Chapter 8

           

           NapoleonentersMoscowafterthebrilliantvictorydelaMoskowa;therecanbenodoubtaboutthevictoryforthebattlefieldremainsinthehandsoftheFrench.TheRussiansretreatandabandontheirancientcapital.Moscow,aboundinginprovisions,arms,munitions,andincalculablewealth,isinNapoleon’shands.TheRussianarmy,onlyhalfthestrengthoftheFrench,doesnotmakeasingleattempttoattackforawholemonth.Napoleon’spositionismostbrilliant.HecaneitherfallontheRussianarmywithdoubleitsstrengthanddestroyit;negotiateanadvantageouspeace,orincaseofarefusalmakeamenacingmoveonPetersburg,oreven,inthecaseofareverse,returntoSmolénskorVílna;orremaininMoscow;inshort,nospecialgeniuswouldseemtoberequiredtoretainthebrilliantpositiontheFrenchheldatthattime.Forthat,onlyverysimpleandeasystepswerenecessary:nottoallowthetroopstoloot,topreparewinterclothing—ofwhichtherewassufficientinMoscowforthewholearmy—andmethodicallytocollecttheprovisions,ofwhich(accordingtotheFrenchhistorians)therewereenoughinMoscowtosupplythewholearmyforsixmonths.YetNapoleon,thatgreatestofallgeniuses,whothehistoriansdeclarehadcontrolofthearmy,tooknoneofthesesteps.

           Henotmerelydidnothingofthekind,butonthecontraryheusedhispowertoselectthemostfoolishandruinousofallthecoursesopentohim.

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