Now in paperback for the first time, the groundbreaking study of Napoleon's disastrous 1812 campaign. Napoleon's defeat in Russia was not the result of a cold Russian winter, but rather, bureaucratic mismanagement, indecision, and a string of poor choices by Napoleon himself. Exhaustively researched and based on primary sources only recently translated from the German and Russian, 1812 offers historians, military buffs, and readers of every persuasion first-rate scholarship and an exciting read.

Prelude. Prologue -- Napoleonic Europe: the years of ascendancy -- Europe from 1810 -- The gathering storm -- The military background. The French military establishment -- The Russian army -- The new ways of war -- Logistics -- The advance. Crossing the Niemen -- The road to Vilna -- Drissa and beyond -- The chase resumes -- The Battle of Smolensk -- A change in command -- Borodino -- Only 70 miles to go -- The flanking forces -- The futile wait. Moscow -- The Russians regroup -- The flanks begin to waver -- The retreat. The retreat begins: Moscow to Malo-Jaroslavets -- Back to Smolensk -- Krasnoi -- The flanks cave in -- The Beresina -- The final curtain.