Why did Napoleon Invade Russia? (Short Animated Documentary)

Sdílet
Vložit
  • čas přidán 4. 08. 2019
  • Twitter: / tenminhistory
    Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=4973164
    Merch: teespring.com/stores/history-...
    Special Thanks to the following Patrons for their support on Patreon:
    Richard Wolfe
    Kevin Sanders
    Chris Fatta
    Daniel Lambert
    Tom Loghrin
    Joshua
    anon
    Matthew
    John Garcia
    Andrew Niedbala
    Mitchell Wildoer
    William Foster
    Blaine Tillack
    Norman A. Letterman
    Danny Anstess
    Bernardo Santos
    Will Davis-Coleman
    Richard Hartzell
    Cornel Borină
    LavaLampLover3000
    Henry Rabung
    Shaun Pullin
    Perry Gagne
    Joooooshhhhhh
    FuzzytheFair
    Jeffrey Schneider
    Armani_banani
    Paul
    Spencer Smith
    Byzans_Scotorius
    Haydn Noble
    Gideon Rashkes
    Roberto
    Chance Cansler
    Andrew Keeling
    Richard Manklow
    João Santos
    Gabriel Lunde
    Why did Napoleon Invade Russia? TL:DW, he thought he was going to win.
    Sources:
    A Concise History of France by Roger Price.
    Long-Term Bandwagoning and Short-Term Balancing: The Lessons of Coalition Behaviour from 1792 to 1815 by Daniel J. Whiteneck
    Blinders, Blunders, and Wars: What America and China can learn by David C. Gompert, Hans Binnendijk and Bonny Lin

Komentáře • 3K

  • @siechamontillado
    @siechamontillado Před 4 lety +13374

    Looks like Napoleon's empire post-Russia was...Blownaparte

    • @wtfwtf2956
      @wtfwtf2956 Před 4 lety +287

      Underrated

    • @pimpinmagicianofprophecy
      @pimpinmagicianofprophecy Před 4 lety +263

      10/10 burn

    • @rzul
      @rzul Před 4 lety +117

      @@wtfwtf2956 stop with this, "underrated" is not equal to "good joke", not every joke has to be the most liked one

    • @kaiserwilhelmll.3634
      @kaiserwilhelmll.3634 Před 4 lety +206

      @@rzul Stop being a jerk. Or the Kaiserliche Garde is going to get ya!

    • @bbernie
      @bbernie Před 4 lety +34

      I'm screaming

  • @justcallmesteve9123
    @justcallmesteve9123 Před 3 lety +3342

    History fans: Why would Napoleon invade Russia?
    Napoleon, who steamrolled all the continental powers of Europe: Why would I not?

    • @EndOfSmallSanctuary97
      @EndOfSmallSanctuary97 Před 3 lety +394

      Yep. If I remember correctly, when someone in his court warned him that the Russians were a serious challenge, Napoleon dismissed it because he'd decisively beaten them only five years earlier and didn't see how they could have changed much since then. Fairly reasonable assumption, considering that progress in Tsarist Russia moved at a snail's pace.

    • @looinrims
      @looinrims Před 3 lety +35

      Including Russia*

    • @plusxz821
      @plusxz821 Před 2 lety +6

      Because russians fight like mongols, not like any western nation

    • @MWENDA-vv5im
      @MWENDA-vv5im Před 2 lety +91

      @@looinrims Not really. Napoleon had beaten Russia in a small battle, not a war. The battle also took place miles away from Russia. This is not the case for most of Europe that was effectively under the direct or indirect control of France.

    • @archivesoffantasy5560
      @archivesoffantasy5560 Před 2 lety +112

      @@MWENDA-vv5im “not a war”
      He literally beat them in the war of the third coalition and the war of the fourth coalition

  • @estout324
    @estout324 Před 4 lety +9620

    "DoNt InVadE RUssiA iN thE WinTeR"
    Napoleon and Hitler who invaded in June: "My goodness what an idea, why didn't I think of that"

    • @givemethen-pass6182
      @givemethen-pass6182 Před 4 lety +570

      Russia/USSR=Ah shit, here we go AGAIN

    • @anthonyc4138
      @anthonyc4138 Před 4 lety +29

      @@givemethen-pass6182Lol

    • @ambasrb
      @ambasrb Před 4 lety +443

      Or just dont invade Russia ever 😁

    • @user-xw5xo3bv1n
      @user-xw5xo3bv1n Před 4 lety +285

      @@alexander-mauricemillamlae4567 in case of Napoleon... well, you do know that last soldiers of his army left russian borders in december, first month of the winter after retreating during most weeks of autumn, right?)

    • @7macfly2
      @7macfly2 Před 4 lety +398

      What most people dont know is that russian winter didnt beat Napoleon.
      Typhus did

  • @george1234able
    @george1234able Před 4 lety +5536

    Love how in Napoleons ideal Europe the English isles just don’t exist

  • @DuckSwagington
    @DuckSwagington Před 4 lety +5151

    tfw Napoleon invaded in June yet everyone thinks he invaded in the winter

    • @sonoftheway3528
      @sonoftheway3528 Před 4 lety +1440

      people don't realize how long invasions take.
      or that its less about the winter and more about the Russian's ability to endlessly retreat due to their country being huge.

    • @grayishcolors
      @grayishcolors Před 4 lety +176

      ITeach You sometimes retreat can be a really good war tactic

    • @sonoftheway3528
      @sonoftheway3528 Před 4 lety +99

      true, point is there were a lot of factors. not just the winter

    • @kaizermierkrazy6886
      @kaizermierkrazy6886 Před 4 lety +60

      Well to be fair in Australia winter is June to August. Maybe out boi was fan

    • @ivanvoronov3871
      @ivanvoronov3871 Před 4 lety +191

      @@sonoftheway3528 people always ignore the Russian military. That was the main factor. The battle of boradino was the single bloodiest day in all of the napoleonic war. It was a tactical draw and strategic defeat as it crippled napoleon's army. The winter just helped

  • @lehatikhonov
    @lehatikhonov Před 4 lety +898

    "He thought he was going to win."
    Well, that explains a lot.

  • @LEFT4BASS
    @LEFT4BASS Před 4 lety +2430

    “Quick and easy victory over Russia”
    File under “ideas that never ever work”

    • @Alex-lf5sh
      @Alex-lf5sh Před 4 lety +166

      *Mongols, Poles and Japanese want to know your location*

    • @agustinl2302
      @agustinl2302 Před 4 lety +81

      @@Alex-lf5sh Plus the Germans in the first World War.

    • @rayzas4885
      @rayzas4885 Před 4 lety +21

      Napoleon did it like 3 times before

    • @nicholasiiofrussia1662
      @nicholasiiofrussia1662 Před 4 lety +60

      @@agustinl2302 Russia in WW1 was never defeated. It was destroyed from inside. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed after October Revolution and by that time, Russia was already dead. Bolsheviks weren't Russians, they were Jews

    • @biliminsrlar5752
      @biliminsrlar5752 Před 4 lety +78

      @@nicholasiiofrussia1662 Germans caused the Bolsheviks revolution by sending Lenin back to Russia.

  • @jmaitland5709
    @jmaitland5709 Před 4 lety +3811

    "-in hopes of a quick and easy victory."
    "-thought that the Russians were an inferior people that could not withstand his armies."
    "-destroy Russia as an enemy to focus on starving out Britain-"
    Hmm, where have we heard this before I wonder.

    • @arnold3768
      @arnold3768 Před 4 lety +254

      Hitler lived after Napoleon...

    • @jmaitland5709
      @jmaitland5709 Před 4 lety +883

      @Arnold
      But didn't learn from Napoleon's mistakes, which was my point.

    • @fulcrum2951
      @fulcrum2951 Před 4 lety +108

      Sweden

    • @prion42
      @prion42 Před 4 lety +57

      "wanted to starve Britain" . . . Didn't they have a huge ass empire at the time?

    • @XD-bx6ee
      @XD-bx6ee Před 4 lety +220

      @@prion42 to starve BRITAIN, not the BRITISH EMPIRE, think twice before you comment next time

  • @OctagonDinosaur
    @OctagonDinosaur Před 4 lety +3936

    Silly Napoleon, not paying attention to the high attrition and low supply limit of the Russian provinces. Like a pro, Russia took defensive ideas and simply waited for France's war exhaustion to keep increasing.

    • @tomaspaulauskas2204
      @tomaspaulauskas2204 Před 4 lety +444

      this is some advanced EU4 stuff

    • @USSAnimeNCC-
      @USSAnimeNCC- Před 4 lety +151

      And destroyed everything as they retreated leaving them nothing useful

    • @Obrazoval
      @Obrazoval Před 4 lety +108

      Hi to my EU4 brothers!

    • @ilayohana3150
      @ilayohana3150 Před 4 lety +138

      *PARADOX INTENSIFIES*

    • @kurniaerfan7307
      @kurniaerfan7307 Před 4 lety +78

      Pro Russian Player take quantity
      More meat for meat grinder!

  • @lonepinewolfman
    @lonepinewolfman Před 4 lety +3723

    Napoleon: **takes Moscow** "I won, right? Right?...."
    **Slavic hardbass gets louder in the distance....**

    • @alexrowe7063
      @alexrowe7063 Před 4 lety +279

      little did he know that the boss had a second phase.

    • @CBielski87
      @CBielski87 Před 4 lety +108

      and that's when he knew, he fucked up

    • @Admiral45-10
      @Admiral45-10 Před 3 lety +80

      Poles who took Moscow without a single shot in 1614: *Oh c'mon!*

    • @kostam.1113
      @kostam.1113 Před 3 lety +68

      Also Moscow was not the Russian capital at that time

    • @Reroume
      @Reroume Před 3 lety +12

      @Bangbabangbabangbang "Oh non, les vilains Russes brûlent leurs ressources à la place de laisser à notre armée quelque chose pour se loger et se nourrir! C'est pas juste!" -Napoléon, en grelottant comme un gamin
      Ceux qui s'affirment supérieurs sont toujours inférieurs, c'est un classique. En 2021 ce sera le tour aux Américains d'échouer lamentablement dans l'atteinte d'un règne hégémonique.

  • @Kardia_of_Rhodes
    @Kardia_of_Rhodes Před 4 lety +2820

    "History doesn't repeat itself,
    but it does rhyme."
    - Mark Twain

    • @adhprakash
      @adhprakash Před 2 lety +8

      905 likes without a reply? Wow

    • @donpollock9126
      @donpollock9126 Před 2 lety +20

      @@adhprakash this comment is proof of the bystander effect

    • @shafqatishan437
      @shafqatishan437 Před 2 lety +4

      @@adhprakash y did u comment?

    • @kurzackd
      @kurzackd Před 2 lety +2

      I honestly don't get it...

    • @gnaskar
      @gnaskar Před 2 lety +3

      Wait, 2 years ago? What were you talking about? The war only started in February.

  • @MsHarpsychord
    @MsHarpsychord Před 3 lety +1255

    "The second issue was Poland".
    They just can't catch a break

    • @cynicat74
      @cynicat74 Před 2 lety +35

      Poland:
      Germany: Fuck you, Poland
      Russia: Fuck you, Poland

    • @SilverFang2789
      @SilverFang2789 Před 2 lety +32

      Yeah well look where they are geographically. Caught in the middle of two historically military giants. If WW2 doesn't show you just how bad the Poles have had in dealing with Russia and Germany, then I don't know what will.

    • @obiwanfx
      @obiwanfx Před 2 lety +14

      then what do we Belgians have to say? We have been like every great nation's boxing ring troughout history

    • @michaelbayer5094
      @michaelbayer5094 Před 2 lety +21

      Except Napoleon was putting Poland back on the map as a buffer state to Russia and counterweight to Austria and Prussia. That was smart. Invading Russia, not so. He should have kept building on Poland, and enticing the subject peoples inside Russia to rebel. Russia would need to commit forces in the west rather than retreat east when attacked. For all his brilliance he could not see this. Also, blockade Russia with Sweden help should have been arranged. Make Britain come to you.

    • @wojtekkkk
      @wojtekkkk Před 2 lety +4

      @@SilverFang2789 Those two weren't military giants until about 1700.

  • @IJustKant
    @IJustKant Před 4 lety +344

    From what I’ve read, Napoleon knew the risks of invading Russia and tried to prepare for it (studying the Great Northern War, planning to make winter quarters early, etc) it’s just that he kept being lured in by the Russians, he felt he couldn’t rightly stop advancing until he had his decisive battle.

    • @marlonmoncrieffe0728
      @marlonmoncrieffe0728 Před 4 lety +64

      Yeah, the Russians were clever by drawing him further and further in and also employing a scorched earth campaign.
      They sacrificed a many pawns, knights, rooks, and even the queen in Moscow to destroy the opponent king.

    • @Septimus_ii
      @Septimus_ii Před rokem +22

      @@marlonmoncrieffe0728 Turned Napoleon's strength into his weakness. Napoleon could never resist an opportunity to outmanouvre his enemy

    • @carterbentonjr399
      @carterbentonjr399 Před rokem +11

      The one thing Napoleon for got about the Great Northern Wars was that Charles the madman of the North had a chance to finish off Peter I/the Great but decided to let him off. B I G - M I S T A K E.

  • @JonatasAdoM
    @JonatasAdoM Před 4 lety +613

    "Our armies will cover moscow"
    "We will fight in Siberia."

    • @SFFRN19
      @SFFRN19 Před 4 lety +34

      Motivation:100
      Badass:100

    • @alexgainsborough4921
      @alexgainsborough4921 Před 4 lety +79

      JonatasAdoM
      No, Tsar Alexander said: “If necessary, I will at least be the emperor of Kamchatka, but I will not surrender”.

    • @sanher20
      @sanher20 Před 4 lety +7

      See you in Petropavlovsk

    • @malvarez8484
      @malvarez8484 Před 4 lety +2

      JonatasAdoM it certainly does an old empire making a final last stand Spain = Britain a new strong dominant power entering a goleden age coming out of the conflict USA = Britain .all While Russia playing a pivotal role in both conflicts. All propagated by a mad man Hitler = Napoleon. It’s almost the exact same really

    • @user-uq3um5nq7d
      @user-uq3um5nq7d Před 4 lety +3

      @@alexgainsborough4921 that's a lot of determination there

  • @bluetropic51
    @bluetropic51 Před 3 lety +898

    Out of 500k soldiers only 130k or so reached Borodino. Most of the French army died or deserted due to the long marches in Summer, not in Winter. That is what people miss. When winter came the war was already lost. Also the strategy of Russia of avoiding a needless fight until the enemy was exhausted was brilliant. Napoleon never had a chance against the Russians in such a long territory.

    • @ShubhamMishrabro
      @ShubhamMishrabro Před 2 lety +44

      Russia did this against Germany too

    • @orkellSigvaldason
      @orkellSigvaldason Před 2 lety +58

      To be fair some of those that didn't reach Borodino were left behind as detachments at vital points along the way.

    • @user-ve3hs5hq5i
      @user-ve3hs5hq5i Před 2 lety +53

      IMHO, a significant part of those who did not reach Borodino were in garrisons, supported the supply system, and so on.

    • @IsraelCountryCube
      @IsraelCountryCube Před 2 lety +2

      @@user-ve3hs5hq5i ah so you want to kill more french i see? baguette? oh wait no i meant vodka?

    • @akdele5
      @akdele5 Před rokem +23

      @@IsraelCountryCube you high or something?

  • @SomeGuy-lr7ms
    @SomeGuy-lr7ms Před 4 lety +497

    Napoleon: I got Moscow
    Alexander: ok
    Napoleon: so you gonna surrender?
    Alexander: no

  • @Wesley_H
    @Wesley_H Před 3 lety +177

    Hey Napoleon, why are you invading Russia?
    Napoleon: “Be Cossack can.”

  • @Myranea
    @Myranea Před 4 lety +826

    “Let’s invade Russia”
    -Someone who could not invade Russia

    • @Lipidwave
      @Lipidwave Před 3 lety +24

      @@insulam821 Cough Cough Poland aswell

    • @insulam821
      @insulam821 Před 3 lety +4

      Sebastian Szeliga oh yeah they did as well

    • @Admiral45-10
      @Admiral45-10 Před 3 lety +4

      Jeremi Wiśniewski said so in 1614. He smashed entire Russian and Swedish forces after one battle (at Kłuszyn, not Moscow), and he took the capital without a single shot.
      The same thing said the Stephen Batory - he defeated Russia three times a row (when it was ruled by Ivan the Dangerous)

    • @sheevrealname2365
      @sheevrealname2365 Před 3 lety +39

      @@Lipidwave But the Poles didn't win the Polish-Muscovite War, they were driven out and only took some border provinces which they lost in like 50 years anyways. That's not a successful invasion

    • @DK-tv6rk
      @DK-tv6rk Před 3 lety +2

      Never forget the Brest-Litovsk!

  • @duran9664
    @duran9664 Před 4 lety +2191

    “Never invade Russia from the west.”
    -Genghis Khan

    • @affentaktik2810
      @affentaktik2810 Před 4 lety +94

      Duran he has absolutely never said something like this in his entire life

    • @ziomeke5580
      @ziomeke5580 Před 4 lety +825

      Affentaktik “After I die people will start to quote things I didn’t say”
      - Genghis Khan

    • @00Trademark00
      @00Trademark00 Před 4 lety +666

      @@affentaktik2810 "Don't believe everything you read on the internet"
      - Genghis Khan

    • @kreuzritter4898
      @kreuzritter4898 Před 4 lety +374

      @@affentaktik2810 "Too many whamen"
      - Genghis Khan

    • @bigguacamole6921
      @bigguacamole6921 Před 4 lety +389

      @@affentaktik2810 "lmao XD"
      - Genghis Khan

  • @theretard666
    @theretard666 Před 4 lety +219

    "It wanted a meritocratic Europe..." - Britain (and Ireland) just disappears. I laughed SO loud :D

    • @sausagejockyGaming
      @sausagejockyGaming Před 4 lety +18

      the reference of britain leaving wasnt because of a lack of meritocratic society it was it wanted europe under french dominance and they knew Britain would never be under french control hence not part of their europe.

    • @jacquescro-magnon1440
      @jacquescro-magnon1440 Před 3 lety +4

      This was really funny

    • @sausagejockyGaming
      @sausagejockyGaming Před 3 lety +3

      cumquatrct3 the monarchy hasn’t had real power for hundreds of years, their existence doesn’t affect the UK’s government at all.

    • @cgt3704
      @cgt3704 Před 3 lety +6

      And the Balkans are not included. Why are everyone so mean to us 😥

    • @pecadodeorgullo5963
      @pecadodeorgullo5963 Před 3 lety +1

      @@sausagejockyGaming it can though.

  • @ThePrinceofParthia
    @ThePrinceofParthia Před 4 lety +170

    0:50 Britain "I don't feel so good..."

  • @AverytheCubanAmerican
    @AverytheCubanAmerican Před 4 lety +992

    Napoleon: Brace yourselves, winter is coming
    Russia: The cold doesn’t bother me anyway

    • @lidulkadut
      @lidulkadut Před 4 lety +16

      Most of the names of the characters in Frozen are Russian

    • @franciscomm7675
      @franciscomm7675 Před 4 lety +48

      @@lidulkadut really? I though they were scandinavian

    • @Minirush35
      @Minirush35 Před 4 lety +10

      It did in the Winter War

    • @davidhouseman4328
      @davidhouseman4328 Před 4 lety +27

      The cold really does bother the Russians. Russian military losses in these victories are massive never mind the civilians one due to scorched earth policies.

    • @siechamontillado
      @siechamontillado Před 4 lety +29

      LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOOOOOW! LET THE HUNGER FLOW!!

  • @Nikodhemus
    @Nikodhemus Před 3 lety +39

    Another reason was that wars back then usually weren't won by one country occupying the other. Take Napoleon's wars with Austria and Prussia for example (all of which were declared by Austria and Prussia, btw): the wars were won by Napoleon defeating his enemies army in the field close enough to the enemy capital that they would not have time to muster a new army to defend it. Thus they capitulated and gave concessions. Napoleon invaded Russia thinking that Russia would fight a war in this way and such a type of war he had every reason to be confident of winning. Russia, however, decided rather intelligently that there is no reason to follow unwritten rules and conventions which does not favour them. In hindsight we know how the Russians fought and how much they were willing to sacrifice, but it was not unreasonable at the time to expect Russia to meet Napoleon in the field and to accept Napoleon's terms after being defeated and/or having their capitals threatened. It wasn't like Napoleon was trying to annex Russia.

    • @KingJohnMichael
      @KingJohnMichael Před rokem +8

      Russia and not following international rules
      Iconic duo

  • @cow4756
    @cow4756 Před 3 lety +11

    You do a good job on making these Short history videos, there's time I want them longer but you know what keep making them short for the most part they're easy to digest.

  • @WG55
    @WG55 Před 4 lety +232

    Note that Napoleon wasn't originally trying to conquer Russia. He was hoping that a show of force at the border would cause the Russians to give in and accept the Continental System, and he had no plans for going east of Smolensk. But the shows of force kept escalating until Moscow was burned to the ground and the harsh winter destroyed the French army.

    • @samarkand1585
      @samarkand1585 Před 4 lety +36

      Important to point out that Moscow was burnt down by Russians though

    • @user-ic5xr1fu4j
      @user-ic5xr1fu4j Před 4 lety +26

      Moscow then was not the capital, so its burning almost did not harm Russia itself.
      But Napoleon's army of 600 thousand soldiers died very stupid.

    • @raitiC1
      @raitiC1 Před 4 lety +5

      ​@@user-ic5xr1fu4j You realize that most of those soldiers were Russians who willingly joined Napoleone's army because they were sick of living under the serfdom!!?

    • @user-ic5xr1fu4j
      @user-ic5xr1fu4j Před 4 lety +43

      @@raitiC1 You're funny. Napoleon entered Russia with 650.000 army, and left Russia with 12.000-16.000 army. If Russians had taken Napoleon's side, he would have won, no? Problem with logic?

    • @raitiC1
      @raitiC1 Před 4 lety +2

      @@user-ic5xr1fu4j First of all Russians were not the only ethnicity that was part of Russian empire! You realize that right!? And yes many Russians took Napoleon's side! And the biggest resistor to Napoleon in Russia was GERMAN landlords that literary OWNED Russians as slaves!
      Btw those numbers you got are taken out of...

  • @sandrosaladze8095
    @sandrosaladze8095 Před 4 lety +36

    0:51 like how the UK just disappears

  • @jeg5gom
    @jeg5gom Před 4 lety +70

    "Because... he thought he was going to win"
    I LOVE IT!!!

  • @OctagonDinosaur
    @OctagonDinosaur Před 4 lety +1536

    No one invades Russia in winter and wins.
    Except of course, the Mongols.

    • @0renforge424
      @0renforge424 Před 4 lety +117

      OctagonDinosaur *Crash Course World History Intensifies*

    • @USSAnimeNCC-
      @USSAnimeNCC- Před 4 lety +159

      Mongols: we are the exception

    • @Puckosar
      @Puckosar Před 4 lety +137

      Pretty sure napoleons invasion didn't start in the winter

    • @Salty-Doggy
      @Salty-Doggy Před 4 lety +144

      They didn't invade in the winter Russia is just very big and it takes a long time to march through they actually got to Moscow before winter then waited for Russia to surrender they did not winter came early and Napoleon was short on supplies because the Russians adopted scorched earth tactics

    • @Solaxe
      @Solaxe Před 4 lety +90

      And Poles.. and Lithuanians... and to some extent even Vikings...

  • @XIIIphobos
    @XIIIphobos Před 4 lety +20

    map correction needed @ 0:16:
    Russia (dark green) conquered Finland in 1809, in 1799 it was still a part of Sweden (light blue).

  • @ChannelRandomMy
    @ChannelRandomMy Před 3 lety +13

    I love the ending explanation. It's so simple, yet so true.

  • @davidionescu1153
    @davidionescu1153 Před 3 lety +3

    I really enjoy your videos , they are funny and educational in the same time.

  • @ChessedGamon
    @ChessedGamon Před 4 lety +26

    That remake of Napoleon Crossing the Alps during the patreon mentions is just stellar.

  • @EurasiaOnYT
    @EurasiaOnYT Před 4 lety +18

    Great video! You're a great inspiration for my new channel, so it's always great to see another video from you! Great video once again! 😊😊

  • @johnmcfarland4700
    @johnmcfarland4700 Před 4 lety

    Great job on the video!!
    You should do some stuff that's a little more modern as well.

  • @lahoku
    @lahoku Před 3 lety +4

    Another main reason why I watch & fathomly enjoy this channel, besides historic facts, are the characters & their signs & expressions. Makes me laugh, I ❤️ it

  • @thomasturner6980
    @thomasturner6980 Před 4 lety +387

    Napoleon failed invasion of Russia: *_exists_*
    Hitler: u know what would be a good idea
    *Soviets sieze Berlin 3 years later*

  • @LendriMujina
    @LendriMujina Před rokem +10

    Napoleon had some reason to think he'd come out on top; he had not only been been mostly undefeated up to that point, but also Russia had never used their self-destructive tactic to that titanic scale before. *Nobody* could have expected exactly what happened; Russia basically impaled itself and then metaphorically used its own blood to poison the French army.
    Mr. Moustache had no such excuse; not only was he mostly unproven of being capable of holding his own in a real battle (unless you count unprovoked invasions against countries who couldn't fight back as "a real battle"), but now there was a well-known precedent for the tactic that someone more competent would've taken notice of.

    • @cattysplat
      @cattysplat Před 9 měsíci +1

      The Eastern front in WW2 was a whole another level of sacrifice and slaughter, it made the western front look like a fun holiday compared for number of deaths. I doubt moustache man would have thought the USSR were willing to throw so many lives to holt the advance and prevent Stalingrad's fall, likely expected a peace pact or surrender. But they kept coming...

  • @peaceman679
    @peaceman679 Před 4 lety

    Love your content man! But when are you going to make a 10 minute history video again?

  • @blakkrenegade
    @blakkrenegade Před 2 lety +1

    I just finished epic history’s series on the napoleonic wars and this short is bluuudy fantastic!!

  • @manuelsilva8528
    @manuelsilva8528 Před 3 lety +3

    You should totally do a video on the peninsular war!

  • @eisenkoenig8324
    @eisenkoenig8324 Před 4 lety +127

    Napoleon: tries invading Russia and fails
    🇩🇪: *laughs in imperial german*

    • @Hugo-cn9no
      @Hugo-cn9no Před 3 lety +13

      At least we french took moscow germans no

    • @eisenkoenig8324
      @eisenkoenig8324 Před 3 lety +42

      @@Hugo-cn9no they literally abandoned the city, set fire and took the food with them.
      It was a trap

    • @igorpaosz7508
      @igorpaosz7508 Před 3 lety +18

      Well, the only country able to take and hold Moscow was Poland-Lithuania it seems

    • @johnustube2047
      @johnustube2047 Před 3 lety +21

      @@eisenkoenig8324
      France: runs into spear trap (Moscow)
      Also France: “We did it guys, mission was a success!”

    • @kirillassasin
      @kirillassasin Před 3 lety +12

      Igor XDDD
      “Yeah we defeat Russia for 2 years”
      Poland disappears for 123 years

  • @oenrn
    @oenrn Před rokem +12

    Napoleon: "Our forces are tied up in the West. Let's open up another front in Russia!"
    Hitler: "Great idea!"

  • @cynicat74
    @cynicat74 Před 3 lety +14

    "In the Year 8, or 1799 as it's normally known" killed me

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 Před 3 lety +3

      Laughs in Revolutionary Calendar.

    • @alanmaclaren4366
      @alanmaclaren4366 Před 2 lety

      The United States gained its independence on year 5 according to the revolutionary calendar.

  • @NickWestin
    @NickWestin Před 4 lety +90

    Sweden had finland 1799. In the first map it is displayed that russia controlled it during that time which is incorrect.

    • @paulpaulson7551
      @paulpaulson7551 Před 4 lety +18

      Yes, Finland was liberated, and founded as a special state with many rights in Russian Empire only in 1809

    • @NickWestin
      @NickWestin Před 4 lety +12

      Paul Paulson wtf ur crazy. What do you mean liberated? They were forcibly annexed against their will.

    • @paulpaulson7551
      @paulpaulson7551 Před 4 lety +28

      @@NickWestin , Because I know history! Because they got a statehood they didn't have in the Swedish Reich. The Grand Duchy of Finland, with its own Parliament, currency, Constitution, army, separated from the rest of the Russian Empire by the state border, had an economy and taxes only for the internal needs of Finland.
      Emperor Alexander I liberated Finland, and Alexander II gave it even more rights and freedoms: for this, the Finns erected a monument to him in Helsinki

    • @NickWestin
      @NickWestin Před 4 lety +13

      Paul Paulson what you dont understand is that before the russian takeover there was no finnish identity. Therefore they had no need for such autonomy as part of sweden which they had been for a really long time. So ur crazy to say that the finnish people back then welcomed the russians (which they absolutely did not). The finns might have had a different language but their identity was as swedish as it could be.

    • @cynicat74
      @cynicat74 Před 3 lety +11

      @@NickWestin Nobody said the Finns welcomed the Russians. He said Finland had more rights under Russia, than they did under Sweden, which is true.

  • @epg96
    @epg96 Před 4 lety +144

    Please make videos about this
    Why did Mongols lose in Vietnam, the border of Africa & middle east, Japan, and Nusantara?
    Why did Japan lose in Imjin war?
    Why did Nayirah lie?
    Why did Pinoys lose against USA?
    Why do Poles still demand reparations from Germany for 1939?

    • @aryaankhan3725
      @aryaankhan3725 Před 4 lety +8

      Evan Pangaribuan his ships got drowned when sailing for japan twice

    • @siechamontillado
      @siechamontillado Před 4 lety +6

      Why can I not believe it's not butter!?

    • @ThePiotrekpecet
      @ThePiotrekpecet Před 4 lety +27

      Poles don't want reparations we've got silesia and pomerania and warmia as reparations only our retarded govemment does

    • @AftermathRV
      @AftermathRV Před 4 lety +4

      ​@@ThePiotrekpecet Inb4 Storm Prussia, the poles cant stop all of us, god with us.

    • @pawemarsza9515
      @pawemarsza9515 Před 4 lety +29

      I can explain you about reparations.
      There are 2 main reasons:
      1) Poland in 1944/45 was not liberated but conquered by USSR, and Stalin made my country a puppet state. As such, Poland agreed that we will receive reparations from soviet occupation zone of Germany. But we never received that. USSR started to steal our coal in huge amount, so our rulers made a deal: you stop stealing our coal and we forget about reparations. All this decisions were made while Soviets occupied Poland, so now some people think we should be given something by Germany
      2) more important reason: that is bulshit invented by our ruling party, PiS, to show their voters that they "fight for polish strong position" abroad

  • @aucapuig9043
    @aucapuig9043 Před rokem

    Amazing content! really well presented

  • @oliversherman2414
    @oliversherman2414 Před rokem

    I love your channel keep up the great stuff

  • @Ghost88320
    @Ghost88320 Před 2 lety +32

    2:21 "Napoleon was convinced of his own genius and considered the russians to be an inferior people who would be unable to withstand his armies for very long"
    History really does repeat itself as 129 years later, Hitler did exactly the same thing

    • @reitairue2073
      @reitairue2073 Před 2 lety +7

      Now, hilariously, Russia did the same in Ukraine.

    • @isko9201
      @isko9201 Před 2 lety +1

      @@reitairue2073 your western propaganda who lies 24/7 is doing the same thing

    • @reitairue2073
      @reitairue2073 Před 2 lety +2

      @@isko9201 Oh I know, I have come to the understanding that the truth I know is just one of many. All I can do is try to survive in it, don't take me too serious on here lmao.

    • @strider8662
      @strider8662 Před rokem +1

      Hitler got extremely closer to win funnily enough, despite not being as good of a military mind as hım.

    • @manojpandey7895
      @manojpandey7895 Před 8 měsíci

      @@reitairue2073 Russia always seems weak, like in the Finnish war of 1930s, and port Arthur. but they always manage to come out on top when there is a huge threat.

  • @Gadavillers-Panoir
    @Gadavillers-Panoir Před 3 lety +12

    Napoleon invades Russia.
    Russia: I'm going to do what's known as a pro gamer move.

  • @diggles27
    @diggles27 Před 4 lety

    Love your series here

  • @dimaE965
    @dimaE965 Před 4 lety

    I always enjoy these videos every time I see them in my subscriptions

  • @scidididi9564
    @scidididi9564 Před 4 lety +126

    napoleon: ok watch out, it’s winter
    russia, *HA YOU FOOL*

  • @50shekels
    @50shekels Před 3 lety +8

    I keep coming back just to hear the “he thought he was going to win” lmao

  • @spoonfullofdeath
    @spoonfullofdeath Před 4 lety

    Are you ever going to start doing the 10 minute videos again? Just wondering, still loving the content!

  • @alexbowman7582
    @alexbowman7582 Před 4 lety +10

    Before Barbarossa Paulus who was a supplies officer in the Wehrmacht and other German officers ran an extremely realistic war game to see what would happen if (when) Germany invaded Russia. Their conclusion was that the supply chain would completely break down within 6 months. Their answer to this was we’ll have to beat them in 3 months.

    • @MrSniperfox29
      @MrSniperfox29 Před 2 lety +5

      They MIGHT have succeeded, had Hitler not wasted a month in a vengeance spat at Yugoslavia, and then by spreading his forces to thin and trying too many objectives at once.

    • @alexbowman7582
      @alexbowman7582 Před 2 lety +5

      @@MrSniperfox29 the idea of Blitzkrieg was too seize your objectives ignoring any side campaigns so allowing the British to escape from Dunkirk was the correct thing to do (it wasn’t) because the objective was the fall of France. Hence the siege of Leningrad, the conquest of the Crimea and the battles to annihilate the bypassed and surrounded Russian forces all held back the attack on Moscow. I think Russia was just to big for the Germans and if they had ignored the side issues they may have won but it’s unlikely.

  • @Preeesco
    @Preeesco Před 3 lety +5

    Amazing video as usual! I'd also like to add that the zar was unhappy because Napoleon had promised him some gains against the Ottomans, which didn't happen. Furthermore, Napoleon was suspected of helping Sweden.

  • @ravenouself4181
    @ravenouself4181 Před 3 lety +5

    everyone: teams up to fight russia
    russia: anyways, see you in paris

    • @watching99134
      @watching99134 Před 2 lety

      Russia only reached Paris as part of a team.

  • @josephmcdonald9933
    @josephmcdonald9933 Před rokem

    A little bit tense... I love this guy

  • @macdaraoraghallaigh7343
    @macdaraoraghallaigh7343 Před 3 lety +59

    1:37 "
    As such, the Russians could not tolerate the idea of an independant Poland."
    This sentence literally summarises all of Russia's European conflicts in a nutshell.

    • @user-wx4nv8xr3d
      @user-wx4nv8xr3d Před 2 lety +5

      Nah

    • @watching99134
      @watching99134 Před 2 lety +8

      Right now it seems to revolve much more around Ukraine.

    • @mrvk39
      @mrvk39 Před rokem +2

      @@watching99134 there wouldn't even be Ukraine if Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth didn't capture that part of Rus which is now known as Ukraine and Belarus. So, Poland plays a central role in Russian history and vice versa.

  • @andrewbenjamin3128
    @andrewbenjamin3128 Před 4 lety +20

    Wait is history matters now a part of that armchair historian-alternatehistoryhub crossover?

    • @flipjonah2348
      @flipjonah2348 Před 4 lety +1

      I think it's just a big coincidence but would be cool if it was

    • @seribelz
      @seribelz Před 4 lety +2

      yeah something is fishy

  • @Albinos00000
    @Albinos00000 Před 4 lety +56

    Your map for 1799 is wrong. For instance, Finland didn't belong to Russia at the time. That's ten years later.

    • @cgt3704
      @cgt3704 Před 3 lety +1

      And we still had bassarabia

  • @nik65stgt60
    @nik65stgt60 Před 10 měsíci

    Great content!

  • @ZaFrOCDI
    @ZaFrOCDI Před 4 lety +20

    Correction; 0:16 vs 0:19 maps on Finland are false; Finland was “ost province” of Sweden up until 1809 so in the first map Sweden should own parts of modern Finland.

  • @novat9731
    @novat9731 Před rokem +6

    The morbidly funny part, is that it went horrible from day 1. I believe attrition, and small skirmishes had already withered away something like 30-40% of the army before he even reached Borodino. Which significantly added to deaths, and wounded, which he continued to move further into Russia.
    Even if he had turned around after Borodino. The invasion would still have been a catastrophe.

  • @eugenepohjola258
    @eugenepohjola258 Před 4 lety

    Howdy. Great.
    This clip actually answers the why.
    Regards.

  • @timjohnson2186
    @timjohnson2186 Před rokem

    I love these bite sized videos

  • @AllCanadiaReject
    @AllCanadiaReject Před 4 lety +5

    I love how Napoleon is simultaneously waving in the final screen and doing the Roman Salute.

  • @imonbanerjee2997
    @imonbanerjee2997 Před 2 lety +5

    "The poles in Napoleon said no"
    I die of laughter

  • @veerzara3857
    @veerzara3857 Před rokem +2

    Very sarcastic! If you find in your History exam this question: why did napoleon invade Russia? , then respond like this: he thought he will win. Very brief and simple. I wish all Histories exam will be like this.

  • @kurzackd
    @kurzackd Před 2 lety +5

    but just HOW was Russia able to trade with Britain when they had no land connection, and all warm-water straits were controlled by Napoleon and allies ... ??!

    • @Je-suis-pauvre
      @Je-suis-pauvre Před 2 lety +3

      Trading with SHIPS, UK destroyed much of the french navy at Trafalgar and uk was pretty much the master of the seas

    • @kurzackd
      @kurzackd Před 2 lety +1

      @@Je-suis-pauvre yeah, ok, but Napoleon's ALLIES still had navies, which would have prevented, no??

    • @centurymemes1208
      @centurymemes1208 Před 2 lety +3

      @@kurzackd not powerful enough to combat britain and some ships that napoleon was planning to get in copenhagen for example was destroyed by the british to prevent napoleon from gaining access to those too

    • @kurzackd
      @kurzackd Před 2 lety +1

      @@centurymemes1208 interesting... ok, thanks!

  • @aidandubins252
    @aidandubins252 Před 4 lety +5

    Can you do a video on Yugoslavia and it’s collapse

  • @theflourishcrisis
    @theflourishcrisis Před 3 lety +6

    "He thought he going to win" ain't that why everyone do things in the first place?

    • @watching99134
      @watching99134 Před 2 lety

      It's also not a reason "why" (Napoleon could have also conquered say Serbia, but why wouldn't he do that instead?)

  • @Miro.A.Mursu-
    @Miro.A.Mursu- Před 3 měsíci +1

    Thank you needed the tutorial

  • @saumikghosh3935
    @saumikghosh3935 Před 3 lety +1

    Dear Sir, can you kindly produce a video on the Concert of Europe led by Prince Metternich of Austria?

  • @Nic5Cyprus
    @Nic5Cyprus Před 4 lety +153

    Anyone attempting to invade Russia: This should be an easy victory
    The winter: Am about to end this man's whole career

    • @TheManinBlack9054
      @TheManinBlack9054 Před 4 lety +25

      "Quick and easy" they said. "It won't take long" they said.

    • @manny90963
      @manny90963 Před 4 lety +13

      The mongol conquest was pretty quick and easy

    • @davidgil6485
      @davidgil6485 Před 4 lety +5

      Nobody never talks about WWI that wasn't an easy victory (like everything in WWI) but still was pretty heavy.

    • @yarpen26
      @yarpen26 Před 4 lety +4

      @@davidgil6485 Aside from WWI proving that Russia can indeed be successfully invaded (I'm not sure but wasn't the Brest-Litovsk treaty the single biggest cession of territory between warring powers in European history?), ever since the Mongol grip waned, the Russians had the tremendous advantage of never being threatened by an organized power on its non-European borders, only having to bother with small Siberian and Central Asian tribes, grossly weakened and unstable China as well as distant European colonies, unable to field large armies. Japan in the early 20th century might be an exception but even they didn't really attack Russia unprovoked.
      If you removed nuclear weapons from the picture, today's China could easily provide a European alliance with help from the other side, making it possible for a conquest of Russia. Siberia is vast but once you get your armies moving across it, there's no stopping you, as evident in the Russian Civil War: there are no natural formations, large bodies of water or high enough mountains for Russia to base its defenses on.

    • @Narekz
      @Narekz Před 4 lety +1

      @@manny90963 it was less hard because the mongols came from the east😂

  • @ScarlettSKcat
    @ScarlettSKcat Před 4 lety +8

    Top 10 most accurate war movies

  • @amogus4197
    @amogus4197 Před 4 lety +14

    Russia: warsaw's mine
    France: no u
    *invades russia*
    *gets pushed back by winter*
    Russia: Bonaparte? More like "BLOWNAPARTE"
    PS:i know i stole this joke but it is too good

    • @Admiral45-10
      @Admiral45-10 Před 4 lety +2

      Russia invading Poland in 1919: *whatever it is you stay your ground*
      Russia loses Battle of Warsaw (Miracle at Vistula) in 1920
      Russia: *RUN!*
      (Historically accurate)

    • @amogus4197
      @amogus4197 Před 4 lety +1

      @@Admiral45-10 lol

    • @PANZERFAUST90
      @PANZERFAUST90 Před 4 lety

      That's why it's dumb.

  • @welshpete12
    @welshpete12 Před 3 lety

    Just goes to show . It's a good idea to have the weather on your side !

  • @ambasrb
    @ambasrb Před 4 lety +5

    "Everyone has a plan until they get smacked on the mouth." - Mike Tyson

  • @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714

    The most obvious reason he invaded was because he fought he was going to win.
    Love it.

  • @ikiruyamamoto1050
    @ikiruyamamoto1050 Před 9 měsíci +1

    Wait, the idea was "My wars with Spain and Portugal are going badly, so let's start another one far away in a huge country known for its horrible winters."?!

  • @mikesmyth8330
    @mikesmyth8330 Před 2 lety +1

    "He thought he was going to win." Perfect.

  • @Name-ps9fx
    @Name-ps9fx Před rokem +3

    "Quick and easy" and "invade Russia" do not belong in the same book, let alone the same sentence.

  • @Desmaad
    @Desmaad Před 4 lety +4

    Too much victory does weird things to the psyche.

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 Před 4 lety

      It's a confirmation bias / Black Swan problem.
      Every year for over a decade Napoleon solved his problems (temporarily) by crushing his enemies in quick summer campaign.
      Why would he not expect this approach to keep working?

  • @prince-electorsnoo2540
    @prince-electorsnoo2540 Před 2 lety +1

    I was looking away for a second and got absolutely jumpscared by the gunshot at 0:22 - pay attention in history class kids

  • @steodor0173
    @steodor0173 Před 4 lety +2

    0:25 U forgot about austrians giving krakov area to duchy of warsaw

  • @SecretAgentMan00
    @SecretAgentMan00 Před 2 lety +4

    Watch Epic History TV's Napoleon retreat from Moscow.
    It was one of the most brilliant tactical survival retreats in history.

    • @ddc2957
      @ddc2957 Před 2 lety

      Great video. Michel Ney, what a demon.

  • @Starcraftmazter
    @Starcraftmazter Před 3 lety +10

    "He thought he would win" - said everyone who invaded Russia...

  • @stuffedmannequin
    @stuffedmannequin Před 4 lety +3

    My favorite parts of your videos is when your historical roblox figures get uncomfortably close to one another

  • @juanpablosaenz9037
    @juanpablosaenz9037 Před rokem +2

    Hitler visiting Napoleon's tomb in Paris: I will no repeat your mistakes.
    *Proceeds to invade Russia to isolate Britain.

  • @mrcool2107
    @mrcool2107 Před 2 lety +8

    How to not get doomed
    Step 1 : " Never Invade Mother Russia "

  • @willkershisnik5893
    @willkershisnik5893 Před 3 lety +3

    Surprised you didn’t mention the treaty of Tilsit, I took a class on the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars and a lot of emphasis was placed on that with concern to Russia and the invasion of them

  • @dougc3512
    @dougc3512 Před 3 lety +1

    Who is James Bissonnette? Your first ever patron?

  • @moutainchad2360
    @moutainchad2360 Před 3 lety +2

    I just worked out the key reason to why war starts: the attacker thought that they were going to win

  • @AndrewVasirov
    @AndrewVasirov Před 4 lety +3

    "Why did you invade Russia?"
    "Because I could."

  • @andrewbachman698
    @andrewbachman698 Před 4 lety +5

    Horsey at the end 10/10

  • @Giifgaaf
    @Giifgaaf Před 4 lety +1

    When your about to back-hand your friend but its cold outside.
    *Sad Frog Legs Noises*

  • @stephenkennedy266
    @stephenkennedy266 Před 3 lety

    0:03 - You should have lit Napoleon on fire in this cut scene.

  • @tepesobrejac4360
    @tepesobrejac4360 Před 4 lety +15

    What if Napoleon marched along the Baltic Sea to Sankt Petersburg instead to Moscow?

    • @jak00bspyr72
      @jak00bspyr72 Před 4 lety +1

      Or tried to defeat Russian army in Ukraine.

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 Před 4 lety +4

      Years Obrejac
      Never heard of the Siege of Riga? Don't worry, hardly anyone has (apart from readers of the Hornblower stories).

    • @user-xw5xo3bv1n
      @user-xw5xo3bv1n Před 4 lety +1

      Than his overextended army would be just cut off suplies and decimated in a different region.

    • @jak00bspyr72
      @jak00bspyr72 Před 4 lety +1

      @@user-xw5xo3bv1n It is not so easy to cut off an army, especially such a huge one. Marching to St. Petersburg would be much easier, as the Grandee Armee would march through friendly liberated Lithuania and Courland. With ports like Klaipeda or Riga the army could be supplied at least partially by ships and Napoleons position would be much better. St. Petersburg was of much more value than Moscow too, so Russian wouldn't avoid battles so much.

    • @user-xw5xo3bv1n
      @user-xw5xo3bv1n Před 4 lety +1

      @@jak00bspyr72
      > friendly liberated Lithuania and Courland.
      Pole, we both know about many, many, many rebellions of poles during times of Russian Empire. After all your people tend to be proud to the point of arrogance. But... just how many lithuanian rebellions do you remember? Lithuanians even had their Statutes in effect untill 1840. Unlike you they were not causing troubles. So why do you think they'd be more friendly to french?
      > With ports like Klaipeda or Riga the army could be supplied at least partially by ships.
      It could be, but you're forgetting that Russia had a fleet in Baltic sea. And about Brittish fleet as well. Do you really think that it would be so simple to supply army by ships?
      > St. Petersburg was of much more value than Moscow.
      Napoleon clearly thought otherwise.

  • @owbu
    @owbu Před 4 lety +3

    The actual reason: he shamefuly neglected to watch the princess bride.