From Spectacular Winner to Spectacular Loser
In 1812, just before he invaded Russia, Napoleon bestrode Europe and was at the height of his power. By year’s end, he had suffered an epic defeat, and began a downward slide that culminated two years later in his exile to St. Helena. His first misstep was his poor choice of subordinates. Napoleon wanted to decisively defeat the Russian army as soon as possible, in order to bring the Tsar to heel. However, he appointed his unqualified stepson, Prince Eugene, to a major command, and the inexperienced youth allowed the Russians to retreat. Napoleon then plunged into Russia, and followed the Tsar’s army for hundreds of miles as it retreated, refusing to give battle and scorching the countryside.
The French emperor had planned to halt at Smolensk, go into winter quarters, and resume the campaign in 1813. Once in Smolensk, however, he decided to continue on to Moscow. Near Moscow, the Russians finally offered battle at Borodino, and Napoleon won a hard-fought engagement. At the decisive moment, however, he wavered and held off from his usual tactic of sending in the elite Imperial Guard, kept in reserve, to finish off the reeling enemy. That prevented the victory from becoming decisive, and allowed the battered Russians to live to fight another day.