All language subtitles for 1812 - 1815. Overseas Trip. Episode 1. Documentary Film. Russian History

2014 The Year of Culture

Supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation

Samoilov, go.

Samoilov, I told you to do it quietly. Into the house!

Samoilov, check it out there.

Open up.

Where is Napoleon?

Stop 'merde'-ing me. Where is your emperor?

Samoilov, what's going on there?

Damn!..

Your Excellency.

Are you alive?

Here you go, Samoilov.

The hell you caught Napoleon.

– Let's go away. – Yes, Sir.

Didn't I tell you to hitch up the horses closer to the house!

A description of Napoleon's appearance

was circulated in the Russian army.

Admiral Chichagov issued an order:

"To be on the sure side, you should bring to me

"all short men."

What's going on?

Partisans, Sire.

Damned country.

Partisans and Cossacks alike dreamed

to catch 'the enemy of the human race'

by setting ambushes and making raids on French positions.

Like all his soldiers, Napoleon dreamed only about one thing –

to leave Russia alive...

WARSAW

BERLIN

LUTZEN

DRESDEN

KULM

LEIPZIG

CHAMPAUBERT MONTMIRAL

FERE-CHAMPENOISE CHATEAU-THIERRY

PARIS

FOREIGN CAMPAIGN

In November 1812,

on the river Berezina the Russian troops

were smashing the scraps of the army of the emperor Napoleon.

Just several months earlier,

a 500 thousand strong host of invaders

crossed the borders of the Russian empire.

But now, fleeing along the two bridges

were those of them who wasn't killed in battle,

didn't die from cold, starvation or the partisans' bullets.

The Great Patriotic War of 1812 was coming to an end.

Only some days were left before the enemy

was finally driven away from the Russian land.

It seemed, very soon

the Russian soldiers – the victors – will come back home.

The ruler of the whole Europe, the greatest commander

who previously hadn't lost a single battle,

was musing: how and when this catastrophe befell him?

What happened with his army, the greatest army that ever existed?

Napoleon had prepared half a million soldiers to war with Russia.

400 thousand crossed the Neman in the summer of 1812,

but only 185 thousand reached Smolensk

and only 140 thousand – the Borodino field.

Only 95 thousand came into Moscow...

Before Berezino Battle and after Moscow,

Napoleon still had a 40 thousand strong army.

But after crossing the river

he had only 9 thousand fightworthy warriors.

The Russian expanses had swallowed the great army

as if they had never existed.

His soldiers, officers

and even marshals knew that the end was nigh.

The end of the campaign, of the war

and maybe of the great Napoleon himself.

But the emperor thought otherwise.

I delegate command over the army to the king of Napoli –

to you, my friend.

To continue the fight

I need to urgently go to Paris.

I will form new troops.

But what about the army?

It would be necessary to take the army behind the Neman.

But, Sire... Without the emperor...

This campaign is lost, Murat.

This campaign is lost...

But not the war.

In Paris I will gather a new army,

and we shall return.

We shall return yet...

Two days later, in the town of Smorgonie,

Napoleon bade good bye to his marshals.

It was for the first time he was leaving on the sly –

with no victorious speeches and triumphant music.

Forward!

Soon Marshal Murat abandoned the army

for the sake of Eugene Beauharnais

and fled after his emperor.

There were only two persons now who didn't doubt Napoleon –

and they were Napoleon himself and his main foe –

the Russian tsar Alexander I.

He left us and the army to the whims of fate!

Alexander I who was acquainted with Bonaparte, knew very well:

as long as he is not captured or killed,

the war in Europe won't cease.

Be it with a 500 thousand strong army, or one thousand soldiers,

with a division or a battalion – Napoleon will fight to the last.

Alexander was getting ready for another battle.

Gone amuck from cold and hunger,

their clothes worn to the last thread, the invaders

vented their spite on local people and captives.

Philippe Paul de Segar, aide-de-camp to Napoleon, described in his memoirs

a macabre episode of how Russian captives

were murdered near Gzhatsk.

'By the evening, the imperial convoy was approaching Gzhatsk.

'They were shocked on seeing Russians

'who had just been killed.

'Their heads had been smashed in a similarly brutal way,

'and their brain was all bloody mash.

'We knew that two thousand Russian prisoners

'had been driven some distance ahead of us –

'they were convoyed by the Spanish, Portuguese and Polish soldiers.

'Caulaincourt exclaimed in exasperation:

'What an atrocity!

'So, this is what kind of civilization we brought to Russia!

'What will our enemy think on seeing this barbarous cruelty?

'We leave behind our wounded, and some are taken into captivity.

'Won't Russians treat them likewise now, in their vengeance?'

'Napoleon grew gloomy and silent.

'But outbursts of murder stopped on the very next day.

'Those hapless creatures were simply doomed

'to death within enclosures

'to which they were driven of an evening like some cattle.

'Undoubtedly, it was sheer barbarity.

'But what was to be done? To exchange prisoners?

'But the enemy didn't want to exchange prisoners.

'To let them go?

'But then they would tell about our calamity and,

'on joining their fellow-soldiers, would fight with doubled ferocity.'

Heinrich Ludwig von Roos, chief surgeon

of the 3rd Wuerttemberg grenadier regiment ,

of the 2nd cavalry corps, corroborates the fact

of the murder of Russian prisoners.

'It caught our eye that scattered on the road,

'at some distance from each other

'were fresh corpses of Russian soldiers

'who had been obviously shot in the back of their heads.

'We could find no explanation to this strange occurrence,

'but when in Gzhatsk, we learnt that there was a group

'of Russian prisoners in the imperial convoy

'escorted by grenadiers from Baden

'who had a strict order

'to kill any of the prisoners on the spot

'should they be too fatigued to move on..

On December 14, 2013,

in Gagarin (which used to be Gzhatsk),

by efforts of the Russian Society of War History

a chapel and a memorial sign were inaugurated

commemorating two thousand Russia soldiers

killed in captivity by Napoleon army

near Gzhatsk in October 1812.

On November 28, 1812,

the Russian army entered Vilno.

Soon the Supreme Commander arrived there,

but the citizens didn't express any joy

on account of Kutuzov.

Summon Ermolov here, my good man.

And make some tea.

Five years earlier, Vilno people greeted Napoleon and his army

in the hope that the French emperor would restore the Polish kingdom.

It was from here that Napoleon moved his regiments towards Moscow.

But now big campfires were burning in the streets,

and that fire was devouring dead horses

and the bodies of French soldiers who had died

from famine, cold and diseases.

But Kutuzov was more interested in the condition of his troops.

Long marches and unending battles had brought

the Russian army into a miserable state.

Out of 100 thousand soldiers only 30 thousand had reached Vilno.

Come on in, brother.

Out of 600 cannons only 200 were left.

Hospitals were packed with those wounded and frost-bitten.

There was a deficit of provision and fodder for animals.

His Serene Highness Count Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov,

Field Marshal of the Russian Empire.

He became Supreme Commander of the Russian army

in the midst of the war, in the summer of 1812.

After the Borodino Battle and abandonment of Moscow,

he made Napoleon retreat along the devastated Smolensk route,

exposed to flank attacks of Russian partisans.

Because of this, the French Army

was entirely destroyed,

with minimal Russian losses.

Kutuzov had been often criticized for being not too decisive,

for his strategy to provide a sure victory,

and not a ringing fame for himself.

It is interesting that Napoleon

who usually scoffed about the enemy's war leaders,

preferred not to talk about Kutuzov,

blaming only the Russian winter for the death of his army.

Your Excellency!

Alexei Petrovich Ermolov.

Lieutenent-general.

Took part in war campaigns against Napoleonic France.

Evinced valor in Borodino Battle

and in the battle near Maloyaroslavets.

He was a convicted antagonist

of non-Russian generals at the General Staff

and their strategic plans.

He insisted on more decisive measures

to urgently continue the war in Europe.

Order your friend Platov to move out in the direction of Kovno.

And circulate the word among the troops

that His Majesty will come with an inspection soon.

We should be ready to greet him.

Your Excellency, but what about an offensive?

You are all too eager to catch Napoleon, eh.

His tea, and his trail went cold long ago.

Methinks he is gathering a fresh army and,

believe me, he will, at least one third of what he had.

Maybe for Napoleon

the death of another 100 thousand people is nothing,

but you and I should not

squander people's lives like this.

We need some breathing space, because, you know...

But it means the French will have a breathing space as well.

You know how it may end?

When we move out to Paris via Austria and Prussia,

you think Austrians and Prussians will help us?

You know their kind better than I do.

Today they are Napoleon's allies,

and tomorrow they'll become our allies.

But should Napoleon become strong again, what then?

They will betray us as they usually did.

Your Excellency, I don't like Germans either.

Neither the ones in our staff, nor the ones in Prussia.

If we don't get Napoleon now,

the war will go on for another two years.

But if we rush to Europe like anything,

then in three years we shall be facing another Borodino Battle.

I am a Russian soldier.

And I am not interested in Europe.

Let His Majesty take care of it.

Now you go, my good man.

Your Excellency...

Alexei Petrovich...

You think Kutuzov is just an old coward?

Oh, no, Your Excellency.

Should we reach Paris together with our allies

and put Bonaparte into the cage,

and lose hundreds of thousands of soldiers, we shall be all weaned,

including Austrians and the French.

And then the real victors will step in.

They will award us with their decorations

and will send us away, back to Moscow.

And they will be the ones ruling over Europe –

the ones who are warring through their gold now.

Anyway, it is all His Majesty's concern.

Godspeed to you. And don't forget about Kovno.

The Russian emperor was coming to the positions of his army

knowing that Napoleon had broken from the encirclement

and fled to France.

Alexander had no doubts that his bitter enemy

would not stop fighting and that a new war was just a question of time.

The emperor also knew about the losses

and about the dire state of the army and the country itself.

But, not to let another invasion happen,

first he had to finish his cause in Russia.

He needed to defeat Napoleon here and now.

It would take four days to reach Vilno.

Alexander had four days to deliberate the plan of a new war

which was to do away with Napoleon once and for all.

By 1811, the French empire, with the countries it had conquered,

had a 71 million population

out of 172 million living in Europe all in all.

Despite his defeat in Russia and the death of his army,

Napoleon still had the biggest European countries under his sway:

Austria, Prussia, Italy,

Holland and German states as well.

Stationed in the cities were garrisons of the French and their allies.

TROOPS OF THE FRENCH COALITION

Austrian and Prussian units

continued fighting against the Russian army.

The roads in Europe, storehouses with provision

were protected by fortifications.

Only Spain hadn't submitted to Napoleon.

The war there had been going on for five years already.

England only sent to Spain

a small assault army.

PARTICIPATION OF ENGLAND IN THE WAR

England's participation in the war boiled down

only to lending money to the countries warring against France.

In fact, now Russia was left all alone versus Napoleon.

Alexander knew this, and still he was going to his army

full of determination to score a victory.

Going together with Alexander was also a person

well-known to everybody in the Russian army.

– See that man over there? – Where?

Near the sleigh.

A man of duty and honor

wrongfully charged of cowardice and treason.

A very courageous person

not only in war conditions but also

in times when he was being persecuted.

A person through whose heroic efforts

the Russian army was saved during the first months of the war,

now returned to serve Russia.

Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly.

General-Field Marshal.

At the beginning of the war he commanded over the 1st Army

and pursued the retreatment strategy to preserve the Army.

Was unjustfully condemned as a coward who had committed treason.

After the Borodino Battle he took a sick leave,

left the front but still had to suffer from accusations.

In Kaluga, someone smashed the glass in his windows

and during a reception in Winter Palace no one shook his hand.

But soon he received a letter from the emperor Alexander

where the emperor admitted he had used the right strategy.

This strategy was continued by Kutuzov.

On December 11, the Russian emperor arrived to Vilno.

For victorious fulfillment of the Patriotic War

and for driving the enemy from the Russian land,

the Supreme Commander of the Russian army Mikhailo Kutuzov

was awarded with the 1st class Order of St George The Victorious.

This military order named after St. George the Russian martyr,

was the highest award of the Russian empire.

The Order was divided into four classes.

During its history, 25 people were awarded with this order

and only four became its full knights,

that is, were awarded with its all four classes.

The full knights were Kutuzov,

General-Field Marshal Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly,

General-Field Marshal Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich,

General-Field Marshal Ivan Ivanovich Dibich-Zabalkansky.

All of them took part in the Patriotic War of 1812.

On December 12, the next day after his arrival to Vilno,

the emperor Alexander celebrated his birthday.

In the name of God, we should cross the Neman

and attack what is left of Napoleon's troops.

We should liberate Germany and all Europe

and install peace in the glorious name of Russia.

We are the hope of the nations subjugated by Bonaparte.

How can we turn away from someone pleading for help?

Your Majesty,

the victories of our army were saddened by big losses.

Of course we should help our allies,

but it will take some time to gather fresh forces.

What would general Ermolov say to this?

Your Majesty, our army is weaned,

but their army is drained of their blood.

If we linger, we will not only reinforce our own army

but will also suffer our foes reinforce theirs.

While right now, Your Majesty, they are weak.

Forward! And never look back!

Your Majesty. The army has been constantly on the move

and has covered about one thousand versts from Moscow to here.

Now it is crumpled up

and significantly diminished in number.

People are tired. Some have even fallen behind.

I commanded for the main army to tarry here

and have some rest.

Never before like under the present circumstances

the time factor has been so essential.

That is why nothing can stop our troops

following up the enemy. Not even for a short period of time.

They had never been fellow-thinkers.

They both remembered the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805.

Back then the young emperor made Kutuzov

to engage into a battle which he was trying to evade.

But now each of them was right in his own way.

The one had every reason to think that they needed

to muster strength and finish the enemy.

Yet the other rightfully thought

that they won't have enough strength for this.

Back then, near Austerlitz, the old man was right,

and the battle ended with a defeat and disgrace.

But what will happen now?

It would be easier to have Prussia and Austria on our side

than to make the old man do what he doesn't want to do.

He thinks it is only the world fame that I seek.

But now is the only chance to do away with Bonaparte.

In 12 months he will become even more strong.

It should be done now or never!

Count Kutuzov is worried about the soldiers.

They are not so strong.

They have scarce provision.

The Count knows very well that if we don't smash the enemy now,

tomorrow they will be standing at the gate.

Who else if not us will challenge them? Who?

Well, if Prussia and Austria join us...

We should move out.

May God be my judge.

Prepare the text of the Manifesto and the Decree.

We are moving out – now!

Well, fellas, the war is over.

Take my word for it.

What made you think so?

See the proof?

My old boots are worn out!

The places that I were at in these boots!

Froedland, Krasnoye, Borodino,

Maloyaroslavets.

But now the war is over!

The war is over for your old boots,

but for the new ones – it will have just begun.

Curse that tongue of yours!

No, fellas.

In these ones I'll go home and nowhere else.

I'm tired.

Tired.

The French were weak in Russia, and we were strong

because we were fighting for our Fatherland.

And that is why we won.

In two months, Bonaparte will have a fresh army,

and we'll have to fight them not near Moscow

but near Berlin and Paris.

We have covered one thousand versts from Vilno to Moscow,

and the same distance – back here.

We came through so much suffering.

And we have lost no end of people.

But we were protecting our land.

And what will be Russian soldiers dying for now?

For Prussia? For Saxony?

Greetings to you, fellas.

– Can I get some warm? – You're welcome, Sir.

The campfire is for everybody.

The French?

Yeah, they drifted up to us.

Now we don't know what to do with them.

Hey, French guys. Did you see Bonaparte?

They all look like Bonaparte. They all look like the 'emperer'.

Yeremiah, you'll bend my ear.

Let me see...

Samoilov, and what is this?

It's someone life bygone.

– It's my boots. – No, I mean this.

Ah, this one. We found it under the snow.

Hey, Cossacks, raise it.

Ha, Samoilov, your hunting down Napoleon is over.

What do you mean?

The border of the Russian empire!

No more Bonaparte in Russia!

Oh, what a headache you are...

In January 1813, the Russian army

reached the borders of the Russian empire.

On January 6, on the eve of Orthodox Christmas,

the bells chimed in Vilno.

The tsar's Manifesto was read out to the soldiers:

the enemy had been driven away from the limits of Russia.

The Manifesto also said about the necessity to follow up

the enemy till the final victory.

On January 13, the main army of Kutuzov,

moving in three columns, crossed the Neman.

That was how the historical foreign campaign

of the Russian Army began. It was later called

The Liberation of Europe.

Your Majesty, he is waiting at the crossroads.

I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, I didn't want

to be seen by anyone.

Everything is in this envelope.

The king of Prussia secretly left Berlin occupied by the French.

There is a tacit order not to show resistance.

Prussia is as good as in your pocket now.

What about England?

Four million rubles for Prussia for joining the alliance

and six millions for Russia.

– Eight. – Excuse me, Your Majesty?

Eight million rubles for Russia.

They'll give you eight million. And there's another thing...

The emperor has arrived to Paris.

A source known to you assumes

that in a month he will have 200 thousand soldiers.

– And what do you think? – I think a lot more

than 200 thousand. Your Majesty, you should hurry.

Russian units of general Wittgenstein entered Prussia

and seized Konigsberg without engaging into battle.

On January they took Warsaw

and then the whole Duchy of Warsaw.

The French defense line along the Vistula

was completely destroyed.

On February 9, Prussia introduced full mobilization

and signed an alliance treaty with Russia.

A 120 thousand strong Prussian army joined the Russian troops.

The scraps of French troops under commandment of Beauharnais

tried to show resistance

but had to retreat across the Oder.

On February 20, Adjutant-General Chernyshev took Berlin,

and 7 days later he was joined by Wittgenstein.

Very soon, Beauharnais had to retreat across the Elbe.

Germans greeted the Russian army as their liberators.

In Milicz, people cried out to Kutuzov:

'Vivat to the great starets, vivat to our grandpa Kutuzov!'

The king of Prussia bestowed upon him the Order of Black Eagle.

a 20 thousand rubles worth sniff box,

and also promised to grant him an estate in Prussia.

This victorious blitz aroused bright hopes,

and even big commanders insisted that the army

should proceed further on this side of the Elba.

The victory seemed to be so close.

Everything is ready, Your Excellency.

For shame!

You approached me so abruptly.

It seems such an easy thing

to move on and on behind the Elba.

But in what fashion will we return?

With our mugs all in blood.

Give me at least a 60 minutes respite.

I'm numb and tired.

Make the convoy ready.

– Samoilov! – Yes, sir!

You didn't lose the 'emperer', as I can see.

– No, I didn't, Your Excellency. – Then we're moving out.

I wanted to throw him away, but he is handy for cracking nuts.

Now we will surely catch the rascal.

Soon he will meet us halfway, no need even to catch him.

– Mount the horses! – Yes, Sir.

Napoleon arrived to Paris back in 18 December, 1812,

and he immediately set down to forming an army.

His decrees about new recruiting campaign

were circulated all around the empire.

140 thousand young men were taken into the army,

though they were due for recruitment only in 1813.

They were so young and guiltless of moustache,

these 18-year-old lads, that they were called 'Marie-Louises',

which was a hint to the person of the young empress.

But also old men and invalids were recruited.

There was a law according to which

affluent French citizens could resort to 'delegating',

which means they simply bought an exemption,

and 'delegates' from the poor went to the war in their stead.

It was the grassroots who had to bear the brunt of the military service.

During 1800-1815, in France

there were recruited 3 153 thousand people,

plus the same number

in auxiliary and foreign corps.

The soldiers were conscripted for 7 years,

but extended service was encouraged in every possible way.

Thus, there was a certain number of veterans in the army

who enjoyed a lot of material privileges.

They trained recruits and they became their commanders.

The imperial guard, the army's most reliable reserve

was formed on their basis.

It was a thing unimaginable.

Only 4 months had passed since Napoleon fled from Russia.

In December he had been leading away

the miserable scraps of his troops

along the snow-covered Russian woods.

But in April he already had a 200 thousand strong army

which by autumn was numbered 500 thousand.

The newly-recruited untrained soldiers

were to avert the attack of the Russians,

but they believed in their victory.

For they had their emperor, so adamant, so passionate –

the best commander ever born on the Earth, by their side.

By that time Russian troops had entered Bunzlau, Prussia.

On April 5, the supreme commander Kutuzov arrived to Bunzlau.

He was 68. He was ill.

Bring some tea!

No, no... No tea...

No...

The field-marshal was dying.

You know what, good man...

Bring me some...

He began his military service under the empress Elizabeth

when he was just a 14-year-old lad.

He served to Peter III, Catherine The Great,

to her son Paul and then – to his son Alexander.

He was a courier, and he had to be sycophantic,

servile, he had to pussyfoot.

But he had always remained a soldier.

He destroyed the Turkish assault forces in Alushta –

he was shot in the temple, and the bullet went right through his head

and exiled near his right eye.

It is a miracle he survived at all.

He was the one leading the 6th column to storm Ismail.

When he informed Suvorov he couldn't hold the positions,

the latter answered he had already reported about Ismail's seizure.

And Kutuzov took Ismail!

And again the Turkish bullet got him,

repeating the trajectory of the first one.

And again he survived.

When by 1811, the Russo-Turkish war came to a deadlock,

he headed the army

and within 3 months defeated the enemy

whose multitude had a three-fold advantage.

Napoleon defeated Kutuzov near Austerlitz,

but seven years later, near Borodino, the marshal

would deliver a mortal blow

chasing Bonaparte till the Russian borders

until not a single invader was left on her territory.

He was criticized for preferring the money and the awards.

But he was a loving father of five daughters

and he had to provide for them.

Rumor-mongers said he loved the fair sex.

But it was only his wife that he loved.

She received from him so many letters.

Even the emperor didn't receive so many reports.

Alexander I personally collected these letters:

he would get into the carriage

and bring the letters to Ekaterina Ilyinichna.

She would read them to His Majesty,

the news about Kutuzov's health, about life in the staff

and about the soldiers' sentiments.

His whole life was military campaigns and his letters to his family.

He didn't want to take part in this new campaign, knowing

he would not live to see its outcome.

On April 15, 1813, Napoleon left Paris

to get to the positions of his army.

On the next day, 1200 km away from Paris,

in Bunzlau (now – Boleslawiec)

there died the supreme commander of the Russian army,

general-filed marshal, the full knight of the Order of St. George,

His Serene Highness Count

Mikhail Illarionovich Golenischev- Kutuzov-Smolensky.

The war was coming to its decisive phase.

The French army had been restored

and Napoleon was heading its personally.

His authority, experience and military talents

boosted up the soldiers' spirit.

Simultaneously, the Russian army was left without their commander.

Who will take the place of Kutuzov?

Who will head the expedition? -

that was the main dilemma for the emperor Alexander.

Exactly like back in 1812, the Russian general staff

was seething with controversy.

In 1812, this controversy led to Moscow burning.

But what will happen now?

And Alexander took a decision.

The supreme commander of the Russo-Prussian army

would be Petr Khristianovich Wittgenstein.

Petr Khristianovich Wittgenstein.

General-Field Marshal.

In early 1812, his corps was blocking the French army

on the route leading to St. Petersburg.

He fulfilled that mission successfully.

He had been wounded two times.

When Napoleon was retreating with his army, Wittgenstein,

together with Chichagov's troops was ordered to overtake the enemy,

but his actions were quite indecisive.

The public opinion blamed only Chichagov

for Napoleon's breakthrough.

Wittgenstein, 'the savior of Petersburg'

remained immune to criticism.

This fame of Wittgenstein's being the 'savior of Petersburg'

became the main argument for Alexander.

The soldiers knew Wittgenstein and respected him. Nevertheless,

many commanders were amazed by this choice.

Russian generals grumbled about there being too many Germans

in their general staff.

In their opinion, Wittgenstein was a brave general indeed,

but he had never commanded over the army.

Nor did he enjoy enough authority with military people.

But the Russian army had no more Kutuzovs.

Alyosha!

Alexander Ivanovich Ostermann-Tolstoy,

general of infantry,

took part in storming Ismail and in all campaigns against Napoleon.

A hero of the Ostrovno Battle.

Was contused during Borodino

but returned to the war within several days.

During a council at Fili he was for the abandonment of Moscow:

'Moscow is not the whole Russia', he said.

He once said to Philipp Pauluci, a French general of Russian service:

'For you Russia is your uniform

'which you will take off one day.

'But for me Russia is my very skin.'

I'm alive, as you can see. And where are you heading?

– To the staff, to help my friend. – I'm going there, too.

I must present myself to the new commander.

Oh, as new as new can be. Sometimes I wonder on which side we are warring.

Do you remember my cousin Denis Davydov?

– Oh, who doesn't. – When he approached Dresden,

he said: 'Surrender, or I will burn down this goddamned city!'

– Oh. – Believe it or not.

And he only had a detachment. Karpov saw this. Karpov!

– Yes, sir? – Tell him how it all happened.

Your Excellency, he threatened the burgomaster,

the burgomaster rushed to the sentry and told him everything.

And the French decided to surrender the city without a single shot.

We were already on the outskirts of Dresden.

– And what happened next? – And next...

Davydov's commander was a German, Wint...

– Wintzingerode. – He said

that Davydov had taken the city without an order.

So now he was 'awarded' for his exploit with home arrest.

– And his detachment disbanded. – This is outrageous!

This German wants our Davydov out of the army.

These Wintzes... what a tongue- twister, will lead us to calamity.

Napoleon is approaching, and he... Karpov!

Allies' forces were between Altenburg and Leipzig.

Napoleon was moving towards Leipzig

where general Beauharnais was waiting for him.

Wittgenstein decided to attack Napoleon near Lutzen

while his army was on the move.

But this plan was carried out very awkwardly:

Napoleon retaliated,

gathered forces and counter-attacked.

The allies lost 10 thousand soldiers.

Though Napoleon's losses were two times as many,

Wittgenstein, disheartened by his failure, retreated.

– Where to? – To my estate

in Lukyanchikovo, away from this madness.

– Don't be so angry. – They said

it was all my blame! My goodness, I'm lost for words.

They saw the map. It's all ravines and creeks there!

As a result I was demoted.

Now I will command a division.

Ah, Mikhail Illarionovich.

I was such a fool, mocking him...

On May 8, the Russians returned to the other side of the Elba.

Kutuzov's most pessimistic prognosis was coming true.

Another battle took place on May 12 near Bautzen.

The enemy's position was fortified by Nature itself.

It was 143 thousand Napoleon's soldiers

versus 93 thousand Russian soldiers.

The battle had the same outcome:

though Napoleon's losses were 1.5 times as many,

the allied forces retreated, assailed by the enemy's army.

The Russians were retreating in full alignment.

– Order them to draw in. – Yes, Sir!

Under cannon fire, Napoleon led his troops forward,

but Ermolov's rear guard withstood their attack.

Despite combat advantages,

the French didn't capture a single prisoner.

Napoleon was verily chagrined by the lack of trophies.

No prisoners?

After all this massacre – not a single prisoner?

They decided to leave behind not a single nail!

The second defeat on end made Alexander

to look for another supreme commander.

On May 17, he appointed Barclay de Tolly to lead the army.

The Russian army continued retreating,

but Napoleon was in none too good a plight.

Now we shall see how things will develop with Barclay.

He was aware that after a series of more victories

like at Lutzen and Bautzen,

his new army will stop existing.

The losses caused by desertion and illnesses were even bigger

than those caused by warfare. Provision delivery was poor

and they had to get food by pillaging the local population.

Napoleon needed to buy some time. He agreed to a truce

which continued for two months.

During this time, Austria joined the anti-Napoleonic alliance.

Besides, the allies received subsidies from England:

Prussia – 4 mln rubles, Russia – 8 mln rubles.

England remained true to herself, warring only with her money.

Do not ever make a truce after a defeat,

for therein lies your enemy's strength.

Jean Victor Moreau

was considered as one of the most talented generals

of the French Republic.

But Napoleon viewed him as his competitor

and accused Moreau of a conspiracy.

General was sentenced to a term in prison

which Napoleon changed for banishment.

For several years Moreau lived in North America.

In 1813, at the invitation of the Russian tsar,

Moreau arrived to the positions of the Russian army.

He did not enter into military service

but agreed to help Alexander with advice

for he knew Napoleon very well.

Evade to engage into battle with the troops led by the emperor.

Instead, you should attack only his marshals.

The time of the truce was coming to an end.

The war was resumed, but this time Napoleon's army

was, albeit slightly, outnumbered by the anti-French coalition.

Who are you?

Dismount. And no tricks.

Trofim, search his pockets.

Yes. Sir.

Don't move.

Your sword.

Turn around.

Who are you?

You should've said this from the very beginning.

FOREIGN CAMPAIGN

Script by Marina Bandilenko

Directed by Pavel Tupik Andrei Vereschagin

Photography by Dmitry Kiptilyi Art Director – Alexander Yakimov

Make up by Galina Korolenko

Music by Maxim Voitov

Produced by Valery Babich Vlad Ryashin

Oleg Volnov Konstantin Ernst

Commissioned by Channel One, Russia

Subtitling by MEGASUBTITLE STUDIO www.megasubt.ru