The Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte From Moscow to Waterloo
The dramatic decline of Napoleon's empire began with a pivotal decision regarding the Continental System in 1811. When Russia withdrew from this economic blockade, Napoleon assembled his legendary Grand Armée - a massive force of 700,000 soldiers from France and allied nations, supported by 300,000 supply carriers. This military campaign would prove to be one of history's most catastrophic military failures.
The Russian campaign was marked by the devastating Battle of Borodino on September 13, 1812 - the bloodiest single-day battle of the Napoleonic Wars with 70,000 casualties. Though Napoleon's forces reached Moscow, they found an abandoned city. The Russians employed their famous "scorched earth" strategy, burning everything in their retreat and leaving Napoleon's army without supplies. In a shocking turn of events, released Russian prisoners set Moscow ablaze, forcing the French to retreat through the brutal Russian winter. Of Napoleon's massive invasion force, only 30,000 soldiers survived the Russian campaign.
Highlight The Russian Campaign marked the beginning of Napoleon's downfall, with the loss of over 670,000 soldiers due to combat, starvation, and extreme winter conditions.
The defeat in Russia led to the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, where a coalition of European powers finally defeated Napoleon. The subsequent Treaty of Paris in 1814 exiled Napoleon to Elba and restored the French monarchy under Louis XVIII, brother of the executed Louis XVI. However, Napoleon's story wasn't over - he escaped from Elba, returning to France for the famous "Hundred Days." This brief return to power ended at the decisive Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, where British and Prussian forces defeated Napoleon's army. After a failed attempt to flee to America, Napoleon was captured and exiled to the remote island of St. Helena under the Second Treaty of Paris, where he would remain until his death.