,BOOK #a1 ,*APT] #ai 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,ON ! TW5TY-F\R? ( ,AUGU/ ! BATTLE ( ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT WAS 
 F\<T1 ON ! TW5TY-FIF? NOT A %OT WAS FIR$ BY EI!R SIDE1 & ON 
 ! TW5TY-SIX? ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O ITSELF TOOK PLACE4 

,:Y & H[ W]E ! BATTLES ( ,%EV>D9O & ,BOROD9O GIV5 & 
 ACCEPT$8 ,:Y WAS ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O F\<T8 ,!RE WAS NOT ! LEA/ 
 S5SE 9 IT = EI!R ! ,FR5* OR ! ,RUSSIANS4 ,ITS IMM$IATE RESULT 
 = ! ,RUSSIANS WAS1 & WAS B\ND TO BE1 ?AT WE W]E BR\<T NE>] TO 
 ! DE/RUCTION ( ,MOSC[--:I* WE FE>$ MORE ?AN ANY?+ 9 ! 
 WORLD2 & = ! ,FR5* ITS IMM$IATE RESULT WAS ?AT !Y W]E BR\<T 
 NE>] TO ! DE/RUCTION ( !IR :OLE >MY--:I* !Y FE>$ MORE 
 ?AN ANY?+ 9 ! WORLD4 ,:AT ! RESULT MU/ BE WAS QUITE OBVI\S1 & 
 YET ,NAPOLEON (F]$ & ,KUTUZOV ACCEPT$ ?AT BATTLE4 

,IF ! COMM&]S HAD BE5 GUID$ BY REASON1 IT W\LD SEEM ?AT IT MU/ 
 HAVE BE5 OBVI\S TO ,NAPOLEON ?AT BY ADVANC+ ?IRTE5 HUNDR$ MILES & 
 GIV+ BATTLE ) A PROBABILITY ( LOS+ A QU>T] ( HIS >MY1 HE WAS 
 ADVANC+ TO C]TA9 DE/RUCTION1 & IT MU/ HAVE BE5 EQUALLY CLE> TO 
 ,KUTUZOV ?AT BY ACCEPT+ BATTLE & RISK+ ! LOSS ( A QU>T] ( HIS 
 >MY HE W\LD C]TA9LY LOSE ,MOSC[4 ,= ,KUTUZOV ?IS WAS MA!MATICALLY 
 CLE>1 AS IT IS ?AT IF :5 PLAY+ DRAFTS ,I HAVE ONE MAN LESS & GO 
 ON EX*ANG+1 ,I %ALL C]TA9LY LOSE1 & !RE=E %\LD NOT EX*ANGE4 
 ,:5 MY OPPON5T HAS SIXTE5 M5 & ,I HAVE F\RTE51 ,I AM ONLY ONE EI<? 
 WEAK] ?AN HE1 BUT :5 ,I HAVE EX*ANG$ ?IRTE5 MORE M5 HE WILL BE 
 ?REE TIMES AS /RONG AS ,I AM4 

,BE=E ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O \R /R5G? 9 PROPORTION TO ! ,FR5* WAS 
 AB\T AS FIVE TO SIX1 BUT AFT] ?AT BATTLE IT WAS LITTLE MORE ?AN ONE TO 
 TWO3 PREVI\SLY WE HAD A HUNDR$ ?\S& AGA9/ A HUNDR$ & TW5TY 
 ?\S&2 AFT]W>DS LITTLE MORE ?AN FIFTY ?\S& AGA9/ A HUNDR$ 
 ?\S&4 ,YET ! %REWD & EXP]I5C$ ,KUTUZOV ACCEPT$ ! BATTLE1 
 :ILE ,NAPOLEON1 :O WAS SAID TO BE A COMM&] ( G5IUS1 GAVE IT1 LOS+ 
 A QU>T] ( HIS >MY & L5G!N+ HIS L9ES ( COMMUNICATION /ILL 
 MORE4 ,IF IT IS SAID ?AT HE EXPECT$ TO 5D ! CAMPAIGN BY OCCUPY+ 
 ,MOSC[ AS HE HAD 5D$ A PREVI\S CAMPAIGN BY OCCUPY+ ,VI5NA1 !RE IS 
 MU* EVID5CE TO ! CONTR>Y4 ,NAPOLEON'S HI/ORIANS !MSELVES TELL US 
 ?AT FROM ,SMOL5SK ONW>DS HE WI%$ TO /OP1 KNEW ! DANG] ( HIS 
 EXT5D$ POSITION1 & KNEW ?AT ! OCCUPATION ( ,MOSC[ W\LD NOT BE ! 
 5D ( ! CAMPAIGN1 = HE HAD SE5 AT ,SMOL5SK ! /ATE 9 :I* 
 ,RUSSIAN T[NS W]E LEFT TO HIM1 & HAD NOT RECEIV$ A S+LE REPLY TO HIS 
 REPEAT$ ANN\NCEM5TS ( HIS WI% TO NEGOTIATE4 

,9 GIV+ & ACCEPT+ BATTLE AT ,BOROD9O1 ,KUTUZOV ACT$ 9VOLUNT>ILY 
 & IRRATIONALLY4 ,BUT LAT] ON1 TO FIT :AT HAD OCCURR$1 ! HI/ORIANS 
 PROVID$ CUNN+LY DEVIS$ EVID5CE ( ! =ESI<T & G5IUS ( ! 
 G5]ALS :O1 ( ALL ! BL9D TOOLS ( HI/ORY W]E ! MO/ 5SLAV$ & 
 9VOLUNT>Y4 

,! ANCI5TS HAVE LEFT US MODEL H]OIC POEMS 9 :I* ! H]OES FURNI% 
 ! :OLE 9T]E/ ( ! /ORY1 & WE >E /ILL UNABLE TO ACCU/OM 
 \RSELVES TO ! FACT ?AT = \R EPO* HI/ORIES ( ?AT K9D >E 
 MEAN+LESS4 

,ON ! O!R QUE/ION1 H[ ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O & ! PREC$+ BATTLE 
 ( ,%EV>D9O W]E F\<T1 !RE ALSO EXI/S A DEF9ITE & WELL-KN[N1 
 BUT QUITE FALSE1 CONCEPTION4 ,ALL ! HI/ORIANS DESCRIBE ! AFFAIR AS 
 FOLL[S3 

,! ,RUSSIAN >MY1 !Y SAY1 9 ITS RETREAT FROM ,SMOL5SK S\<T \T = 
 ITSELF ! BE/ POSITION = A G5]AL 5GAGEM5T & F\ND SU* A 
 POSITION AT ,BOROD9O4 

,! ,RUSSIANS1 !Y SAY1 =TIFI$ ?IS POSITION 9 ADVANCE ON ! LEFT ( 
 ! HI<ROAD 7FROM ,MOSC[ TO ,SMOL5SK7 & ALMO/ AT A RI<T ANGLE TO IT1 
 FROM ,BOROD9O TO ,UTITSA1 AT ! V]Y PLACE :]E ! BATTLE WAS F\<T4 

,9 FRONT ( ?IS POSITION1 !Y SAY1 A =TIFI$ \TPO/ WAS SET UP ON ! 
 ,%EV>D9O M\ND TO OBS]VE ! 5EMY4 ,ON ! TW5TY-F\R?1 WE >E TOLD1 
 ,NAPOLEON ATTACK$ ?IS ADVANC$ PO/ & TOOK IT1 &1 ON ! 
 TW5TY-SIX?1 ATTACK$ ! :OLE ,RUSSIAN >MY1 :I* WAS 9 POSITION ON 
 ! FIELD ( ,BOROD9O4 

,SO ! HI/ORIES SAY1 & IT IS ALL QUITE WRONG1 AS ANYONE :O C>ES TO 
 LOOK 9TO ! MATT] CAN EASILY CONV9CE HIMSELF4 

,! ,RUSSIANS DID NOT SEEK \T ! BE/ POSITION BUT1 ON ! CONTR>Y1 
 DUR+ ! RETREAT PASS$ MANY POSITIONS BETT] ?AN ,BOROD9O4 ,!Y DID 
 NOT /OP AT ANY ONE ( !SE POSITIONS BECAUSE ,KUTUZOV DID NOT WI% TO 
 OCCUPY A POSITION HE HAD NOT HIMSELF *OS51 BECAUSE ! POPUL> DEM& 
 = A BATTLE HAD NOT YET EXPRESS$ ITSELF /RONGLY 5\<1 & BECAUSE 
 ,MILORADOVI* HAD NOT YET >RIV$ ) ! MILITIA1 & = MANY O!R 
 REASONS4 ,! FACT IS ?AT O!R POSITIONS !Y HAD PASS$ W]E /RONG]1 
 & ?AT ! POSITION AT ,BOROD9O 7! ONE :]E ! BATTLE WAS F\<T71 
 F> FROM BE+ /RONG1 WAS NO MORE A POSITION ?AN ANY O!R SPOT ONE 
 MI<T F9D 9 ! ,RUSSIAN ,EMPIRE BY /ICK+ A P9 9TO ! MAP AT HAZ>D4 

,NOT ONLY DID ! ,RUSSIANS NOT =TIFY ! POSITION ON ! FIELD ( 
 ,BOROD9O TO ! LEFT (1 & AT A RI<T ANGLE TO1 ! HI<ROAD 7?AT IS1 
 ! POSITION ON :I* ! BATTLE TOOK PLACE71 BUT NEV] TILL ! 
 TW5TY-FIF? ( ,AUGU/1 #a#h#a#b1 DID !Y ?9K ?AT A BATTLE MI<T BE F\<T 
 !RE4 ,?IS WAS %[N FIR/ BY ! FACT ?AT !RE W]E NO 5TR5*M5TS 
 !RE BY ! TW5TY FIF? & ?AT ?OSE BEGUN ON ! TW5TY-FIF? & 
 TW5TY-SIX? W]E NOT COMPLET$1 & SECONDLY1 BY ! POSITION ( ! 
 ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT4 ,?AT R$\BT WAS QUITE S5SELESS 9 FRONT ( ! 
 POSITION :]E ! BATTLE WAS ACCEPT$4 ,:Y WAS IT MORE /RONGLY =TIFI$ 
 ?AN ANY O!R PO/8 ,& :Y W]E ALL EF=TS EXHAU/$ & SIX ?\S& 
 M5 SACRIFIC$ TO DEF5D IT TILL LATE AT NI<T ON ! TW5TY-F\R?8 ,A 
 ,COSSACK PATROL W\LD HAVE SUFFIC$ TO OBS]VE ! 5EMY4 ,?IRDLY1 AS PRO( 
 ?AT ! POSITION ON :I* ! BATTLE WAS F\<T HAD NOT BE5 =ESE5 & 
 ?AT ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT WAS NOT AN ADVANC$ PO/ ( ?AT POSITION1 WE 
 HAVE ! FACT ?AT UP TO ! TW5TY-FIF?1 ,B>CLAY DE ,TOLLY & ,BAGRATION 
 W]E CONV9C$ ?AT ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT WAS ! LEFT FLANK ( ! 
 POSITION1 & ?AT ,KUTUZOV HIMSELF 9 HIS REPORT1 WRITT5 9 HOT HA/E 
 AFT] ! BATTLE1 SPEAKS ( ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT AS ! LEFT FLANK ( 
 ! POSITION4 ,IT WAS MU* LAT]1 :5 REPORTS ON ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O 
 W]E WRITT5 AT LEISURE1 ?AT ! 9CORRECT & EXTRAORD9>Y /ATEM5T 
 WAS 9V5T$ 7PROBABLY TO JU/IFY ! MI/AKES ( A COMM&] 9 *IEF :O 
 HAD TO BE REPRES5T$ AS 9FALLIBLE7 ?AT ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT WAS AN 
 ADVANC$ PO/--:]EAS 9 REALITY IT WAS SIMPLY A =TIFI$ PO9T ON 
 ! LEFT FLANK--& ?AT ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O WAS F\<T BY US ON 
 AN 5TR5*$ POSITION PREVI\SLY SELECT$1 :]EAS IT WAS F\<T ON A 
 QUITE UNEXPECT$ SPOT :I* WAS ALMO/ UN5TR5*$4 

,! CASE WAS EVID5TLY ?IS3 A POSITION WAS SELECT$ ALONG ! RIV] 
 ,KOLO*A--:I* CROSSES ! HI<ROAD NOT AT A RI<T ANGLE BUT AT AN 
 ACUTE ANGLE--SO ?AT ! LEFT FLANK WAS AT ,%EV>D9O1 ! RI<T 
 FLANK NE> ! VILLAGE ( ,NOVOE1 & ! C5T] AT ,BOROD9O AT ! 
 CONFLU5CE ( ! RIV]S ,KOLO*A & ,VOYNA4 

,TO ANYONE :O LOOKS AT ! FIELD ( ,BOROD9O )\T ?9K+ ( H[ ! 
 BATTLE WAS ACTUALLY F\<T1 ?IS POSITION1 PROTECT$ BY ! RIV] ,KOLO*A1 
 PRES5TS ITSELF AS OBVI\S = AN >MY :OSE OBJECT WAS TO PREV5T AN 
 5EMY FROM ADVANC+ ALONG ! ,SMOL5SK ROAD TO ,MOSC[4 

,NAPOLEON1 RID+ TO ,VALUEVO ON ! TW5TY-F\R?1 DID NOT SEE 7AS ! 
 HI/ORY BOOKS SAY HE DID7 ! POSITION ( ! ,RUSSIANS FROM ,UTITSA TO 
 ,BOROD9O 7HE C\LD NOT HAVE SE5 ?AT POSITION BECAUSE IT DID NOT EXI/71 
 NOR DID HE SEE AN ADVANC$ PO/ ( ! ,RUSSIAN >MY1 BUT :ILE PURSU+ 
 ! ,RUSSIAN RE>GU>D HE CAME UPON ! LEFT FLANK ( ! ,RUSSIAN POSITION--AT 
 ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT--& UNEXPECT$LY = ! ,RUSSIANS MOV$ HIS 
 >MY ACROSS ! ,KOLO*A4 ,& ! ,RUSSIANS1 NOT HAV+ TIME TO BEG9 A 
 G5]AL 5GAGEM5T1 )DREW !IR LEFT W+ FROM ! POSITION !Y HAD 
 9T5D$ TO OCCUPY & TOOK UP A NEW POSITION :I* HAD NOT BE5 =ESE5 
 & WAS NOT =TIFI$4 ,BY CROSS+ TO ! O!R SIDE ( ! ,KOLO*A TO ! 
 LEFT ( ! HI<ROAD1 ,NAPOLEON %IFT$ ! :OLE =?COM+ BATTLE FROM 
 RI<T TO LEFT 7LOOK+ FROM ! ,RUSSIAN SIDE7 & TRANSF]R$ IT TO ! 
 PLA9 BETWE5 ,UTITSA1 ,SEM5OVSK1 & ,BOROD9O--A PLA9 NO MORE 
 ADVANTAGE\S AS A POSITION ?AN ANY O!R PLA9 9 ,RUSSIA--& !RE 
 ! :OLE BATTLE ( ! TW5TY-SIX? ( ,AUGU/ TOOK PLACE4 

,HAD ,NAPOLEON NOT RIDD5 \T ON ! EV5+ ( ! TW5TY-F\R? TO ! 
 ,KOLO*A1 & HAD HE NOT !N ORD]$ AN IMM$IATE ATTACK ON ! R$\BT 
 BUT HAD BEGUN ! ATTACK NEXT MORN+1 NO ONE W\LD HAVE D\BT$ ?AT ! 
 ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT WAS ! LEFT FLANK ( \R POSITION1 & ! BATTLE 
 W\LD HAVE TAK5 PLACE :]E WE EXPECT$ IT4 ,9 ?AT CASE WE %\LD 
 PROBABLY HAVE DEF5D$ ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT--\R LEFT FLANK--/ILL 
 MORE OB/9ATELY4 ,WE %\LD HAVE ATTACK$ ,NAPOLEON 9 ! C5T] OR ON ! 
 RI<T1 & ! 5GAGEM5T W\LD HAVE TAK5 PLACE ON ! TW5TY-FIF?1 9 
 ! POSITION WE 9T5D$ & HAD =TIFI$4 ,BUT AS ! ATTACK ON \R LEFT 
 FLANK TOOK PLACE 9 ! EV5+ AFT] ! RETREAT ( \R RE> GU>D 7?AT 
 IS1 IMM$IATELY AFT] ! FI<T AT ,GRIDNEVA71 & AS ! ,RUSSIAN 
 COMM&]S DID NOT WI%1 OR W]E NOT 9 TIME1 TO BEG9 A G5]AL 
 5GAGEM5T !N ON ! EV5+ ( ! TW5TY-F\R?1 ! FIR/ & *IEF 
 ACTION ( ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O WAS ALREADY LO/ ON ! TW5TY-F\R?1 
 & OBVI\SLY L$ TO ! LOSS ( ! ONE F\<T ON ! TW5TY-SIX?4 

,AFT] ! LOSS ( ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT1 WE F\ND \RSELVES ON ! 
 MORN+ ( ! TW5TY-FIF? )\T A POSITION = \R LEFT FLANK1 & 
 W]E =C$ TO B5D IT BACK & HA/ILY 5TR5* IT :]E IT *ANC$ TO 
 BE4 

,NOT ONLY WAS ! ,RUSSIAN >MY ON ! TW5TY-SIX? DEF5D$ BY WEAK1 
 UNF9I%$ 5TR5*M5TS1 BUT ! DISADVANTAGE ( ?AT POSITION WAS 
 9CREAS$ BY ! FACT ?AT ! ,RUSSIAN COMM&]S--NOT HAV+ FULLY 
 REALIZ$ :AT HAD HAPP5$1 NAMELY ! LOSS ( \R POSITION ON ! LEFT 
 FLANK & ! %IFT+ ( ! :OLE FIELD ( ! =?COM+ BATTLE FROM 
 RI<T TO LEFT--MA9TA9$ !IR EXT5D$ POSITION FROM ! VILLAGE ( 
 ,NOVOE TO ,UTITSA1 & CONSEQU5TLY HAD TO MOVE !IR =CES FROM RI<T TO 
 LEFT DUR+ ! BATTLE4 ,SO IT HAPP5$ ?AT ?R\<\T ! :OLE BATTLE 
 ! ,RUSSIANS OPPOS$ ! 5TIRE ,FR5* >MY LAUN*$ AGA9/ \R LEFT 
 FLANK ) BUT HALF AS MANY M54 7,PONIAT[SKI'S ACTION AGA9/ ,UTITSA1 & 
 ,UV>OV'S ON ! RI<T FLANK AGA9/ ! ,FR5*1 W]E ACTIONS DI/9CT FROM 
 ! MA9 C\RSE ( ! BATTLE47 ,SO ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O DID NOT TAKE 
 PLACE AT ALL AS 79 AN EF=T TO CONCEAL \R COMM&]S' MI/AKES EV5 AT 
 ! CO/ ( DIM9I%+ ! GLORY DUE TO ! ,RUSSIAN >MY & PEOPLE7 IT 
 HAS BE5 DESCRIB$4 ,! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O WAS NOT F\<T ON A *OS5 & 
 5TR5*$ POSITION ) =CES ONLY SLI<TLY WEAK] ?AN ?OSE ( ! 
 5EMY1 BUT1 AS A RESULT ( ! LOSS ( ! ,%EV>D9O ,R$\BT1 ! 
 ,RUSSIANS F\<T ! BATTLE ( ,BOROD9O ON AN OP5 & ALMO/ UN5TR5*$ 
 POSITION1 ) =CES ONLY HALF AS NUM]\S AS ! ,FR5*2 ?AT IS TO SAY1 
 UND] CONDITIONS 9 :I* IT WAS NOT M]ELY UN?9KABLE TO FI<T = T5 
 H\RS & SECURE AN 9DECISIVE RESULT1 BUT UN?9KABLE TO KEEP AN >MY 
 EV5 FROM COMPLETE DIS9TEGRATION & FLI<T4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #a1 ,*APT] #ai -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #a1 ,*APT] #ai -- ,ADD$4 

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