"Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the terrible retreat from Moscow were a military epic and a human tragedy on a colossal scale - history's first example of total war. But the war of 1812 was not just a war in defence of Russia: it was the climax to a long duel between two emperors for supremacy in Europe, and its outcome affected the course of the continent's history over the next two centuries." "Napoleon's Grande Armée, the largest in the history of the world, had Spanish and Portuguese, Italians and Poles, Germans and Croats, Dutchmen and Swiss as well as Frenchmen in its ranks. He launched it into the huge expanses of Russia, where it could find neither food nor water. When the Russians finally made a stand at the gates of Moscow, the ensuing battle was a slaughter the like of which would not be seen again until the first day of the Somme in 1916. The sufferings of the soldiers and their camp followers on the wintry retreat from Moscow were almost unbearably poignant." "In this account Adam Zamoyski has drawn on the latest Russian research, as well as a vast pool of first-hand accounts in French, Russian, German, Polish and Italian, to paint a vivid picture of the experiences of soldiers and civilians on both sides of the conflict. He shows how the relationship between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander came to distort their alliance and bring about a war that neither wanted." -- From the book jacket.

First published: 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscow. London : HarperCollins, 2004. List of maps : Europe in 1811 ; Russia's expansion in the west, 1772-1812 ; The Russian armies of the west ; French and Russian dispositions in June 1812 ; The French advance ; The advance to Vitebsk ; The Rudnia offensive and Napoleon's Smolensk manoeuvre ; The battle for Smolensk ; Lubino-Valutina Gora ; the Russian positions at Borodino ; Borodino : the morning attacks ; Borodino : the final assault ; Kutuzov's retreat from Moscow ; Maloyaroslavets ; The retreat ; The view form Smolensk ; Krasny, 15-16 November ; Krasny, 16 November ; Krasny, 17-19 November ; The closing trap, 21 November ; The Berezina manoeuvre ; The Berezina crossing ;The strategic situation at the beginning of December ; Statistical chart showing the outward march and retreat of all the forces which crossed the Niemen.

Caesar -- Alexander -- The soul of Europe -- The drift to war -- La Grand Armée -- Confrontation -- The Rubicon -- Vilna -- Courteous war -- The heart of Russia -- Total war -- Kutuzov -- The battle for Moscow -- Hollow triumph -- Stalemate -- The destruction of Moscow -- The march to nowhere -- Retreat -- The mirage of Smolensk -- The end of the Army of Moscow -- The Berezina -- Empire of death -- The end of the road -- His majesty's health -- The legend.