Download Invasion of Russia - Northern Highlands

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses
Napoleon
Overreaches
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French Empire at
its height
THREE key
strategic mistakes
follow
MISTAKE #1 - Blockades
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After loss at Trafalgar Napoleon is stuck:
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Cannot invade Britain.
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GB emerging as important center of Industry in Europe
Napoleon uses economic warfare 
The Continental System
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Blockade of all continental European ports
Forbade all nations from trade & communication with
Britain
Dual purpose:
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Make Europe more self-sufficient
Destroy GB’s commercial & industrial economy
Blockades
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Continental System “leaks”
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Smugglers (aided by GB) get through
Other European nations disregard
Orders in Council – British (with stronger navy)
blockade French ports & forbade nations from
trade with France
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Force ships bound for France to stop & be searched
in GB first
This included U.S. ships
Blockades
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Impressment?
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England didn’t have conscription
Impressment was upheld by British courts to ensure
stability of British forces.
The impressment of Americans caused tension
between Britain and the US…leading to…?
In 1814, Britain ended the practice, and never
resumed it (after defeating Napoleon).
MISTAKE #2
The Peninsular War (1808)
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Portugal refused to participate in
Continental Blockade…
Napoleon sends troops across Spain to
attack Portugal, causing protest
Napoleon removes king of Spain & installs
his brother as king more anger

Spanish also worried he would attack the
Church & weaken it (as he had in France)
The Peninsular War (1808 - 1814)
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Spanish fight as guerrillas—small groups
that attacked and then disappear (guerrilla
warfare)
British aid Spanish guerrillas
Napoleon loses 300,000 soldiers during this
Peninsular War
Nationalist rebels throughout Europe fight the
French within France’s empire.
“Third of May, 1808” by Goya (1810)
The Peninsular War: repercussions

Spain’s nationalism spreads

Other’s in Europe (notably Germany & Italy), who
had at first welcomed Napoleon, turn against the
French
MISTAKE #3 (the most costly) –
The Invasion of Russia (1812)
Why Invade?
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Tsar Alexander I – Leader of Russia & Napoleon’s
ally
Russia had lots of Raw Materials but few ways of
manufacturing them.
Continental System hurt Russia
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Denied trade that was essential
for Russia’s economy
Refused to stop selling grain to GB
France & Russia both had
designs on Poland
Napoleon’s Greatest Blunder
The Invasion of Russia (1812)
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Russia pulls out of Continental System 1812: Napoleon decides to invade Russia
 massed his forces in Poland to intimidate
Alexander.
In late June Napoleon’s Grand Army—about
600,000 men, invaded Russia
The Invasion of Russia
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Russia refuses to meet France’s larger army in an
unequal battle
They continually pull back into Russia
Russians employ scorched-earth policy: destroying
crops, livestock, everything!
 This leaves NOTHING for French troops
 Supply lines become GREATLY overextended
Invasion of Russia
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Sept. 7 - the French catch up with the Russian
army at Borodino
The Battle of Borodino was the largest and
bloodiest single-day action of the Napoleonic
Wars, involving more than 250,000 soldiers and
resulting in 30,000 FR casualties (& 40,000 RUS)
The French are “victorious”
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At the cost of 49 general officers and thousands of
men.
The Russian army is able to disengage, leaving the
French without the decisive victory Napoleon sought.
Invasion of Russia
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Sept. 14 - Napoleon’s enters Moscow  Problem
Rather than surrendering “The Holy City” Russians abandon Moscow & set it on fire
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Fire destroys the greater part of the town
Tsar Alexander refused to meet or discuss peace
with Napoleon
Invasion of Russia: known in
Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812
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His troops exhausted, with few rations, no winter clothing,
and his remaining horses in poor condition, Napoleon was
forced to retreat
Onset of winter made retreat disastrous
Russian guerilla raiders mercilessly attack
Only 27,000 fit soldiers remained to France
 The Grand Armée had lost approx. 380,000 men dead
and 100,000 captured
French National Anthem La Marseillaise
Cue up at 5:20 & 13:55 Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture
Invasion of Russia
Napoleon’s Downfall
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Napoleon’s failure caused many European states
to defy Napoleon.
Britain, Russia, Sweden, Austria & Prussia join
forces against France
Battle of Leipzig: “Battle of the Nations” (October
1813), Napoleon’s (undertrained) Grand Armée
was torn to shreds.
Napoleon’s Downfall
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January 1814 France being
attacked on all its frontiers.
Paris was captured in March
1814
Napoleon wants to fight on -his generals refuse
Napoleon *abdicates* in April.
Treaty of Fontainebleau exiles
Napoleon to Elba
He had sovereignty over the
island and was allowed to
retain his title of Emperor.
What happened to France ?
Louis XVIII: Brother of Louis XVI takes
the throne
 Unpopular due to suspicion
of wanting to undo the
Revolution’s land reforms
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What were the Hundred Days ?
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Napoleon seizes on this news & escapes from
Elba
 Joyously welcomed back on March 1, 1815
 1,000s join army
Again rules as
Emperor
Where was Napoleon finished off?
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June 1815 Battle of Waterloo in Belgium
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British (Duke of Wellington) & French fight to stalemate
most of the day
Prussian army arrives late afternoon
Napoleon defeated
Napoleon’s last battle.
He is captured and
imprisoned.
The Hundred Days
are over
After Waterloo
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Napoleon exiled to the island of Saint Helena in the
Atlantic Ocean
1,000 mi. from any major landmass.
After 6 years, he died as a prisoner
Alexis de Tocqueville (writer): “He was as great as a
man can be without virtue”
Europe looks for lasting peace
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Congress of Vienna
A desire for security & stability for Europe
 Attended by the “great powers”: Great Britain,
Russia, Prussia, Austria & France
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Goals of the Congress of Vienna
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Host: Prince Klemens von Metternich of Austria
 Distrusted democratic ideals of French Rev.
Three Goals
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Prevent future French aggression by surrounding it with
strong countries
Restore a Balance of Power –
no country a threat to others
Restore Europe's royal families
to their thrones
Steps taken to strength countries:
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Former Austrian Netherlands & Dutch
Republic united to form the Kingdom of the
Netherlands
The 39 German states were joined to form
the German Confederation (dominated by
Austria)
Switzerland recognized as an independent
nation
The Kingdom of Sardinia (Italy) was
strengthened by addition of Genoa
Europe – Before and After the
Congress of Vienna
Steps taken about France
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Wanted to weaken France / but not leave it
powerless
If France was severely punished, it might
seek revenge
If France broken up, a neighboring country
might get too strong
So: they did NOT exact a great price from
France
Steps taken about European monarchies
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Affirmed principle of legitimacy
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Restored ruling families of France, Spain, Italian
kingdoms & central Europe
A European First!
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First time that European countries had acted
together to control political affairs
Legacy
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Stability:
 No European war for 38 years (Crimean War – GB &
France vs. Russia)
 No World Wars between 1815 - 1914.
Absolute Monarchies – Eastern Europe
Constitutional Monarchies – England & France
Holy Alliance - Russia, Austria & Prussia pledge to treat
other nations based on Christian principles to combat
forces of revolution
Metternich issued the Carlsbad Decrees (1819) - Stifled
Enlightenment ideas & freedom in German States.
Concert of Europe - Pledge that all European Nations
would help if a revolution broke out
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Napoleon's tomb
---- in 7 coffins - red
porphyry, iron,
mahogany, lead,
ebony, oak, marble
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Eglise du Dome
(Church Dome)