War and Peace: Volume 4, Part 3: Chapters 16–19 Summary & Analysis

Starting from October 28th, until they reach Vyazma, the French army, which was 73,000 strong, is gradually reduced to 36,000. Only 5,000 were killed in battle. The same proportion is lost during each of the march’s subsequent legs. From Smolensk, Berthier writes to Napoleon, explaining that the army has virtually disbanded. He urges that the men be granted rest and food at Smolensk, or else discipline will completely collapse. When the French do reach Smolensk, some kill one another in their desperation for provisions. Meanwhile, Napoleon and his staff keep writing orders that nobody follows. The army just keeps running.

Given the self-destruction of the French, it seems impossible that historians would credit the retreat to the genius of Napoleon or his marshals, but they do exactly that. They justify even Napoleon’s base actions on his supposed “greatness,” which seems to exclude the possibility of bad. It never occurs to anyone that this kind of “greatness” is actually a recognition of insignificance. But, according to the measures of good and bad given by Christ, there cannot be greatness without “simplicity, goodness, and truth.”

When they read about the end of the 1812 campaign, Russian people feel dissatisfied. Why didn’t the Russians simply destroy the weak, demoralized French? History blames Kutuzov’s and other generals’ failure to execute certain maneuvers.  In reality, there was no need to capture Napoleon and the rapidly retreating French. Besides, in the brutal winter of 1812, it was all the Russians could do to stay alive themselves.

The contradiction between historical accounts and facts is due to the fact that historians record generals’ “beautiful feelings” instead of the actual events. Interesting quotes from generals, military triumphs, and speculations are more interesting than the stories of the tens of thousands of ordinary men who died along the way. Yet if the ordinary masses’ stories were considered, the contradiction would be resolved. All the people wanted was to expel the invaders, and that was achieved. They saw no need to provoke the French who were already running away.