ePub Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March by Adam Zamoyski in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A Horror Story Beyond ImaginingBy Vincent A. WilliamsZamoyski's treatise on Napoleon's ill-timed and disastrous invasion of Russia is a must-read for students of military history. But beyond that; it becomes a tale of hubris and pride perhaps unmatched in scale; which gathers momentum as the autumn of 1812 devolves into winter.The descriptions of the long march eastward and the accompanying battles are well-told. The reader begins to feel a sense of foreboding as the huge and unwieldy Grand Armee fights its way toward Moscow and the summer drags on. When finally the French reach the city; they find it half-burned; with its expected stores of materiel and victuals badly depleted. Napoleon and his marshals are left with no other choice but to return to France. But they have waited too long; perhaps only by a few crucial weeks. The long retreat begins; and seemingly overnight;The Russian winter is upon them.The word "epic" is much-abused these days; but all other adjectives fail to describe the story of Napoleon's retreat. The huge French army; with an equally huge camp following; lurches into the teeth of "General Winter". Completely underfed and poorly equipped; the French and the long-suffering remnants of their long-suffering cavalry stock make their way back west. Only a fraction will complete the trek. The vast Russian countryside; which they plundered as they invaded; will yield almost nothing in the way of food or clothing; the French are reduced to wearing the dresses they packed as booty to bring to their wives back home. Thousands die each day; some freezing to death in their tracks; eating their poor horses and; in some cases; each other.Harried by mounted bands of Cossacks; which pick off stragglers as a pack of wolves might; and the Russian army itself;the Grand Armee is caught in a death-march; and for most; there will be no escape.Hyperbole is of no use in a tale like this. The sheer scale of suffering defies description. But this a story that needs to be told; and Zamoysky is well up to the task; his writing is graceful and economical; and his attention to detail is superb.30 of 35 people found the following review helpful. Debunks the myths and reveals the horrorBy Ian MuldoonWith hundreds maybe thousands of books written about the events surrounding 1812 I have only read this one. And it is memorable in making clear that supply questions; sometimes of the most basic kind; can define the outcome of wars. For example Napoleon's inattention to replacing the 50 year old Gribeauval gun and gun carriage or badly designed uniforms which look good on parade but which are difficult; restricting and irritating on a march. The problem of feeding hundreds of thousands of horses. In addition Mr Zamoyski makes clear the effects of the Grand Armee on the move; like a giant centipede; never moving uniformly; parts bunched up; parts dragging behind. The husbandry of resources; the effects of the cold; the black comedy of Napoleon having to slide down a frozen hill on his arse; the hundreds of details that give life to this amazing tale. On the Russian side; the interpersonal squabbling of the major protagonists is astonishing where personalities and the lack of dedication to a common cause or agreement on strategy; was farcical. Simple maps make the major battles clear to the reader. Mr Zamoyski also makes clear that even in the face of the most appalling misadventures; blunders; or losses of the most tragic kind; the populace will believe what it wants to believe and with sheer weight of personality; some; like Napoleon; can survive the truth. With a combination of an overall grasp of the war; with rivetting attention to detail and the suffering and experiences of the ordinary soldier; this is a good read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Highly recomended great history book.By Kindle CustomerGreat history book about this war. I highly recommend it.