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(dramatic patriotic music)
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Peace reigns over a large part of Europe,
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but France is the theater for some worrying
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military preparations.
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Thousands of soldiers are being enrolled
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and different army corps are being assembled.
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But Emperor Napoleon I is saying loud and clear
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that he does not want another war.
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In 1811, Napoleon controls Europe,
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from the Mediterranean to the Neman River.
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He is counting on fighting the British with Russian support.
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Since his victory over Tsar Alexander in Friedland in 1807
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and the Treaty of Tilsit, France and Russia
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are officially allies.
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But Alexander doesn't support Napoleon's
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expansionist strategy and irrespective of their treaties,
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Alexander allows English merchant ships access to his ports.
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For Napoleon, Russia's behavior makes it an enemy of France.
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Armand de Caulaincourt has been French Ambassador
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to St. Petersburg for four years.
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He understands Russia perfectly.
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I hear they miss you greatly in St. Petersburg,
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and they even organized a banquet in honor
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of your departure.
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Have you turned into a Russian, Caulaincourt?
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You know I've been requesting a transfer
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back to Paris for two years, sir.
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Two years, yes.
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I hope you took advantage of your time there
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to get to know your friend, Alexander.
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So, why is he refusing to close his ports to the British?
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It's not what one might call a declaration.
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When we signed the peace treaty in Tilsit four years ago,
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he told me,
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I hate the English as much as you do.
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And I answered, "In that case, we have peace."
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But he didn't keep his word.
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It was you who invaded Germany.
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You support the Poles and you are amassing troops
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on the frontiers during peace time.
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Caulaincourt used to be
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Napoleon's Aide-de-camp.
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He knows how to gain his trust and his benevolence.
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But despite his admiration for Napoleon,
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he won't let himself be blinded.
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He can clearly see his game and he fears for France.
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Nothing can justify this campaign you're leading
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so far from Paris.
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Too many have already died on the battlefield.
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Ah, Caulaincourt, you don't understand business.
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Russia is vast and the climate is harsh.
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They will let you come and wear out
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your troops forced to march.
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They won't fight.
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They will wait for winter.
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You no longer have confidence in me.
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Caulaincourt, don't worry.
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Look upon the war in Russia as one that makes sense.
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(dramatic music)
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War.
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The word has finally been spoken.
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Over the following months, Napoleon continues
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to amass his troops from all four corners of Europe,
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sending them towards the borders of the Russian Empire.
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Tsar Alexander knows this confrontation is inevitable.
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He hesitates lengthily between two strategies.
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Should he set out to meet the French
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or draw them towards Moscow?
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To thwart the French spies, his plan must remain secret
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from the majority of the General Staff
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and the Russian people.
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Napoleon continues to ignore calls for caution.
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As Caulaincourt noticed, he had gone back down
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that irresistible path towards his destiny.
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(dramatic orchestral music)
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(indistinct yelling)
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Day one of the campaign, half a million men.
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They speak French in the ranks,
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but also Italian, German, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.
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It's an army of 20 nations.
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The first empire marching towards its destiny.
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Napoleon wants a flash campaign,
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a demonstration of force that will suffice, in his mind,
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to make the Tsar see sense.
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He wants to achieve his dream of bringing
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all the peoples of Europe together as one.
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They've been promised they would soon be going home,
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but beyond the Neman River which marks the frontier
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between Poland and the Russian Empire,
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they are entering the unknown.
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The most important thing to say about the Grande Armee
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is that it's enormous.
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The biggest army anyone's ever seen in European history.
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The particularity about Napoleon's Grande Armee
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was that it had very high numbers of civilians.
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Some officers, even non-commissioned officers,
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brought wives and children with them, even mistresses.
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So the caravan was quite an assorted one.
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Some had been with him since the Egyptian campaign.
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They were the old guard and were
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the bedrock of the Grande Armee.
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They trusted and followed this man.
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To him, he was a star, a genius.
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Napoleon is enjoying
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the start to his campaign.
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He's made it.
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He's in the land of the Tsars.
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In a letter to his wife, Marie Louise,
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he reveals his optimism and a certain indifference.
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My friend, nothing significant has happened.
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I'm in good health, but the heat is excessive.
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Napoleon's real adversary in terms of ensuring
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the French domination of Europe was England.
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His aim was to bring England to its knees
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and force it to make peace.
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Within this framework, he made a pact with Russia in 1807.
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In reality, this was an alliance
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of the strong with the weak.
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For example, he'd obliged Russia to declare war on England,
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and to cease all trade with the English.
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But the Russians were never able to respect
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this part of the agreement because trade with England
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was vital to their economy.
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Another even more ideological element
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involved saying that going to war with Russia
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was about setting European civilization
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against Asiatic barbarism, in which Russia was complicit.
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If you asked the question of the Russians,
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they would have said that Napoleon
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wanted to conquer Russia.
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Napoleon wants to win the war quickly.
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He expects to defeat the Russian army within two months,
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force Alexander to make peace on Napoleon's terms,
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but he doesn't want to destroy the Russian empire
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and he doesn't want to chase Alexander off his throne.
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He wants to fight a limited war.
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(gentle classical music)
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For Alexander, the enemy to defeat
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is Napoleon, not France of whose culture and history
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he's a big fan.
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He even likes speaking French as much as he does Russian.
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Sir, the Grande Armee crossed the Neman this morning.
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(sighs)
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Without a declaration of war?
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Impossible.
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The new French Ambassador sent a note two days ago
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saying his mission was finished.
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Two days ago.
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Why wasn't I informed?
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We didn't think... (exhales)
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That was their declaration of war.
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We are ready to fight, sir.
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I do not share that view, General.
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But --
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The Corsican wants a short war,
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the outcome of which will be determined
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by one of those victories that made his glorious career.
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He wants another Austerlitz,
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and we are going to deprive him of that pleasure.
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By refusing to fight?
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That is not a worthy attitude.
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We will lead him to get lost,
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which will give us time.
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(dramatic music)
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Alexander I is a complicated human being.
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He is, in some senses, a very wily and tough politician.
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In other ways, he's a very sensitive
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and easily hurt individual.
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Who wouldn't feel inferior to Napoleon
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in military terms back then?
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Alexander tried to command armies
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during the 1805 campaign,
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and that ended with a terrible catastrophe
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at the Battle of Austerlitz.
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So Alexander knows that he isn't a great military mind
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and for the first time in Russian history,
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in 1812 he agreed to not personally command his armies.
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Alexander has learned lessons
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from his 1805 defeat at Austerlitz.
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Napoleon skillfully let him believe that
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he only had 40,000 men left,
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whereas in reality, he had double that.
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Trapped, tricked, and humiliated,
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the Tsar and his Austrian ally had abandoned
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16,000 dead on the battlefield.
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This was the first in a long series of victories
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for the Grande Armee
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until the attempt at Russia seven years later.
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To put pressure on Alexander,
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French spies distribute tracts in the villages
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to cause concern among the Russian country folk.
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(speaking in Russian)
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30 million peasants are living in slavery.
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The slightest resistance to the nobility
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is cruelly repressed.
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They must be dreaming of their freedom.
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(dramatic orchestral music)
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(speaks in Russian)
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By promising to abolish servitude,
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perhaps Napoleon can win their loyalty.
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But despite their suffering,
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they are attached to their bits of land.
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It is their world, and as for these Frenchmen approaching,
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what to they know?
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At this early stage in the campaign,
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it's still impossible for either Napoleon or Alexander
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to predict what the peasants reaction will be
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and to what extent they can be relied upon.
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Russia is nothing but a huge uncertainty.
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Nobody has invaded Russia for 300 years
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and the Russian people compared Napoleon's
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invasion into their land
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to the invasion of the Mongols and Tatars
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in their forbearer's day.
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Pamfill Nazaroff is only 20 years old,
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but the Tsar needs soldiers to fight Napoleon
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whom he presents as the antichrist.
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Because Pamfill is young and unmarried,
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he's been picked out by the village community.
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(sad piano music)
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Young serfs like him are conscripted
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with the agreement of their owners
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who see this as their contribution
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to the defense of the Russian motherland.
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(speaking in Russian)
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Enrolled for a period of 25 years,
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they are then considered free men
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if they survive.
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Pamfill Nazaroff will have to learn
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the tough lesson of becoming a soldier
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and soon, he will be ready to face the Grande Armee.
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When they were enrolled into the army,
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the serfs were almost certain
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they'd never see their families and loved ones again.
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Soldiers lives were incredibly hard.
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The regiment became their family
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and that was a fundamental element
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that also explains the courage with which they fought
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for these substitute families.
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The Russian nobility was very afraid
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that Napoleon would abolish serfdom in Russia.
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This created chaos.
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The Grande Armee advances towards Vilnius,
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but the enemy avoids them and refuses to fight.
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Napoleon's Imperial Guard finally spots a Russian column.
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(guns firing and men yelling)
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This is their first confrontation,
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and their first hand to hand battle.
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Both sides swear they would rather die
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than give up an inch of terrain.
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It's a cruel foretaste of the battles to come.
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(canon fire and men yelling)
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The French easily push back their attackers,
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which fuels the illusion that the Tsar
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will capitulate in a matter of days.
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(men singing in French)
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Sergeant Adrian Franceau Bourgogne,
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Grenadier of the Elite Imperial Guard,
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had participated in all Napoleon's campaigns prior to 1812.
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To him, this long March is just one more campaign.
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Sergeant?
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Duvall?
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Duvall! Oh, my friend! (laughing)
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You turned out well.
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Are you injured?
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It's just a scratch.
267
00:15:37,976 --> 00:15:39,928
I've come to give you your share of home,
268
00:15:39,928 --> 00:15:42,082
a little wagon taken from a Russian general
269
00:15:42,082 --> 00:15:43,778
and everything it contains.
270
00:15:43,778 --> 00:15:45,380
We put it all in Florencia's vehicle.
271
00:15:45,380 --> 00:15:46,734
She's our cook.
272
00:15:46,734 --> 00:15:48,867
She's been with us since Spain,
273
00:15:48,867 --> 00:15:51,907
and I took her under my wing.
274
00:15:51,907 --> 00:15:53,443
But I only have honorable intentions.
275
00:15:53,443 --> 00:15:54,712
Don't listen to the gossip.
276
00:15:54,712 --> 00:15:56,360
Naturally. (both laughing)
277
00:15:59,224 --> 00:16:01,240
You must eat little one,
278
00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:03,373
to give you strength to fight the Russian.
279
00:16:03,373 --> 00:16:05,991
Otherwise I'll tell the emperor.
280
00:16:06,701 --> 00:16:08,301
In a touching coincidence,
281
00:16:08,301 --> 00:16:10,989
in the same regiment, Bourgogne finds 12 men
282
00:16:10,989 --> 00:16:12,668
from Con Desieur Lisco,
283
00:16:12,668 --> 00:16:17,291
his hometown some 2,000 kilometers away.
284
00:16:19,270 --> 00:16:22,032
And him. What's wrong with him?
285
00:16:22,032 --> 00:16:24,187
He couldn't stand the artillery.
286
00:16:24,187 --> 00:16:27,397
At the first canonfire, he left his line
287
00:16:27,397 --> 00:16:31,207
and only came back when the battle was over.
288
00:16:31,207 --> 00:16:32,545
Hmm.
289
00:16:38,684 --> 00:16:41,073
The Russian General's wine,
290
00:16:41,073 --> 00:16:44,459
you can't say no.
291
00:16:45,415 --> 00:16:48,072
You'll toughen up. You'll see.
292
00:16:48,072 --> 00:16:53,072
One learns to manage one's fears, anxiety, and pain.
293
00:16:53,757 --> 00:16:56,201
Are you ever afraid?
294
00:16:56,201 --> 00:16:58,548
Me and everyone else.
295
00:16:58,548 --> 00:17:01,353
I've been injured twice
296
00:17:01,353 --> 00:17:03,956
and I understand what it means,
297
00:17:03,956 --> 00:17:06,899
being picked by chance and taken away from one's family.
298
00:17:06,899 --> 00:17:08,691
The forced marches.
299
00:17:08,691 --> 00:17:11,806
The sleepless nights while you await the battle.
300
00:17:11,806 --> 00:17:13,075
If my family hadn't been so poor,
301
00:17:13,075 --> 00:17:14,174
without possessions or land,
302
00:17:14,174 --> 00:17:16,264
I would have had someone to replace me.
303
00:17:16,264 --> 00:17:18,600
Him. That's why he's here.
304
00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,320
A conscript paid for him to take his place.
305
00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,637
I've never touched a penny of my pay.
306
00:17:24,637 --> 00:17:26,333
Look at these soles.
307
00:17:26,333 --> 00:17:29,682
They're supposed to last three years.
308
00:17:29,682 --> 00:17:31,325
What are we doing here?
309
00:17:31,325 --> 00:17:32,562
Do you know?
310
00:17:32,562 --> 00:17:34,908
Who are we fighting for?
311
00:17:34,908 --> 00:17:36,434
Sergeant Bourgogne chose
312
00:17:36,434 --> 00:17:38,345
to make a career of the army.
313
00:17:38,345 --> 00:17:40,846
In his eyes, Napoleon is infallible.
314
00:17:40,846 --> 00:17:45,064
(thunder cracks loudly)
315
00:17:46,552 --> 00:17:48,872
(horse neighing)
316
00:17:52,195 --> 00:17:53,496
Come on, soldier.
317
00:17:53,496 --> 00:17:54,776
He cannot possibly imagine
318
00:17:54,776 --> 00:17:58,136
that very soon, 11 of the comrades he has just found
319
00:17:58,136 --> 00:18:02,441
will lose their lives.
320
00:18:02,441 --> 00:18:04,905
The Grande Armee is preparing to enter Vilnius,
321
00:18:04,905 --> 00:18:07,177
the capital of Lithuania.
322
00:18:07,177 --> 00:18:09,268
Vilnius was formerly part of Poland
323
00:18:09,268 --> 00:18:11,081
before being annexed by Russia,
324
00:18:11,081 --> 00:18:15,006
but the Tsar has just abandoned the city.
325
00:18:15,006 --> 00:18:17,555
This is good news for the inhabitants of Vilnius
326
00:18:17,555 --> 00:18:19,507
and the 30,000 Polish soldiers
327
00:18:19,507 --> 00:18:21,854
fighting in the Grande Armee.
328
00:18:23,423 --> 00:18:25,097
When the French entered Vilnius,
329
00:18:25,097 --> 00:18:27,860
the Poles and the Polish nobility, in particular,
330
00:18:27,860 --> 00:18:31,254
welcomed the French as their liberators.
331
00:18:31,254 --> 00:18:35,531
They thought that Napoleon was give them their freedom.
332
00:18:35,531 --> 00:18:37,995
And better than freedom, he was going to ensure
333
00:18:37,995 --> 00:18:41,210
the rebirth of the Polish state.
334
00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,216
Alexander was here just a few hours ago.
335
00:18:45,216 --> 00:18:46,135
Why would he give me the city
336
00:18:46,135 --> 00:18:47,395
without putting up a fight?
337
00:18:47,395 --> 00:18:49,955
Sir, he's doing everything to make this campaign last
338
00:18:49,955 --> 00:18:51,472
and to deprive you of a major battle.
339
00:18:51,472 --> 00:18:53,340
Time is on his side.
340
00:18:53,340 --> 00:18:55,211
The coward.
341
00:18:55,921 --> 00:18:58,822
He has dishonored himself in the eyes of the brave Poles.
342
00:18:58,822 --> 00:19:00,230
Sir, General Balashov,
343
00:19:00,230 --> 00:19:03,046
Ambassador for his Imperial Majesty.
344
00:19:03,046 --> 00:19:04,625
Since Peter the Great, no enemy
345
00:19:04,625 --> 00:19:07,345
has invaded your land, General Balashov,
346
00:19:07,345 --> 00:19:09,382
yet you allow me to conquer an entire province
347
00:19:09,382 --> 00:19:11,312
without even putting up a fight.
348
00:19:11,312 --> 00:19:14,011
Are you not ashamed, General?
349
00:19:14,011 --> 00:19:15,280
I can assure you, sir,
350
00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,819
that the Russians will fight like lions.
351
00:19:17,819 --> 00:19:19,024
The Emperor, my master,
352
00:19:19,024 --> 00:19:20,922
insists you withdraw your troops.
353
00:19:20,922 --> 00:19:23,760
My brother, Alexander, is a novice in military affairs.
354
00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,311
Why did he decide to take on the supreme command alone?
355
00:19:27,311 --> 00:19:28,655
He might surprise you.
356
00:19:28,655 --> 00:19:30,927
He will be obliged to ask me for peace
357
00:19:30,927 --> 00:19:34,708
before two months have passed.
358
00:19:36,015 --> 00:19:37,711
We will stay here for a few days
359
00:19:37,711 --> 00:19:39,545
to replenish our stores of food.
360
00:19:39,545 --> 00:19:42,287
Set up hospitals to care for the sick and wounded,
361
00:19:42,287 --> 00:19:44,743
and restructure the Lithuanian administration, Bertier,
362
00:19:44,743 --> 00:19:47,153
by using the resources of the local elites.
363
00:19:47,153 --> 00:19:48,871
We will form a provisional government
364
00:19:48,871 --> 00:19:50,152
and proclaim its autonomy.
365
00:19:50,152 --> 00:19:51,539
But nobody will fall for it, sir.
366
00:19:51,539 --> 00:19:53,138
The government will be under our control.
367
00:19:53,138 --> 00:19:56,276
Caulaincourt, I didn't ask for your opinion.
368
00:19:56,276 --> 00:19:57,834
Do you intend to declare yourself
369
00:19:57,834 --> 00:19:59,625
in favor of Lithuanian independence,
370
00:19:59,625 --> 00:20:01,897
to state loud and clear that Poland exists?
371
00:20:01,897 --> 00:20:03,124
There is no question of throwing
372
00:20:03,124 --> 00:20:05,769
our alliance with Austria into jeopardy.
373
00:20:05,769 --> 00:20:07,540
The Poles will have to wait.
374
00:20:07,540 --> 00:20:09,812
In those conditions, your calls for their patriotism
375
00:20:09,812 --> 00:20:11,550
will go unheaded.
376
00:20:11,550 --> 00:20:13,758
Part of Poland still belongs to Austria
377
00:20:13,758 --> 00:20:16,542
and Napoleon needs his Austrian allies to ensure
378
00:20:16,542 --> 00:20:18,824
his victory over the Russians.
379
00:20:18,824 --> 00:20:21,310
The Russians did not spontaneously leave
380
00:20:21,310 --> 00:20:22,589
when the French arrived.
381
00:20:22,589 --> 00:20:24,723
It was a strategy that had been decided upon
382
00:20:24,723 --> 00:20:26,675
by the Russian high command around one year
383
00:20:26,675 --> 00:20:29,831
before the French entered Russia.
384
00:20:30,169 --> 00:20:32,451
The retreat of the Russian army naturally
385
00:20:32,451 --> 00:20:35,107
had to be accompanied by every possible means
386
00:20:35,107 --> 00:20:38,620
to slow down the advance of Napoleon's troops.
387
00:20:41,132 --> 00:20:42,871
These means included the so-called
388
00:20:42,871 --> 00:20:45,613
Scorched Earth Policy that involved destroying
389
00:20:45,613 --> 00:20:50,460
all available stocks of food, animal fodder, and livestock.
390
00:20:57,965 --> 00:20:59,202
Continuing their pursuit
391
00:20:59,202 --> 00:21:00,919
of the evasive Russian army,
392
00:21:00,919 --> 00:21:03,191
the Grande Armee leaves Vilnius
393
00:21:03,191 --> 00:21:04,492
and the troops are forced to walk
394
00:21:04,492 --> 00:21:09,492
12 to 25 miles a day, always heading further east.
395
00:21:10,092 --> 00:21:12,150
The torrential rain means that every step
396
00:21:12,150 --> 00:21:15,421
is a fight with the mud.
397
00:21:19,522 --> 00:21:21,976
The Russians have burned mills and depots,
398
00:21:21,976 --> 00:21:24,514
so there's no food for the cavalry.
399
00:21:24,514 --> 00:21:27,415
They take rotten straw from the thatched roofs,
400
00:21:27,415 --> 00:21:31,334
but the horses die eating it.
401
00:21:32,194 --> 00:21:34,905
With no bread and suffering from dysentary
402
00:21:34,905 --> 00:21:36,579
and wounds that go unhealed,
403
00:21:36,579 --> 00:21:41,394
soon there are thousands of thieves and deserters.
404
00:21:51,673 --> 00:21:53,348
Things started to go wrong
405
00:21:53,348 --> 00:21:56,618
from the very first weeks of the campaign.
406
00:21:57,413 --> 00:21:59,301
I wouldn't use the word famine,
407
00:21:59,301 --> 00:22:00,901
because that's a little excessive,
408
00:22:00,901 --> 00:22:03,979
but the first problems of food supplies were emerging.
409
00:22:04,795 --> 00:22:07,515
There were, without doubt, several tens of thousands
410
00:22:07,515 --> 00:22:10,491
of men who were thieving and living off the army
411
00:22:10,491 --> 00:22:13,867
without being operational in military terms.
412
00:22:14,343 --> 00:22:15,921
To bring his troops together
413
00:22:15,921 --> 00:22:17,798
and foster some kind of cohesion,
414
00:22:17,798 --> 00:22:21,073
Napoleon needs the major battle he's been longing for
415
00:22:21,073 --> 00:22:23,401
now more than ever.
416
00:22:25,401 --> 00:22:28,868
In the distance, they can see a host of tiny lights.
417
00:22:28,868 --> 00:22:31,204
They're coming from the Russian army's encampment.
418
00:22:31,204 --> 00:22:33,662
It's the Tsar's army.
419
00:22:34,563 --> 00:22:37,422
This is the moment they've all been waiting for.
420
00:22:37,422 --> 00:22:41,352
Here they are close by in his sights.
421
00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:46,883
Napoleon's goal is so close now.
422
00:22:46,883 --> 00:22:50,034
Tomorrow will see the great battle.
423
00:22:51,597 --> 00:22:54,850
Just one victory, another Austerlitz,
424
00:22:54,850 --> 00:22:57,671
and this war will be over.
425
00:22:58,306 --> 00:23:02,716
(men singing in French)
426
00:23:03,117 --> 00:23:04,695
Sgt. Bourgogne and his men
427
00:23:04,695 --> 00:23:09,081
are preparing for the confrontation.
428
00:23:09,081 --> 00:23:13,768
They clean their weapons and check their rifles.
429
00:23:18,979 --> 00:23:21,624
They cut up sheets in case they're injured.
430
00:23:21,624 --> 00:23:25,938
On the battlefield, one must treat one's own wounds.
431
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:28,781
Some are writing their wills,
432
00:23:28,781 --> 00:23:30,935
recording their last wishes but dreaming
433
00:23:30,935 --> 00:23:35,011
of seeing their wives and children once more.
434
00:23:35,011 --> 00:23:39,808
Others seem carefree, singing or sleeping.
435
00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,474
On this campaign, Napoleon's losses
436
00:23:49,474 --> 00:23:51,874
in terms of men, horses, and equipment
437
00:23:51,874 --> 00:23:55,650
are the equivalent of two great battles.
438
00:23:55,650 --> 00:23:58,897
He needs a victory and soon.
439
00:23:58,897 --> 00:24:02,343
Sir, you must come quickly.
440
00:24:02,343 --> 00:24:05,334
I'll be right there, Caulaincourt.
441
00:24:06,823 --> 00:24:08,630
Gentlemen.
442
00:24:10,098 --> 00:24:13,387
(suspenseful music)
443
00:24:23,889 --> 00:24:27,046
Napoleon understands that he has been tricked.
444
00:24:27,046 --> 00:24:28,507
There will be no battle.
445
00:24:28,507 --> 00:24:31,366
The Russians have disappeared without a trace.
446
00:24:33,533 --> 00:24:35,527
The army continues on its unremitting way
447
00:24:35,527 --> 00:24:37,949
towards Smolensk.
448
00:24:37,949 --> 00:24:39,698
The Russian summer is hot
449
00:24:39,698 --> 00:24:42,089
and drinking water is running out.
450
00:24:42,089 --> 00:24:43,785
Some battalions only have beer
451
00:24:43,785 --> 00:24:46,035
with which to quench their thirst.
452
00:24:46,035 --> 00:24:49,144
But they keep going.
453
00:24:51,157 --> 00:24:52,417
Despite all the difficulties
454
00:24:52,417 --> 00:24:54,625
during the early days of the campaign,
455
00:24:54,625 --> 00:24:56,257
Napoleon has a strategy.
456
00:24:56,257 --> 00:24:57,910
He is here to fight.
457
00:24:57,910 --> 00:25:00,363
This strategy almost works because his various
458
00:25:00,363 --> 00:25:02,678
troop movements are forcing the Russian army
459
00:25:02,678 --> 00:25:06,386
to assemble around the town of Smolensk.
460
00:25:06,885 --> 00:25:10,186
(canons firing)
461
00:25:11,973 --> 00:25:14,868
The first artillery is fired at 6 a.m.
462
00:25:14,868 --> 00:25:17,402
Napoleon expects to confront the Tsar's armies,
463
00:25:17,402 --> 00:25:21,029
but only 20,000 enemy soldiers are present.
464
00:25:21,029 --> 00:25:23,461
They've received the order to defend Smolensk,
465
00:25:23,461 --> 00:25:25,620
whatever it takes.
466
00:25:26,575 --> 00:25:28,058
But behind the ramparts,
467
00:25:28,058 --> 00:25:30,524
this wooden town is burning.
468
00:25:30,524 --> 00:25:33,307
Men, women, and children who were unable to flee
469
00:25:33,307 --> 00:25:37,842
are dying, burned alive or asphyxiated by smoke inhalation.
470
00:25:37,842 --> 00:25:39,795
The city is lost.
471
00:25:39,795 --> 00:25:42,995
Napoleon is victorious. He has captured Smolensk.
472
00:25:42,995 --> 00:25:45,502
But by blocking him, the defenders of Smolensk
473
00:25:45,502 --> 00:25:47,571
have allowed the main part of the Russian army
474
00:25:47,571 --> 00:25:50,370
to escape towards Moscow.
475
00:25:51,496 --> 00:25:53,842
Some will compare the tragedy of Smolensk
476
00:25:53,842 --> 00:25:56,716
with that of Pompeii.
477
00:25:57,832 --> 00:26:00,711
It's like the eruption of Vesuvius.
478
00:26:00,711 --> 00:26:03,101
A fine spectacle. Is it not, Master Horseman?
479
00:26:03,101 --> 00:26:04,445
It's horrible, sir.
480
00:26:04,445 --> 00:26:07,420
Ha! Just you remember this.
481
00:26:07,420 --> 00:26:12,420
A dead enemy's body always smells good. Roman Proverb.
482
00:26:12,605 --> 00:26:14,664
Sir, will you permit me to withdraw?
483
00:26:14,664 --> 00:26:16,690
It's the Russians who are stoking the flames
484
00:26:16,690 --> 00:26:19,869
while their army runs away, Caulaincourt.
485
00:26:19,869 --> 00:26:22,770
Now it'll be the honor of your friend, Alexander,
486
00:26:22,770 --> 00:26:25,280
to face me at least once,
487
00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,189
after which we'll be able to make peace
488
00:26:27,189 --> 00:26:30,992
like two champions reconciling after a duel.
489
00:26:31,926 --> 00:26:35,755
War is simply politics, Caulaincourt.
490
00:26:35,755 --> 00:26:36,984
And peace will never happen while we're
491
00:26:36,984 --> 00:26:38,843
on this side of the Rhine.
492
00:26:38,843 --> 00:26:40,240
Caulaincourt suffers constantly
493
00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:42,320
from the pain I inflict upon his friend.
494
00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,666
The Tsar is not my friend!
495
00:26:44,666 --> 00:26:46,161
I am more French than many others who only seek
496
00:26:46,161 --> 00:26:47,324
to please and flatter you.
497
00:26:47,324 --> 00:26:48,508
Please, calm down.
498
00:26:48,508 --> 00:26:49,533
You're addressing the Emperor.
499
00:26:49,533 --> 00:26:51,229
Why should I be silent?
500
00:26:51,229 --> 00:26:52,509
I am honored to have done everything
501
00:26:52,509 --> 00:26:55,031
to prevent this war.
502
00:26:55,154 --> 00:26:57,522
Sir, give me a mission to Spain.
503
00:26:57,522 --> 00:26:58,407
Let me leave this.
504
00:26:58,407 --> 00:27:01,468
You are too sensitive, Caulaincourt.
505
00:27:01,468 --> 00:27:03,975
You know the esteem I have for you.
506
00:27:03,975 --> 00:27:06,119
Alexander simply declares himself against England
507
00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,252
and it'll be all over.
508
00:27:08,252 --> 00:27:09,949
And meanwhile?
509
00:27:10,527 --> 00:27:12,894
If he doesn't wish to see me crowned Emperor
510
00:27:12,894 --> 00:27:15,052
in the Kremlin,
511
00:27:15,052 --> 00:27:18,117
he'd better seek to stop me.
512
00:27:18,125 --> 00:27:19,858
Hmm?
513
00:27:20,770 --> 00:27:23,000
Napoleon believed in a battle
514
00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,919
because he wanted one and he would win it.
515
00:27:27,202 --> 00:27:29,250
He remained convinced that Alexander would soon
516
00:27:29,250 --> 00:27:30,989
be asking for peace,
517
00:27:30,989 --> 00:27:34,041
and I realized that all I could do was to count on
518
00:27:34,041 --> 00:27:36,430
the good ideas that had, until that point,
519
00:27:36,430 --> 00:27:38,397
made me so happy.
520
00:27:40,220 --> 00:27:42,129
The fight of the town was a tragic one
521
00:27:42,129 --> 00:27:44,689
because this place which had once been so magnificent
522
00:27:44,689 --> 00:27:46,579
was completely destroyed by fire,
523
00:27:46,579 --> 00:27:48,212
a fire mainly set by the Russians
524
00:27:48,212 --> 00:27:51,348
in accordance with their strategy of Scorched Earth.
525
00:27:52,352 --> 00:27:54,901
Smolensk was the first turning point of the war,
526
00:27:54,901 --> 00:27:57,088
in that there were widespread civilian deaths
527
00:27:57,088 --> 00:28:00,503
and they were now also victims of this war.
528
00:28:02,344 --> 00:28:04,872
It's considered that it was from the taking of Smolensk
529
00:28:04,872 --> 00:28:09,872
that the patriotic war against the French occupier began.
530
00:28:11,687 --> 00:28:13,586
Napoleon, the invader.
531
00:28:13,586 --> 00:28:15,815
In Smolensk, he sets up a town council
532
00:28:15,815 --> 00:28:18,418
made of Russian citizens ordered to obey
533
00:28:18,418 --> 00:28:20,274
if they do not wish to be punished
534
00:28:20,274 --> 00:28:23,585
and paid in French currency.
535
00:28:23,921 --> 00:28:26,407
He orders them to levy a contribution of wheat,
536
00:28:26,407 --> 00:28:29,681
livestock, and fodder from the population.
537
00:28:29,681 --> 00:28:32,326
These heavy levies serve to foster hatred
538
00:28:32,326 --> 00:28:35,574
for the French occupying forces.
539
00:28:36,571 --> 00:28:38,566
But the Russians do not understand
540
00:28:38,566 --> 00:28:40,614
why Alexander's not fighting back
541
00:28:40,614 --> 00:28:44,065
and defending their towns and countryside.
542
00:28:45,426 --> 00:28:47,484
That triggered a first and very deep
543
00:28:47,484 --> 00:28:49,671
crisis of confidence between the Tsar
544
00:28:49,671 --> 00:28:52,668
and the Russian population.
545
00:28:52,668 --> 00:28:54,684
And also, a crisis of confidence inside
546
00:28:54,684 --> 00:28:57,005
the Imperial Army itself.
547
00:28:57,566 --> 00:28:59,253
A letter from General Bagration
548
00:28:59,253 --> 00:29:01,654
to his friend, Yermaloff,
549
00:29:01,654 --> 00:29:03,819
"I am ashamed to wear this uniform.
550
00:29:03,819 --> 00:29:05,302
"It is killing me.
551
00:29:05,302 --> 00:29:07,275
"We've been scattered around like pawns
552
00:29:07,275 --> 00:29:09,067
"and now we stay here open-mouthed,
553
00:29:09,067 --> 00:29:11,829
"suffering along our frontiers.
554
00:29:11,829 --> 00:29:12,960
"It disgusts me so much
555
00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,520
"that it is driving me insane.
556
00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:19,265
I'm going to trade my uniform against a peasant's smock."
557
00:29:19,265 --> 00:29:21,654
Constantly withdrawing makes the Russian soldiers
558
00:29:21,654 --> 00:29:23,046
feel like cowards.
559
00:29:23,046 --> 00:29:25,425
Their morale is lower than ever.
560
00:29:25,425 --> 00:29:27,953
All these foreign spies,
561
00:29:27,953 --> 00:29:29,606
their armies, sir.
562
00:29:29,606 --> 00:29:32,177
It includes a thousand German officers.
563
00:29:32,177 --> 00:29:34,758
All these foreigners dictating this dishonorable retreat,
564
00:29:34,758 --> 00:29:37,286
your troops are no longer inspiring confidence.
565
00:29:37,286 --> 00:29:40,304
That is why I brought you all here.
566
00:29:40,304 --> 00:29:42,555
I am going to appoing a Supreme Commander,
567
00:29:42,555 --> 00:29:44,326
who will be able to unite the army
568
00:29:44,326 --> 00:29:48,106
and the people around him.
569
00:29:48,667 --> 00:29:52,564
Our victory depends on this nomination.
570
00:29:54,288 --> 00:29:56,906
(speaking in Russian)
571
00:30:01,489 --> 00:30:04,211
Alexander I didn't like Kutuzov.
572
00:30:04,211 --> 00:30:07,058
Firstly, because his very face reminded Alexander
573
00:30:07,058 --> 00:30:09,640
of the defeat at Austerlitz.
574
00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:11,784
Because back then, Kutuzov had suggested
575
00:30:11,784 --> 00:30:14,087
an option which the Tsar did not follow
576
00:30:14,087 --> 00:30:16,669
and that led to a terrible fiasco.
577
00:30:18,430 --> 00:30:20,563
Sources said that General Kutuzov
578
00:30:20,563 --> 00:30:24,521
liked good food and good women.
579
00:30:24,708 --> 00:30:27,492
Different generals denounced him to Alexander I,
580
00:30:27,492 --> 00:30:31,182
stating that in both his apartment and on the battlefield,
581
00:30:31,182 --> 00:30:33,956
Kutuzov had girls dressed as Cossacks
582
00:30:33,956 --> 00:30:37,469
whose job it was to warm up his bed.
583
00:30:38,896 --> 00:30:41,850
But Alexander I was a very modest man
584
00:30:41,850 --> 00:30:43,589
and from that perspective, there was a certain
585
00:30:43,589 --> 00:30:47,743
incompatibility in terms of style between the two men.
586
00:30:48,143 --> 00:30:52,250
To lead a war of liberation, a patriotic war,
587
00:30:52,250 --> 00:30:53,743
we need a Russian.
588
00:30:53,743 --> 00:30:56,548
In that case, what about General Tomasov?
589
00:30:56,548 --> 00:30:57,947
Kutuzov, sir.
590
00:30:57,947 --> 00:30:59,524
He is the oldest.
591
00:30:59,524 --> 00:31:02,854
Our best generals, including Bagration and Bennigsen
592
00:31:02,854 --> 00:31:04,550
will agree to serve under him.
593
00:31:04,550 --> 00:31:06,544
He was defeated at Austerlitz.
594
00:31:06,544 --> 00:31:09,168
That doesn't detract from his general popularity.
595
00:31:09,168 --> 00:31:10,939
He has just been unanimously elected
596
00:31:10,939 --> 00:31:14,139
head of the militias in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
597
00:31:14,139 --> 00:31:17,253
His popularity and his exploits in battle speak for him.
598
00:31:17,253 --> 00:31:20,330
His bravery goes before him.
599
00:31:26,543 --> 00:31:29,264
General Barclay de Tolly will remain Commander in Chief
600
00:31:29,264 --> 00:31:31,807
of the first Imperial Army
601
00:31:32,485 --> 00:31:37,154
and General Bagration of the second army.
602
00:31:38,024 --> 00:31:39,810
But,
603
00:31:44,530 --> 00:31:49,530
Kutuzov will be the new Supreme Commander.
604
00:31:53,592 --> 00:31:57,117
(solemn male vocals music)
605
00:32:01,133 --> 00:32:03,079
(speaking in Russian)
606
00:32:20,686 --> 00:32:21,774
As soon as he is named,
607
00:32:21,774 --> 00:32:24,882
Kutuzov brings out the patriotism among his troops.
608
00:32:25,464 --> 00:32:27,955
"Comrades," he writes, "do your duty.
609
00:32:27,955 --> 00:32:30,045
"Think of the sacrifices of your towns
610
00:32:30,045 --> 00:32:31,347
"brought down in flames
611
00:32:31,347 --> 00:32:34,376
"and your children begging for your protection.
612
00:32:34,376 --> 00:32:36,392
"Think of your Emperor Alexander,
613
00:32:36,392 --> 00:32:41,346
"your leader who sees you as the embodiment of his power."
614
00:32:47,058 --> 00:32:49,404
While the Tsar's army reorganizes itself
615
00:32:49,404 --> 00:32:52,263
in a decisive manner, Napoleon demands his men
616
00:32:52,263 --> 00:32:54,140
push themselves ever harder.
617
00:32:54,140 --> 00:32:56,817
Rest is not worthy of them.
618
00:32:56,817 --> 00:32:58,449
Gusts of wind throw up whirlwinds
619
00:32:58,449 --> 00:33:00,904
of torturous burning dust.
620
00:33:00,904 --> 00:33:02,504
The speed at which they must travel
621
00:33:02,504 --> 00:33:04,882
means many horses are lost,
622
00:33:04,882 --> 00:33:07,335
and while Typhus tears through the troops,
623
00:33:07,335 --> 00:33:10,940
Russian propaganda attacks the most vulnerable.
624
00:33:10,940 --> 00:33:14,053
"French soldiers, you are forced to march against us.
625
00:33:14,053 --> 00:33:15,713
"They say you are fighting for peace.
626
00:33:15,713 --> 00:33:18,413
"Don't believe these perfidious words.
627
00:33:18,413 --> 00:33:20,365
"You are fighting for the insatiable mission
628
00:33:20,365 --> 00:33:23,010
"for a leader who does not seek peace,
629
00:33:23,010 --> 00:33:26,327
"and for whom the blood of young men is a mere trifle.
630
00:33:26,327 --> 00:33:29,191
"Go home. There's still time."
631
00:33:30,455 --> 00:33:32,652
These calls for desertion and harassment
632
00:33:32,652 --> 00:33:34,818
aimed to weaken the Grande Armee
633
00:33:34,818 --> 00:33:37,628
to be able to attack it better.
634
00:33:40,001 --> 00:33:42,487
In two months, it shrinks radically,
635
00:33:42,487 --> 00:33:44,716
because in addition to the sick, the slain,
636
00:33:44,716 --> 00:33:46,732
the injured, and the deserters,
637
00:33:46,732 --> 00:33:48,406
some units have had to stay behind
638
00:33:48,406 --> 00:33:51,234
to hold Vilnius and Smolensk.
639
00:33:51,234 --> 00:33:53,741
But nothing stops their progress.
640
00:33:53,741 --> 00:33:56,663
Cavalry and infantry keep moving day and night
641
00:33:56,663 --> 00:33:59,596
in the hope of reaching the invisible enemy.
642
00:33:59,596 --> 00:34:02,167
Every day, this war seems ever more absurd
643
00:34:02,167 --> 00:34:04,866
to Caulaincourt who rebels.
644
00:34:04,866 --> 00:34:06,721
"We're destroying each other with no result
645
00:34:06,721 --> 00:34:09,233
"other than gaining ground."
646
00:34:09,697 --> 00:34:11,095
But due to the ground gained,
647
00:34:11,095 --> 00:34:14,211
Moscow is now just three days march away.
648
00:34:14,211 --> 00:34:17,389
Public opinion has pushed Kutuzov's back to the wall.
649
00:34:17,389 --> 00:34:20,525
In Borodino, 75 miles from the sacred city,
650
00:34:20,525 --> 00:34:23,151
he tries to stop Napoleon.
651
00:34:23,151 --> 00:34:24,964
The terrain is rolling and wooded,
652
00:34:24,964 --> 00:34:27,707
which slows down the enemies progression.
653
00:34:27,707 --> 00:34:30,331
Kutuzov establishes his defensive line
654
00:34:30,331 --> 00:34:32,498
on the southern bank of th Kolosha River,
655
00:34:32,498 --> 00:34:34,622
blocking the route to Moscow.
656
00:34:34,622 --> 00:34:36,243
He sets up four redoubts.
657
00:34:36,243 --> 00:34:39,359
The first and biggest of them is the Raevsky redoubt.
658
00:34:39,359 --> 00:34:42,550
Then come the two more modest Bagration redoubts,
659
00:34:42,550 --> 00:34:45,377
and the last one is the Shevardino redoubt,
660
00:34:45,377 --> 00:34:48,390
as a frontal buffer.
661
00:34:51,254 --> 00:34:53,526
A redoubt is an earth fortification
662
00:34:53,526 --> 00:34:55,064
constructed like a hillock
663
00:34:55,064 --> 00:34:57,389
where a series of canon are installed.
664
00:34:57,389 --> 00:35:00,525
It's defended from below by a trench of soldiers.
665
00:35:00,525 --> 00:35:05,052
Behind, there's a massive concentration of Russian troops.
666
00:35:07,053 --> 00:35:10,412
Kutuzov has placed his forces defensively here.
667
00:35:10,412 --> 00:35:12,535
He thinks he's protected behind this river,
668
00:35:12,535 --> 00:35:14,254
protected by his redoubts.
669
00:35:14,254 --> 00:35:17,199
We'll start first by taking the Shevardino redoubt
670
00:35:17,199 --> 00:35:19,781
and the Village of Borodino.
671
00:35:19,781 --> 00:35:21,498
Then we'll be able to position our troops
672
00:35:21,498 --> 00:35:23,012
for the final battle.
673
00:35:23,012 --> 00:35:24,772
Our northern armies will be inserted here
674
00:35:24,772 --> 00:35:29,129
to prevent the Russian army from surrounding us.
675
00:35:29,977 --> 00:35:32,243
There you have it.
676
00:35:34,553 --> 00:35:38,547
(deep orchestral music)
677
00:35:52,088 --> 00:35:54,829
140,000 men in the Grande Armee
678
00:35:54,829 --> 00:35:58,008
against 110,000 Russians.
679
00:35:58,008 --> 00:36:02,830
214 infantry battalions against 180.
680
00:36:02,830 --> 00:36:07,830
317 cavalry squadrons against 20 Cossack regiments.
681
00:36:08,334 --> 00:36:13,234
587 canon against 624.
682
00:36:15,811 --> 00:36:19,363
The sound of canonfire creates great joy for the French
683
00:36:19,363 --> 00:36:22,754
and a strange relief, because they're certain this time
684
00:36:22,754 --> 00:36:25,884
that the Russians have not decamped.
685
00:36:30,466 --> 00:36:33,762
The two armies are to fight in two highly strategic areas,
686
00:36:33,762 --> 00:36:36,578
the Village of Borodino on the road to Moscow,
687
00:36:36,578 --> 00:36:38,540
and the Shevardino redoubt,
688
00:36:38,540 --> 00:36:42,811
an essential barrier in the Russian defensive line.
689
00:36:43,649 --> 00:36:46,801
(canons firing)
690
00:36:56,331 --> 00:36:59,041
In less than an hour, more than 10,000 men
691
00:36:59,041 --> 00:37:00,832
are wounded or killed.
692
00:37:00,832 --> 00:37:03,040
This is a bloody prelude to the main battle,
693
00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:05,035
an attack that will allow the Grande Armee
694
00:37:05,035 --> 00:37:08,282
to tackle the Russian resistance.
695
00:37:11,744 --> 00:37:12,970
Even when they're wounded,
696
00:37:12,970 --> 00:37:15,552
far from calling for help, they refuse to give up,
697
00:37:15,552 --> 00:37:19,631
and seem determined to die where they fought.
698
00:37:20,639 --> 00:37:22,613
But their bravery is not enough.
699
00:37:22,613 --> 00:37:25,418
The French take the Shevardino redoubt.
700
00:37:25,418 --> 00:37:28,852
Despite heavy losses, the first step in Napoleon's plan
701
00:37:28,852 --> 00:37:30,860
is a success.
702
00:37:30,860 --> 00:37:33,104
(thunder cracks)
703
00:37:35,990 --> 00:37:38,731
Each army dresses its wounds.
704
00:37:38,731 --> 00:37:41,270
The Russians are reinforcing their defensive lines
705
00:37:41,270 --> 00:37:45,321
and the Raevsky and Bagration redoubts in particular.
706
00:37:45,321 --> 00:37:48,084
Kutuzov is organizing a solemn procession
707
00:37:48,084 --> 00:37:50,665
with the virgin of Smolensk.
708
00:37:50,665 --> 00:37:52,916
Pampfill Nazaroff, like his companions,
709
00:37:52,916 --> 00:37:55,017
prays for divine protection,
710
00:37:55,017 --> 00:37:57,406
his thoughts turned to his family.
711
00:37:57,406 --> 00:38:00,105
But he cannot say this as one must be ready
712
00:38:00,105 --> 00:38:03,329
to die for God, the Tsar, and Russia.
713
00:38:03,329 --> 00:38:05,968
(praying in Russian)
714
00:38:10,113 --> 00:38:11,361
"The Russians have never prayed
715
00:38:11,361 --> 00:38:13,739
"with as much fervor as they did today,"
716
00:38:13,739 --> 00:38:16,796
wrote the poet Glinka.
717
00:38:19,607 --> 00:38:21,772
"In these hours, our hearts and souls
718
00:38:21,772 --> 00:38:26,024
"are having secret conversations with divinity."
719
00:38:34,978 --> 00:38:37,862
(singing in French)
720
00:38:37,862 --> 00:38:40,646
While the enemy puts itself in God's hands,
721
00:38:40,646 --> 00:38:43,995
the Grande Armee, which has never lost faith in Napoleon,
722
00:38:43,995 --> 00:38:47,519
waits impatiently for the next morning.
723
00:38:48,891 --> 00:38:52,372
(shouting in French)
724
00:38:55,973 --> 00:38:58,315
The Emperor has slept badly.
725
00:38:58,812 --> 00:39:00,922
Caulaincourt.
726
00:39:01,286 --> 00:39:03,178
Thank you.
727
00:39:04,165 --> 00:39:05,650
He went to bed at 3 a.m.,
728
00:39:05,650 --> 00:39:09,238
worried that the Russians might disappear once again.
729
00:39:09,948 --> 00:39:11,570
But when he emerges from his tent,
730
00:39:11,570 --> 00:39:13,404
he is confident once again.
731
00:39:13,404 --> 00:39:15,281
The first light of dawn reminds him
732
00:39:15,281 --> 00:39:18,230
of the sunshine at Austerlitz.
733
00:39:20,582 --> 00:39:24,502
The previous evening, he redrew his battle plans.
734
00:39:24,785 --> 00:39:26,523
He wants to defeat the southern flank
735
00:39:26,523 --> 00:39:28,987
of the enemy forces, to attack the redoubtable
736
00:39:28,987 --> 00:39:32,123
fortifications constructed by the Russians
737
00:39:32,123 --> 00:39:34,933
and the great Raevsky redoubt in particular.
738
00:39:35,291 --> 00:39:37,403
The Emperor's Imperial Guard will stay back,
739
00:39:37,403 --> 00:39:40,085
ready to intervene if necessary.
740
00:39:41,787 --> 00:39:43,701
Soldiers, this is the battle
741
00:39:43,701 --> 00:39:46,026
we wished for so long.
742
00:39:46,026 --> 00:39:49,142
Now, our victory depends on you.
743
00:39:49,142 --> 00:39:50,093
We need it.
744
00:39:50,093 --> 00:39:52,311
It will bring you wealth, land,
745
00:39:52,311 --> 00:39:54,673
and ensure we will soon be home.
746
00:39:56,119 --> 00:39:59,388
Fight as you fought in Austerlitz.
747
00:39:59,532 --> 00:40:01,484
Your efforts will go down in history
748
00:40:01,484 --> 00:40:05,079
and they will say, "He was there at that great battle
749
00:40:05,079 --> 00:40:07,323
"at the gates of Moscow."
750
00:40:08,478 --> 00:40:11,843
(gunfire and canonfire)
751
00:40:13,235 --> 00:40:16,813
For 10 hours, the armies fight hand to hand.
752
00:40:17,566 --> 00:40:19,464
One forgets one's fear under the deluge
753
00:40:19,464 --> 00:40:21,672
of bullets, canon balls, and shells.
754
00:40:21,672 --> 00:40:24,595
One barely notices one's comrades as they fall,
755
00:40:24,595 --> 00:40:27,176
struck down at point blank range.
756
00:40:27,176 --> 00:40:29,896
The Russians will call it the Battle of Borodino.
757
00:40:29,896 --> 00:40:33,154
The French will talk of the Battle of Moscova.
758
00:40:33,661 --> 00:40:38,576
Positions are taken, lost, taken back, and lost again.
759
00:40:40,928 --> 00:40:43,408
The second cavalry core of General Monbraum
760
00:40:43,408 --> 00:40:46,256
has now charged to the right of the Raevsky redoubt.
761
00:40:46,256 --> 00:40:47,868
Monbraum is looking for the right position
762
00:40:47,868 --> 00:40:49,500
from which to attack.
763
00:40:49,500 --> 00:40:52,444
He heads off on a reconnaissance mission by horse,
764
00:40:52,444 --> 00:40:56,093
but unfortunately is hit in the chest by a canon ball.
765
00:40:56,093 --> 00:40:58,386
Napoleon then decides to replace him
766
00:40:58,386 --> 00:41:01,976
with Auguste Caulaincourt, the brother of Armand.
767
00:41:01,976 --> 00:41:05,658
(guns and canons firing)
768
00:41:12,662 --> 00:41:15,659
The Russian infantry, destabilized by the fatal wounding
769
00:41:15,659 --> 00:41:18,414
of General Bagration pulls itself together
770
00:41:18,414 --> 00:41:21,808
and redoubles its efforts to regain lost ground.
771
00:41:21,808 --> 00:41:24,773
The actors in this carnage speak of hell,
772
00:41:24,773 --> 00:41:27,471
of a burning sky, of the apocalypse,
773
00:41:27,471 --> 00:41:31,764
and canon spitting death.
774
00:41:34,415 --> 00:41:38,494
Caulaincourt suddenly has a terrible premonition.
775
00:41:40,057 --> 00:41:42,617
At 3 p.m., his brother Auguste at the head
776
00:41:42,617 --> 00:41:44,849
of the fifth regiment of Cuirassiers,
777
00:41:44,849 --> 00:41:47,921
supported by two divisions and two infantry battalions,
778
00:41:47,921 --> 00:41:51,196
makes an assault on the great Raevsky redoubt.
779
00:41:51,196 --> 00:41:53,835
The Russians must beat a retreat.
780
00:41:54,609 --> 00:41:56,881
The wounded beg to be put out of their misery
781
00:41:56,881 --> 00:42:01,126
and be relieved of their terrible suffering.
782
00:42:01,126 --> 00:42:02,875
The Russians abandon their positions
783
00:42:02,875 --> 00:42:05,797
but their army has not been annihilated.
784
00:42:05,797 --> 00:42:08,560
The battle was hellish, but if there is to be a winner,
785
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:11,088
there must also be a loser.
786
00:42:11,584 --> 00:42:14,325
I think it's very difficult to evaluate the results
787
00:42:14,325 --> 00:42:16,234
of the Battle of Borodino.
788
00:42:17,314 --> 00:42:19,777
Because Napoleon and Kutuzov each had
789
00:42:19,777 --> 00:42:21,852
their own objectives.
790
00:42:21,852 --> 00:42:25,173
Neither Napoleon nor Kutuzov achieved them.
791
00:42:25,414 --> 00:42:29,563
Napoleon's aim was to totally defeat the Russian army.
792
00:42:29,563 --> 00:42:31,696
Kutuzov's aim was to stop the French
793
00:42:31,696 --> 00:42:33,557
and to protect Moscow.
794
00:42:35,004 --> 00:42:38,343
What did it mean to win a battle at that time?
795
00:42:38,343 --> 00:42:39,879
One might say that the winner
796
00:42:39,879 --> 00:42:43,187
is the army that is in control of the battlefield.
797
00:42:43,187 --> 00:42:45,629
If that's the case, then there was a clear winner
798
00:42:45,629 --> 00:42:48,742
at the Battle of Moscova, because the Russians withdrew
799
00:42:48,742 --> 00:42:52,072
and the French stayed in control of the terrain.
800
00:42:52,072 --> 00:42:55,370
Therefore, Napoleon won the Battle of Moscova.
801
00:42:55,370 --> 00:42:59,572
It is true that in strategic terms, the Battle of Moscova
802
00:42:59,572 --> 00:43:02,132
weakened the Grande Armee
803
00:43:02,132 --> 00:43:06,017
and that's why the Russians claim it as a victory.
804
00:43:06,017 --> 00:43:09,312
Everyone might agree if we said that the French
805
00:43:09,312 --> 00:43:11,286
won the Battle of Moscova
806
00:43:11,286 --> 00:43:15,013
and the Russians didn't lose the Battle of Borodino.
807
00:43:21,941 --> 00:43:24,661
It's a disappointing victory for Napoleon
808
00:43:24,661 --> 00:43:27,498
and so costly in terms of human life,
809
00:43:27,498 --> 00:43:28,842
but the Imperial Guard,
810
00:43:28,842 --> 00:43:32,074
the elite of the Grande Armee stayed back.
811
00:43:32,074 --> 00:43:35,370
Sgt. Bourgogne thus watched the battle from a distance,
812
00:43:35,370 --> 00:43:37,386
unlike so many of his compatriots
813
00:43:37,386 --> 00:43:41,102
who found themselves in the front line.
814
00:43:42,335 --> 00:43:45,646
(sad violin music)
815
00:43:53,822 --> 00:43:57,470
Napoleon was prudent, too prudent perhaps,
816
00:43:57,470 --> 00:44:01,139
and didn't want to take the risk of weakening his Guard.
817
00:44:01,139 --> 00:44:04,661
But, if had sent Bourgogne and his men into the malais
818
00:44:04,661 --> 00:44:08,916
the victory might perhaps have been greater.
819
00:44:08,916 --> 00:44:11,737
Lives might have been saved.
820
00:44:12,138 --> 00:44:13,537
Bourgogne's companions might
821
00:44:13,537 --> 00:44:16,453
have gone home safe and sound.
822
00:44:16,992 --> 00:44:21,992
So many heroes, soldiers, officers, and generals.
823
00:44:23,125 --> 00:44:27,876
Caulaincourt will never forget that gruesome day.
824
00:44:31,180 --> 00:44:35,105
"We will triumph or I shall kill myself,"
825
00:44:35,105 --> 00:44:37,689
were the last words Auguste said to me.
826
00:44:37,689 --> 00:44:42,010
He had led the decisive charge against the great redoubt.
827
00:44:42,010 --> 00:44:44,026
Did he have the time to enjoy it
828
00:44:44,026 --> 00:44:47,131
before being killed by an enemy bullet?
829
00:44:47,131 --> 00:44:48,849
For the Emperor, France had lost
830
00:44:48,849 --> 00:44:50,939
one of its best officers,
831
00:44:50,939 --> 00:44:53,382
but I had lost a brother.
832
00:44:53,382 --> 00:44:56,202
He was 35 years old.
833
00:44:57,759 --> 00:45:01,625
(slow sad orchestral music)
834
00:45:13,054 --> 00:45:14,686
During this dreadful day,
835
00:45:14,686 --> 00:45:19,686
120,000 canon balls and 300,000 cartridges were fired,
836
00:45:19,766 --> 00:45:22,924
resulting in a terrible loss of human life.
837
00:45:22,924 --> 00:45:27,222
45,000 Russians died, were injured, or gone,
838
00:45:27,222 --> 00:45:30,093
more than a third of the troops.
839
00:45:30,093 --> 00:45:34,076
Napoleon lost 28,000 men.
840
00:45:35,202 --> 00:45:38,801
(melancholy violin and piano music)
841
00:46:02,588 --> 00:46:07,131
(crying)
842
00:46:12,781 --> 00:46:16,962
This slaughter pushes the medical services to their limits.
843
00:46:16,962 --> 00:46:18,231
Many injured people are left
844
00:46:18,231 --> 00:46:21,926
on the battlefield without help.
845
00:46:28,129 --> 00:46:30,380
In the Grande Armee, there is one doctor
846
00:46:30,380 --> 00:46:34,832
and one pharmacist for every 600 soldiers.
847
00:46:35,073 --> 00:46:38,625
45 surgeons care for victims on both sides.
848
00:46:38,625 --> 00:46:42,192
It takes less than four minutes to amputate a leg.
849
00:46:42,592 --> 00:46:44,747
10,000 wounded beyond help
850
00:46:44,747 --> 00:46:46,699
are left in the surrounding villages
851
00:46:46,699 --> 00:46:49,229
where most of them will die.
852
00:46:49,229 --> 00:46:52,642
Napoleon then waits for the following day's hostilities.
853
00:46:52,642 --> 00:46:55,846
But Kutuzov has another idea.
854
00:46:58,904 --> 00:47:01,240
Why did Kutuzov not continue the battle
855
00:47:01,240 --> 00:47:03,661
the following day as he had promised?
856
00:47:03,661 --> 00:47:06,168
At the end of the battle, he gave orders to attack
857
00:47:06,168 --> 00:47:09,614
Napoleon's troops the following morning.
858
00:47:09,614 --> 00:47:11,566
But later on that night, he gave an order
859
00:47:11,566 --> 00:47:13,977
that was totally contrary,
860
00:47:13,977 --> 00:47:15,336
to withdraw.
861
00:47:16,206 --> 00:47:17,529
The most likely reason was that
862
00:47:17,529 --> 00:47:19,598
he had received information in the meantime
863
00:47:19,598 --> 00:47:22,909
regarding losses in the Russian army.
864
00:47:23,288 --> 00:47:25,949
These losses were terrible.
865
00:47:27,117 --> 00:47:28,771
Kutuzov spends a long time
866
00:47:28,771 --> 00:47:31,181
with his generals, weighing up the pros and cons
867
00:47:31,181 --> 00:47:33,922
of a new fight, eventually admitting that his troops
868
00:47:33,922 --> 00:47:36,216
aren't strong enough to stop Napoleon
869
00:47:36,216 --> 00:47:38,125
and that it will be better to spare them
870
00:47:38,125 --> 00:47:41,596
and take some time to find reinforcements.
871
00:47:42,423 --> 00:47:45,180
(horses neighing)
872
00:47:46,711 --> 00:47:50,007
420,000 soldiers crossed the Neman River
873
00:47:50,007 --> 00:47:51,447
three months earlier.
874
00:47:51,447 --> 00:47:54,118
Now, just half of them remain.
875
00:47:54,604 --> 00:47:56,887
They came from France, Spain, and Italy.
876
00:47:56,887 --> 00:47:59,276
They travelled over 2,500 miles,
877
00:47:59,276 --> 00:48:01,324
crossed Alps or the Pyranese,
878
00:48:01,324 --> 00:48:02,392
and travelled through Germany,
879
00:48:02,392 --> 00:48:04,637
Poland, and Western Russia.
880
00:48:05,059 --> 00:48:07,384
At last, they think they're going to get the rest
881
00:48:07,384 --> 00:48:10,141
they desperately need.
882
00:48:11,949 --> 00:48:13,560
But Napoleon remains convinced
883
00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:15,224
that the arrival of the Grande Armee
884
00:48:15,224 --> 00:48:17,839
at the gates of Moscow, will be the coup de grace
885
00:48:17,839 --> 00:48:21,032
that will force Alexander to negotiate.
886
00:48:22,201 --> 00:48:24,238
Sgt. Bourgogne remembers,
887
00:48:24,238 --> 00:48:27,075
"After having crossed through a big forest,
888
00:48:27,075 --> 00:48:30,115
"we finally caught our first glimpse of Moscow,
889
00:48:30,115 --> 00:48:33,105
"and in moments like these, one forgets everything.
890
00:48:33,105 --> 00:48:35,963
"The dangers, the fatigue, the comrades lost,
891
00:48:35,963 --> 00:48:37,755
"and only one thing counts,
892
00:48:37,755 --> 00:48:41,326
"the pleasure of entering the promised land."
893
00:48:43,518 --> 00:48:46,080
But Napoleon, who dreamed of entering the city
894
00:48:46,080 --> 00:48:49,919
as a conquering hero like in Vienna and Berlin,
895
00:48:49,919 --> 00:48:52,705
discovers that Moscow has been abandoned
896
00:48:52,705 --> 00:48:54,540
and no public figure is going to come
897
00:48:54,540 --> 00:48:57,744
and hand him the keys to the city.
898
00:48:58,603 --> 00:49:00,321
Only those who had neither the money
899
00:49:00,321 --> 00:49:04,080
nor the time to flee remain.
900
00:49:14,231 --> 00:49:16,121
Napoleon moves into the Kremlin
901
00:49:16,121 --> 00:49:19,933
with his guard and his services in attendance.
902
00:49:20,195 --> 00:49:22,339
His generals occupy the luxury homes
903
00:49:22,339 --> 00:49:24,665
of the Moscow nobility.
904
00:49:26,154 --> 00:49:27,733
Where are our divisions?
905
00:49:27,733 --> 00:49:30,772
Sir, fires have been started all across the city.
906
00:49:30,772 --> 00:49:32,031
It seems that it was the Russians who --
907
00:49:32,031 --> 00:49:34,026
No, I don't believe it.
908
00:49:34,026 --> 00:49:35,999
These barbarians can't possible be so crazy
909
00:49:35,999 --> 00:49:37,515
as to destroy Moscow.
910
00:49:37,515 --> 00:49:39,051
There are no fire engines left.
911
00:49:39,051 --> 00:49:40,341
They took them all.
912
00:49:40,341 --> 00:49:42,462
Then find the arsonists,
913
00:49:42,462 --> 00:49:45,251
and we'll hang them when we do!
914
00:49:47,326 --> 00:49:50,808
(fires crackling)
915
00:49:51,486 --> 00:49:54,035
First, they believe the fires are accidental,
916
00:49:54,035 --> 00:49:55,891
set by drunken soldiers celebrating
917
00:49:55,891 --> 00:49:59,255
their first night in Moscow.
918
00:50:00,232 --> 00:50:02,809
(speaking in Russian)
919
00:50:07,785 --> 00:50:08,852
But it soon becomes clear
920
00:50:08,852 --> 00:50:11,539
that these fires are no accident.
921
00:50:11,539 --> 00:50:15,209
Dozens of arsonists are scattered around the city.
922
00:50:15,209 --> 00:50:16,744
Who are they?
923
00:50:16,744 --> 00:50:21,666
And who is giving orders to create this inferno?
924
00:50:28,722 --> 00:50:30,370
Stop there!
925
00:50:30,674 --> 00:50:32,183
Catch them!
926
00:50:38,898 --> 00:50:40,456
Is anyone there?
927
00:50:40,456 --> 00:50:43,124
Sergeant, I think we found some treasure.
928
00:50:43,124 --> 00:50:45,464
Don't get ahead of yourself.
929
00:50:48,770 --> 00:50:49,970
Get down!
930
00:50:50,274 --> 00:50:52,924
(explosion)
931
00:50:59,010 --> 00:51:00,930
Kutuzov chose to abandon Moscow
932
00:51:00,930 --> 00:51:03,020
to avoid a new confrontation
933
00:51:03,020 --> 00:51:05,691
and to reorganize his troops.
934
00:51:06,209 --> 00:51:08,183
That is why the Governor General of the city,
935
00:51:08,183 --> 00:51:11,042
Count Rostopchin left to his own devices,
936
00:51:11,042 --> 00:51:13,613
orders reprisals by burning warehouses,
937
00:51:13,613 --> 00:51:15,758
storerooms, and palaces.
938
00:51:15,758 --> 00:51:19,741
Nothing is to be left to the invading forces.
939
00:51:20,750 --> 00:51:24,199
(coughing and choking)
940
00:51:30,318 --> 00:51:32,110
Is everyone okay?
941
00:51:32,110 --> 00:51:33,981
Yes, Sergeant.
942
00:51:34,873 --> 00:51:37,539
Sgt. Bourgogne remembers,
943
00:51:37,539 --> 00:51:40,590
"When the explosion happened, we thought we were dead,
944
00:51:40,590 --> 00:51:42,425
"annihilated under the debris.
945
00:51:42,425 --> 00:51:46,685
"The Russians didn't care how they tried to destroy us."
946
00:51:49,645 --> 00:51:52,146
Are you wounded, Sergeant?
947
00:51:54,125 --> 00:51:55,449
It's nothing.
948
00:51:55,449 --> 00:51:57,651
Where are we?
949
00:51:57,893 --> 00:51:59,772
(creaking)
950
00:51:59,772 --> 00:52:02,792
This is where we should sleep.
951
00:52:02,792 --> 00:52:04,850
You're too ugly and you smell too bad
952
00:52:04,850 --> 00:52:07,522
to sleep in a palace. (laughs)
953
00:52:09,405 --> 00:52:11,393
(coughing)
954
00:52:14,023 --> 00:52:16,889
Sergeant, come and look.
955
00:52:19,167 --> 00:52:21,326
(whistles)
956
00:52:22,772 --> 00:52:25,950
What do we do with it, Sergeant?
957
00:52:25,950 --> 00:52:27,706
We take it.
958
00:52:27,706 --> 00:52:29,498
(loud creaking)
959
00:52:29,498 --> 00:52:31,487
Look out!
960
00:52:31,548 --> 00:52:33,654
(crashing)
961
00:52:35,611 --> 00:52:37,446
It's all collapsing.
962
00:52:37,446 --> 00:52:39,649
Let's get out of here.
963
00:52:40,765 --> 00:52:42,508
Come on.
964
00:52:46,034 --> 00:52:48,220
Danger is everywhere.
965
00:52:48,220 --> 00:52:50,215
Napoleon's Grande Armee has fallen
966
00:52:50,215 --> 00:52:54,630
into a burning trap, surrounded by flames and blinded,
967
00:52:54,630 --> 00:52:58,080
they still dream of victory.
968
00:52:59,526 --> 00:53:03,637
(dramatic orchestral music)
73215
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