Armée boasted over 80,000 horses — the finest cavalry in Europe. Eight months later, fewer than 2,000 returned. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the catastrophic equine disaster that crippled Napoleon's invasion before the first major battle. They follow the horses from the lush pastures of Poland to the frozen wastes of the Berezina, examining how a single autumn storm turned 30,000 cavalry mounts into a trail of carcasses. Along…
The Berezina Crossing: Napoleon's Nightmare at the River
In late November 1812, the remnants of Napoleon's Grande Armée faced their final ordeal: crossing the frozen Berezina River under Russian fire. This episode follows the frantic construction of two makeshift bridges by General Jean-Baptiste Éblé's pontonniers, the chaos at Studienka, and the heartbreaking loss of thousands of stragglers and camp followers. We explore the strategic decisions that trapped the French, the heroism of the pontonniers, and how the word 'Berezina' became French…
Napoleon's Lost Wives: The Polish Countess Who Refused an Emperor
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the story of Maria Walewska, the young Polish countess who became Napoleon's mistress in 1807 and bore him a son. But she was far more than a romantic footnote. Walewska secretly aided the Polish independence cause, negotiated with the emperor, and later wrote a memoir that challenged the official narrative of the 1812 disaster. We also uncover the forgotten diplomatic mission of Abbé de Pradt, Napoleon's envoy to Warsaw, who warned the emperor that…
Kutuzov's Secret Weapon: The Russian Partisan War of 1812
When Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, he expected a conventional campaign against the Imperial Army. What he didn't anticipate was a shadow war fought by peasants, Cossacks, and even a poet. This episode explores the rise of Russian partisan warfare — the spontaneous peasant uprisings, the coordinated detachments led by officers like Denis Davydov, the poet-soldier who wrote the manual on guerrilla tactics. We follow how these irregular forces harassed French supply lines, intercepted couriers…
The Peasant Who Burned Moscow: Rastopchin's 1812 Inferno
In 1812, as Napoleon's Grande Armée approached Moscow, the Russian commander-in-chief Mikhail Kutuzov made the agonizing decision to abandon the ancient capital. What happened next was not a simple act of war but a calculated policy of destruction ordered by Moscow's military governor, Fyodor Rastopchin. This episode explores Rastopchin's controversial decision to set Moscow ablaze, his propaganda campaign against French influence, and the brutal execution of Mikhail Vereshchagin — a merchant's…
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