Theysaythatpridecomesbeforeafall.InthecaseofbothNapoleonandHitler,themanyvictoriestheyenjoyedledthemtobelievethatanythingwaspossible,thatnothingcouldstandintheirway.Russia'sicydefenderwastoprovethemwrong.TheIcyDefenderNilaB.Smith1In1812,NapoleonBonaparte,EmperoroftheFrench,ledhisGrandArmyintoRussia.HewaspreparedforthefierceresistanceoftheRussianpeopledefendingtheirhomeland.HewaspreparedforthelongmarchacrossRussiansoiltoMoscow,thecapitalcity.ButhewasnotpreparedforthedevastatingenemythatmethiminMoscow--theraw,bitter,bleakRussianwinter.2In1941,AdolfHitler,leaderofNaziGermany,launchedanattackagainsttheSovietUnion,asRussiathenwascalled.Hitler'smilitarymightwasunequaled.HiswarmachinehadmoweddownresistanceinmostofEurope.Hitlerexpectedashortcampaignbut,likeNapoleonbeforehim,wastaughtapainfullesson.TheRussianwinteragaincametotheaidoftheSovietsoldiers.Napoleon'sCampaign3Inthespringof1812,NapoleonassembledanarmyofsixhundredthousandmenonthebordersofRussia.Thesoldierswerewelltrained,efficient,andwellequipped.ThismilitaryforcewascalledtheGrandArmy.Napoleon,confidentofaquickvictory,predictedtheconquestofRussiainfiveweeks.4Shortlyafterwards,Napoleon'sarmycrossedtheNemanRiverintoRussia.Thequick,decisivevictorythatNapoleonexpectedneverhappened.Tohissurprise,theRussiansrefusedtostandandfight.Instead,theyretreatedeastward,burningtheircropsandhomesastheywent.TheGrandArmyfollowed,butitsadvancemarchsoonbecameboggeddownbyslow-movingsupplylines.5InAugust,theFrenchandRussianarmiesengagedatSmolensk,inabattlethatleftovertenthousanddeadoneachside.Yet,theRussianswereagainabletoretreatfartherintoRussianterritory.Napoleonhadwonnodecisivevictory.Hewasnowfacedwithacrucialdecision.ShouldhecontinuetopursuetheRussianarmy?OrshouldhekeephisarmyinSmolenskfortheapproachingwinter?6NapoleontookthegambleofpressingontoMoscow,448kilometersaway.OnSeptember7,1812,theFrenchandRussianarmiesmetinfiercebattleatBorodino,112kilometerswestofMoscow.Bynightfall,thirtythousandFrenchandforty-fourthousandRussianslaydeadorwoundedonthebattlefield.7Again,theRussianarmyretreatedtosafety.NapoleonhadaclearpathtoMoscow,buttheoccupationofthecitybecameanemptyvictory.TheRussiansfledtheircapital.SoonaftertheFrencharrived,aragingfiredestroyedtwo-thirdsofthecity.NapoleonofferedatrucetoAlexanderI,buttheRussianczarknewhecouldbidehistime:"WeshalllettheRussianwinterfightthewarforus."8Napoleonsoonrealizedhecouldnotfeed,clothe,andquarterhisarmyinMoscowduringthewinter.InOctober1812,heorderedhisGrandArmytoretreatfromMoscow.9TheFrenchretreatturnedintoanightmare.Fromfieldsandforests,theRussianslaunchedhit-and-runattacksontheFrench.AshortdistancefromMoscow,thetemperaturehadalreadydroppedtominus4degreesCelsius.OnNovember3,thewinter'sfirstsnowcame.Exhaustedhorsesfelldeadintheirtracks.Cannonbecamestuckinthesnow.Equipmenthadtobeburnedforfuel.Soldierstookillandfrozetodeath.TheFrenchsoldiersdraggedon,leavingthedeadalongeverymile.10AstheRussianarmywasgatheringitsstrength,theFrenchhadtofleeRussiatoavoidcertaindefeat.AttheBerezinaRiver,theRussiansnearlytrappedtheretreatingFrenchbyburningthebridgesovertheswollenriver.ButNapoleon,byastrokeofluck,wasabletobuildtwonewbridges.ThousandsofFrenchsoldiersescaped,butatthecostoffiftythousanddead.OnceacrosstheBerezina,thetatteredsurvivorslimpedtowardVilna.11OfthesixhundredthousandsoldiersNapoleonhadledintoRussia,lessthanon...
