Cudgel of people's war partisan movement. Cudgel of the People's War based on the epic novel War and Peace (Lev N. Tolstoy)

"Cudgel people's war"(Based on the novel by L. N. Tolstoy" War and Peace ")

War and Peace is an epic novel. The work shows historical events of exceptional importance and the role of the people in them. It would be wrong to try to explain the defeat of the French by some special genius of the Russian generals, even by commander-in-chief Kutuzov, or by the fatal miscalculations of Napoleon. The fate of the campaign was decided not in headquarters and headquarters, but in the hearts ordinary people: Platon Karataev and Tikhon Shcherbaty, Petya Rostov and Denisov, Timokhin and ... And can you name them all? Tolstoy the battle painter paints a large-scale image of the Russian people, who raised the cudgel of the liberation war against the invaders.

The actions of the defenders of the motherland are unconscious, but expedient. It is not some kind of logic or rules that makes people participate in the fight against the enemy. Perhaps it is the very “power of unconscious goodness” that one of the greatest artists of the 20th century wrote about later in his novel Life and Fate. Vasily Grossman. In any case, the spirit of the people manifests itself in full measure both in the battle of Borodino and in other important episodes of the campaign of 1812.

Leo Tolstoy draws the heroes of the partisan war with love and respect. Here Denisov, "blushing like a girl," outlines to Kutuzov a plan to "cut the enemy's line of operations between Smolensk and Vyazma." And "it was strange to see the color on this mustachioed, old and drunken face." But Denisov is sincere and natural. Soon we see him in the ranks of the partisans. "On September 22, Denisov, who was one of the partisans, was with his party in the midst of partisan passion." Together with Dolokhov, he is preparing the capture of French transport. They are not embarrassed by the numerical superiority of the demoralized enemy. The main thing is to find out which troops are accompanying the convoy. The peasant partisan Tikhon Shcherbaty was given the task of "taking the language." "Plastun" shows extraordinary courage, energy and dexterity. Being noticed by the French, Tikhon, “running up to the river, flopped into it so that the spray flew and, hiding for a moment, got to the surface, all black from the water, and ran on.”

Is it any wonder that "Tikhon was the most helpful and man of courage in the party. No one opened cases of attacks more than him, no one else took him and beat the French ... ”However, Shcherbaty’s story about the murder of a captured Frenchman does not cause us to think about any particular cruelty and vindictiveness of the peasant from Pokrovsky.

You can not call cruel and Denisov. Commander partisan detachment takes care of the French prisoners, pities them in his own way. The behavior of the careerist Dolokhov is more an exception to the rule than the rule. Recall that Tolstoy writes not only about the courage of this man, but also about his ruthlessness. He is indifferent to the death of Petit, which occurred during the attack on the French transport. He is out for blood broken enemy. Let's take a typical episode. Dolokhov approaches “the motionless, lying Petya with his arms outstretched ... - Ready,” Dolokhov repeated, as if pronouncing this word gave him pleasure, and quickly went to the prisoners, who were surrounded by dismounted Cossacks. - We won't take it! he shouted to Denisov.

But this scene, I repeat, is an exception. The war was won not by Dolokhov and those like him, but by an innumerable mass of ordinary people. And these people are well aware of mercy, compassion and sadness. Denisov's grief after the death of Petya Rostov is genuine, but he does not try to take out his suffering on the French prisoners ...

It seems to me that Tolstoy's idea that the people do not thirst for the blood of the enemy is very important in the novel. Isn't Kutuzov talking about this quality of the winners immediately after the Krasnensky battle?

The captured French evoke the compassion of the commander-in-chief and the entire Russian army: “While they were strong, we did not feel sorry for them, but now you can feel sorry for them. They are people too." Thus, history acquires a moral meaning. The "club of the people's war" is not so much military as moral retribution against the invaders and their proud emperor. This is a manifestation of that higher justice, which, according to Tolstoy, sooner or later wins in the life of human society.

* this work is not scientific work, is not graduation qualifying work and represents the result of processing, structuring and formatting collected information, designed to be used as a source of material for self-study educational work.

MOU secondary school No. 31

Literature abstract

"Cudgel of the People's War"

based on the novel by L. N. Tolstoy "War and Peace"

Performed:

10th grade student

Checked:

Novocherkassk

2006-2007 academic year

Introduction. Patriotism ……………………………………………………... p. 3

"Cudgel of the People's War" ………………………………………………….. p. 4

"People's War"…………………………………………………... p. 4
Captain Tushin. Merchant Ferapontov ……………………………… p. 4
Partisan movement……………………………………………. with. 5

Tikhon Shcherbaty …………………………………………………... p. 6

Battle of Borodino……………………………………………… p. 7

Patriotism and selflessness of the Russian nobility………… p. eight

Kutuzov - a representative of the people's war………………………… p. nine

The debunking of Napoleon………………………………………………. p.11

Conclusion. The winner is the Russian people……………………………….. p.13

List of used literature………………………………………… p.13

"Patriotism does not consist in pompous exclamations ..."

V. G. Belinsky

"We would have died if we hadn't."

Themistocles.

"Guys! Isn't Moscow behind us?

Let's die near Moscow.

M. Yu. Lermontov

1. Introduction.

Patriotism is devotion and love for the motherland, fatherland, one's people, readiness for any sacrifices and deeds in the name of the interests of one's homeland. These feelings, love for the Motherland and devotion to it have long been inherent in the masses. The peoples driven by them rose to fight against foreign invaders. At the heart of patriotism lies devotion to one's people, the desire to devote all one's strength to protecting its interests. Historically, it so happened that for the entire time of its existence, starting from Kievan Rus, the Russian people were constantly attacked from outside. And each time, not only the army, but the whole people rose up to fight the enemy, showing miracles of courage, heroism and patriotism.

L. Tolstoy's writing of the epic "War and Peace" can also be considered a manifestation of patriotism, since in his work he recognizes the decisive role of the people in the historical process. In this idea of the role of the people in the movement of history, Tolstoy turned out to be close to the views of the revolutionary democrats. The idea of creating a historical novel came to the writer under the influence of the social atmosphere of the 60s of the XIX century. During this period, the movement of revolutionary democrats is formed.

Here L. Tolstoy conceived to combine two eras: the era of the first revolutionary movement in Russia - the era of the Decembrists - and the sixties - the era of revolutionary democrats. Tolstoy tried to accomplish a difficult task: to understand and comprehend modernity through the prism of history. And the more he delves into work on the novel, the more he wants to "lead not one, but many heroes and heroines through historical events ...".

Having told in his novel both about historical figures and about the best representatives of the nobility, about distant families and persons, fictional and real, and revealing the “character of the Russian people and army”, L. Tolstoy created an epic novel. The writer expressed his admiration for the heroism and sacrifice of the "best people" in his work. The Patriotic War of 1812, when the efforts of the entire Russian nation were gathered into a single fist to repel the Napoleonic invasion, was a noble theme. This theme formed the basis of the novel, because in a time of difficult trials, patriotism brings people together, uniting representatives of different classes in the struggle against the conquerors.

2. "Cudgel of the People's War"

2.1. People's War

L. N. Tolstoy, depicting the war in his grandiose novel "War and Peace", does not show military parades, rewarding distinguished soldiers, graceful horses, heroes sitting on them, generals. This is a form. Lev Nikolaevich prefers to this the inconspicuous, but at the same time losing their meaning, military everyday life; modest, but capable of heroism, ordinary soldiers; their daily struggle with the enemy. This is the content.

War as the physical destruction of a mass of people is "the opposite human mind and all human nature event". The thirst for power, which has a wide variety of manifestations; the struggle for power led to the emergence of forms of behavior that have no analogues in nature. But the war of the Russian people is a fair war, because it is not against France. It is not even against outrage and evil, she behind native Russia, for its freedom, for its beauty, for goodness. Another proof that affirmation, not negation, is the true path. The author gives his readers a unique opportunity to dive into the depths of the inner world of an ordinary person. There is no bravado, false prowess, desire to get "an extra cross or ribbon" in it; there is simplicity, goodness, truth in it (it could not do without Tolstoy's signature triad); will are combined with ordinary unusualness, unique individuality and spiritual beauty.

It is on the joint actions of such people that the further step of History, the result of the war, depends. “There are no and cannot be reasons for a historical event, except for the single cause of all causes. But there are laws that govern events, partly unknown, partly groping for us,” continues our reflections, the writing philosopher Tolstoy, whose ideas came into irreconcilable disagreement with those who proclaimed the “formula of the European hero" of Hegel and Nietzsche.

A people bound by common feelings and aspirations, and not exceptional personality decides the fate of mankind - such is Tolstoy's opinion on the question of the role of the individual in history.

2.2. Captain Tushin

Tolstoy began his narrative with the first clashes between the Russian army and the French in 1805, describing the battle of Shengraben and the battle of Austerlitz, where the Russian troops were defeated. But even in the lost battles, Tolstoy shows real heroes, steadfast and firm in the performance of their military duty. We meet here heroic Russian soldiers and courageous commanders. With great sympathy, Tolstoy talks about Bagration, under whose leadership the detachment made a heroic transition to the village of Shengraben.

But another inconspicuous hero is Captain Tushin. This is a simple and modest man who lives the same life with the soldiers. He is completely incapable of observing the ceremonial military regulations, which caused dissatisfaction with his superiors. But in battle, it is Tushin, this small, inconspicuous man, who sets an example of valor, courage and heroism. He, with a handful of soldiers, not knowing fear, held the battery and did not leave his positions under the onslaught of the enemy, who did not expect "the audacity of firing four cannons that were not protected by anyone." Outwardly unsightly, but internally collected and organized, the company commander Timokhin appears in the novel, whose company "one kept in order." Seeing no point in a war on foreign territory, the soldiers do not feel hatred for the enemy. Yes, and the officers are disunited and cannot convey to the soldiers the need to fight for foreign land.

Quite a different state Russian soldiers and officers after the entry of the Napoleonic army into the territory of Russia. Tolstoy portrays this war as a people's war of liberation. The whole country rose up against the enemy. Everyone stood up to support the army: peasants, merchants, craftsmen, nobles. "From Smolensk to Moscow in all the towns and villages of the Russian land" everything and everyone rose up against the enemy. Peasants and merchants refused to supply the French army. Their motto is: "It is better to destroy, but not to give to the enemy."

Let us remember the merchant Ferapontov. At a tragic moment for Russia, the merchant forgets about his goal. Everyday life, about wealth, about hoarding. And the general patriotic feeling makes the merchant related to ordinary people: "Bring everything, guys ... I'll set it on fire myself." The actions of the merchant Ferapontov echo the patriotic act of Natasha Rostova on the eve of the surrender of Moscow. She forces the family property to be dropped from the cart and the wounded to be taken. From Natasha comes the energy of renewal, liberation from the false, false, habitual, bringing "to the free god's light". And here her role is tantamount to what gives the seeking heroes of Tolstoy communication with the people. Lidia Dmitrievna Opulskaya wrote: "The image of Natasha embodies one of the main ideas of the novel: there is no beauty and happiness where there is no goodness, simplicity and truth." This there were new relationships between people in the face of a nationwide danger.

In the battle of Shengraben, in the battle on the Borodino field, there were many moments of hesitation, fear, and uncertainty. At such moments, the infantry regiments are helped by an inexplicable upsurge, enthusiasm, embracing individual soldiers who are capable of shouting "Hurrah!" to lead an army that had lost hope. So did officer Timokhin, a modest fellow, without any ulterior motives "with one skewer" and "insane determination" rushed at the French. In the same way, the head of the battery, Tushin, with his gunners, who was not afraid to take the initiative, makes a significant contribution to the overall victory.

The reason for the defeats in Austria, Prussia is the lack of purpose and motivation. Now everything is different. Target Patriotic War 1812
defined, it is the same for all its participants. A soldier who met Pierre in Mozhaisk speaks precisely about this: "They want to pile on all the people; one word - Moscow. They want to make one end." Revenge for the insults experienced, for the native land, for past failures, everyone is covered. In the "people's battle" - the Battle of Borodino, the victory was ensured by the common "spirit of the army",
attached to " latent heat patriotism." The losses were virtually the same, but the victory of the Russians was not measured in them: it was "a moral victory, one that convinces the enemy of the moral superiority of its enemy and of its impotence." "Wonderful, matchless people" endure everything: troubles, torments, pain - and all for the sake of the liberation of their native land.

2.3. partisan movement.

The partisan movement rose in a mighty wave: "The cudgel of the people's war rose with all its formidable and majestic strength." “And it’s good for that people ... who, in a moment of trial, without asking how others acted according to the rules in similar situations, with simplicity and ease will pick up the first club that comes across and nail it until there is a feeling of insult in their soul and revenge will not be replaced by contempt and pity. Tolstoy shows the partisan detachments of Denisov and Dolokhov, talks about the deacon who headed the detachment, about the elder Vasilisa, who exterminated hundreds of Frenchmen.

Undoubtedly, the role of the partisan movement during the war is great. Villagers, ordinary men with pitchforks in their hands, unconsciously went to the enemy. They destroyed the invincible Napoleonic army from within. One of them is Tikhon Shcherbaty, "the most useful and brave man" in Denisov's detachment. With an ax in his hands, with a boundless thirst for revenge that sometimes turns into cruelty, he walks, runs, flies towards the enemy. He is driven by natural
patriotic feeling. Everyone is charged with his energy, dynamics, determination, courage.

But among the avenging people there is not only ruthlessness, but also humanity, love for one's neighbor. Such is the captive soldier of the Apsheron regiment Platon Karataev. His appearance, a peculiar voice, "gentle-melodious caress" - the opposite, the answer to Tikhon's rudeness. Plato is an incorrigible fatalist, always ready to "suffer innocently in vain." He is characterized by diligence, the desire for truth, justice. It seems impossible to imagine Plato militant, fighting: his love for humanity is too great, he is the embodiment of "everything Russian, good and round." L. N. Tolstoy, nevertheless, is still for the people who are fighting, rather than passive, like Karataev: “It is good for the people who, in a moment of trial, without asking how others acted according to the rules in such cases, with simplicity and ease picks up the first club that comes across and nails it until in his soul his feeling of insult and revenge is replaced by contempt and pity.
It was the people who dared to raise the club against the enemy, but in no case the crowd, which, distraught, welcomes the king; not the crowd that brutally cracks down on Vereshchagin; not a crowd that only imitates participation in hostilities. In the people, unlike the crowd, there is a unity that unites the beginning and there is no aggression, hostility, senselessness. The victory over the French was won not thanks to the fantastic exploits of single heroes, it was deserved by the "strongest spirit" of the Russian people - the bearer of the highest moral values.

"The cudgel of the people's war rose with all its formidable and majestic strength, and, without asking anyone's tastes and rules, with stupid simplicity, but with expediency, without analyzing anything, it rose, fell and nailed the French until the entire invasion died" …

Tolstoy gives the main role in the victory to the common people, a prominent representative of which was the peasant Tikhon Shcherbaty.

Tolstoy creates vivid image tireless partisan, the peasant Tikhon Shcherbaty, who joined Denisov's detachment. Tikhon was distinguished by good health, huge physical strength and endurance. In the fight against the French, he shows dexterity, courage and fearlessness. Characteristic is the story of Tikhon about how four Frenchmen "with skewers" attacked him, and he went at them with an ax. This echoes the image of a Frenchman - a fencer and a Russian wielding a club.

Tikhon is the artistic concretization of the "clubs of the people's war." Lydia Dmitrievna Opulskaya wrote: “Tikhon is a completely clear image. He, as it were, personifies that “club of the people’s war,” which rose up and nailed the French with terrible force until the entire invasion died. He himself, voluntarily, asked to join the detachment Vasily Denisov. In the detachment, which constantly attacked enemy carts, there were a lot of weapons. But Tikhon did not need them - he acts differently, and his duel with the French, when it was necessary to get "language", is quite in the spirit of Tolstoy's general reasoning about the people's liberation war: "Let's go, I say, to the colonel. How to make a noise. And there are four of them. They rushed at me with skewers. I attack them in such a manner with an ax: why are you, they say, Christ is with you, ”Tikhon shouted, waving and frowning menacingly, exposing his chest.

He was "the most the right person"in a partisan detachment, because he knew how to do everything: lay fires, get water, skin horses for food, cook it, make wooden utensils, deliver prisoners. It is precisely such earthworkers, created only for peaceful life become defenders of the Motherland.

2.4. Battle of Borodino.

Such popular support gave the Russian army tremendous strength. This was revealed with particular fullness in the Battle of Borodino. The main action of the Battle of Borodino took place on the twenty-sixth of August. Kutuzov mathematically accurately calculated that, "accepting the battle and risking losing a quarter of the army, he probably loses Moscow," but Napoleon, "accepting the battle with the probable chance of losing a quarter of the army," stretches his line even more.

The battle itself was terrible, "in blood, suffering and death." It was hard and hard work. L. Tolstoy depicted the battle of Borodino, looking at it as if from two sides: Russian and French. We see this battle through the eyes of Pierre, who accidentally fell into the center of the battery. And together with Pierre we never cease to be amazed at the courage and heroism of the Russian people.

Once on the Raevsky redoubt, Pierre decided that this was the most insignificant place in the battle, "where a small number of people engaged in business were limited, separated from others by a ditch" - here one felt the same and common to everyone, as if family revival. Cheerful conversation and jokes were heard from everywhere. The soldiers, as it were, did not notice the broken guns, flying shells and bullets, but this is not just daring, this is the heroism of people, and they, like all living things, are inherent in the fear of death: "after all, she will not have mercy ... one cannot but be afraid." And death did not escape many of the defenders of the redoubt: in front of Pierre, a young officer was mortally wounded, and, returning after some time to the redoubt, “he did not find anyone from that family circle that took him in.” And, despite the crowds of wounded, Russians and French, thousands of dead, "the roar of shots, shooting and

the cannonade not only did not weaken, but also intensified to the point of desperation, like a man who, overstrained, screams with all his might. Tolstoy portrayed the true heroism of the war as an everyday affair and at the same time as a test of all the spiritual forces of a person at the moment of their highest tension. This battle was a moral victory for the Russians, and the French received a mortal wound.

2.5. Patriotism and selflessness of the Russian nobility

A sense of patriotism was also characteristic of the nobility, which preserved good national traditions. Andrei and Marya Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhoye are Tolstoy's favorite characters. It is on the example of the Volkonsky and Rostov families that Tolstoy shows the patriotism and selflessness of the Russian nobility. It was these families who were close to the people, loved Russian nature, national culture. Their serious intellectual and moral demands in a time of serious trials were the basis of a patriotic impulse. "Hidden patriotism, which is not expressed in phrases ... but imperceptibly, simply, organically and therefore always produces the most powerful results" was the driving force for the victory over the French. As in Smolensk, most residents understood that leaving Moscow was not a betrayal, but a grievous necessity. “It was impossible to be under the control of the French: that would be the worst of all. They left before the battle of Borodino, and even faster after it.

On the other hand, with great hostility Tolstoy writes about the world of the aristocratic nobility, which is far from the people. The government itself is anti-people. Ruthlessly Tolstoy draws Rostopchin, the mayor, who is trying to "defend" Moscow. Predation, heartlessness, stupidity are the characteristic features of aristocrats who gather in the salon of the maid of honor Scherer. Intrigues, court gossip, career and wealth are their interests, they live by this. All this lazy and hypocritical crowd was against the appointment of the commander-in-chief of the "old man" Kutuzov.

These secular people include both Boris Drubetskoy and Berg, whose goal in life is to get a good place, make a brilliant career, get to the "top". “They are busy only with their small interests” and wait only a minute to “get an extra cross or ribbon,” says A. Bolkonsky about such people.

Moreover, such "militant" soldiers not only did not contribute to the common cause, but even interfered with it. So Count Benigsen ordered to move the troops to the heights, not realizing that the troops were ambushed. Moreover, he did not even report this change to the commander in chief. The young prince B. Drubetskoy, "an invaluable person" in the retinue of Count Benigsen, "pays obsequious respect to Kutuzov", making it clear to those around him that the old man is bad. He speaks patriotic phrases "with the most natural air", but "obviously, only in order to be heard by the brightest."

Prince Andrei occupies a special place in the novel, in which love for the Motherland, for the people gives birth to a real hero. He searches for a long time and finds the meaning of his life.

“So that my life would not go on for me alone,” says the prince. He seeks to live for others. AT difficult period war, wherever the prince is, he shows himself to be a true patriot and an honest officer, deeply experiencing the suffering of his people, the disasters of the Motherland. He wins the sympathy of the soldiers, he is affectionately called "our prince", they are proud of him, they love him.

But not only battles give birth to heroes. For example, Pierre Bezukhov is fighting the enemy in burning Moscow. Showing the best qualities human soul, he saves a girl from the fire, and a little later rushes to the aid of an Armenian girl, because of which he is captured. Pierre did not know how to be indifferent to the suffering of others, without realizing it, he accomplishes a real feat. Lydia Dmitrievna Opulskaya wrote: "Pier gains peace of mind, confidence in the meaning of life, having survived heroic time years and the suffering of captivity next to ordinary people, with Platon Karataev. He experiences "a feeling of his insignificance and deceit in comparison with the truth, simplicity and strength of that category of people who are imprinted in his soul called they." "To be a soldier, just a soldier," Pierre thinks with delight. It is characteristic that the soldiers, although not immediately, but willingly accepted Pierre into their midst and nicknamed "our master", like Andrei "our prince". Pierre cannot become "just a soldier", a drop that merges with the entire surface of the ball. The consciousness of one's personal responsibility for the life of the entire ball is indestructible in it. He fervently thinks that people should come to their senses, understand all the crime, all the impossibility of war.

So, in these images we see truly real heroes. To overcome doubts and become real heroes, they are helped by a miraculous power emanating from hundreds of inhabitants of the Russian land, with whom this accursed war brought them together.

2.6. Kutuzov is a representative of the people's war.

The image of the great Russian commander Kutuzov is inseparable from the people. This is a truly historical figure, it is with his help that Tolstoy substantiates his philosophy about the significance of the individual in history. The basis of his views is the consciousness that the creator of history, historical events is the people, and not individuals. A great man, according to Tolstoy, is a man who is able to give up personal interests, to subordinate them to the needs of the whole people. And the point is not that Kutuzov foresees the actions and maneuvers of the enemy, but that the will of the people is expressed in his activities. "The source of extraordinary strength and special Russian wisdom was in the popular feeling that he carried in himself in all its purity and strength." The best people from the nobility feel Kutuzov to their relatives. Therefore, in the time of danger, Russia "needs its own, dear person." The bearer of the people's spirit and people's will, Kutuzov deeply and truly assessed the events and made the only right decision. So, after the victorious Battle of Borodino, he insisted on a retreat, pitying his soldiers, his bloodless army.

Kutuzov has no other task than serving the fatherland and the desire to expel the invaders. He doesn't think about fame like Napoleon or Alexander. He is extremely subtly versed in the meaning of the people's meaning of events, he feels what is happening inside each soldier. Mikhail Illarionovich - the greatest
the commander, if only because he realized the role of the "swarm principle", comprehended the true spirit of the army, shared the will of the people and embodied all this in himself. In the full, loose, stooped figure of this old man there is no place for personal ambitions, there is a phenomenal sensitivity to the will of the people, to the will of God. "With many years of military experience, he knew that it was not the orders of the commander-in-chief, not the place on which the troops stood, not the number of guns and killed people, but that elusive force called the spirit of the army that decides the fate of the battle." That is why, at first glance, Kutuzov seems to be an inactive, indifferent, doubting "grandfather" in everything. But behind this external inertia lies the highest inner activity. In general, the well-known criterion for success is the least effort applied. Kutuzov, apparently, is familiar not only with the laws of history, but also with the laws of life, spiritual laws. No meetings, no intricate strategic calculations make any sense at all, because the source of victories is something ungraspable, invisible, elusive, imperceptible.

According to Tolstoy, it is useless to oppose the natural course of events, it is useless to try to play the role of arbiter of the fate of mankind. During the Battle of Borodino, on the outcome of which much depended for the Russians, Kutuzov "did not make any orders, but only agreed or disagreed with what was offered to him." In this seeming passivity, the deep mind of the commander, his wisdom are manifested. What has been said is also confirmed by the insightful judgments of Andrei Bolkonsky: "He will listen to everything, remember everything, put everything in its place, will not interfere with anything useful and will not allow anything harmful. He understands that there is something stronger and more significant than his will - this is an inevitable move events, and he knows how to see them, knows how to understand their meaning and, in view of this meaning, knows how to renounce participation in these events, from his personal will directed to something else. Kutuzov knew that "it is not the orders of the commander-in-chief, not the place on which the troops stand, not the number of guns and killed people, but that elusive force called the spirit of the army, that decide the fate of the battle, and he followed this force and led it, as far as it was in his power."

Unity with the people, unity with ordinary people makes Kutuzov for the writer the ideal of a historical figure and the ideal of a person. He is always humble and simple. A winning pose, acting is alien to him. Kutuzov, on the eve of the battle of Borodino, read the sentimental French novel by Madame Genlis "The Knights of the Swan". He didn't want to seem like a great man - he was. Kutuzov's behavior is natural, the author constantly emphasizes his senile weakness. Kutuzov in the novel is a spokesman folk wisdom. His strength lies in the fact that he understands and knows well what worries the people, and acts in accordance with this. The correctness of Kutuzov in his dispute with Bennigsen at the council in Fili is, as it were, reinforced by the fact that the sympathy of the peasant girl Malasha is on the side of "grandfather" Kutuzov.

S.P. Bychkov wrote: “Tolstoy, with his inherent great insight as an artist, correctly guessed and perfectly captured some of the character traits of the great Russian commander Kutuzov: his deep patriotic feelings, his love for the Russian people and hatred for the enemy, his closeness to the soldier. Contrary to the false legend created by official historiography about Alexander I - the savior of the fatherland and assigning Kutuzov a secondary role in the war, Tolstoy restores historical truth and shows Kutuzov as the leader of a just people's war. Kutuzov was connected with the people by close spiritual ties, and this was his strength as commander. "The source of the extraordinary power of insight into the meaning of occurring phenomena," says Tolstoy about Kutuzov, "lay in that popular feeling that he carried in himself in all its purity and strength. Only the recognition of this feeling in him made the people, in such strange ways, choose him, an old man in disgrace, against the will of the tsar, as a representative of the people's war.

Kindness, innocence, wisdom, sacrificing personal interests for the sake of
the benefits of an entire nation are the keys of Kutuzov, with the help of which he is able to lead, captivate, direct, unite ...

After the liberation of the country, the representative of the people's war feels that he has fulfilled the main mission in life. And he dies in 1813.

2.7. The debunking of Napoleon

In the novel, Tolstoy contrasts Kutuzov's "simple, modest and therefore majestic figure" with the "deceitful form of the European hero Napoleon". These are the two poles of the novel. The writer emphasizes everything repulsive in the guise of Napoleon.

The emperor was deprived of the ability to understand that the world does not exist to fulfill his desires. He could not imagine that someone, including enemies, did not adore him. According to Tolstoy, Napoleon is a deceitful hero. He is far from his soldiers. The main driving stimulus for Napoleon was the thirst for personal glory, greatness, power, no matter how it was achieved.

In "War and Peace" two ideological centers are created, as it were: Kutuzov and Napoleon. The idea of debunking Napoleon occurred to Tolstoy in connection with the final clarification of the nature of the war of 1812 as a just war on the part of the Russians. The image of Napoleon is revealed by Tolstoy from the position of "folk thought".

S.P. Bychkov wrote: “In the war with Russia, Napoleon acted as an invader who sought to enslave the Russian people, he was an indirect killer of many people, this gloomy activity did not give him, according to the writer, the right to greatness. Tolstoy debunked the legend of Napoleone from the position of true humanism. Already from the first appearance of Napoleon in the novel, deeply negative traits of his character are revealed. Tolstoy carefully, detail by detail, writes out a portrait of Napoleon, a forty-year-old, well-fed and lordly pampered man, arrogant and narcissistic. "Round belly", "fat thighs of short legs", "white puffy neck", "thick short figure" with wide, "thick shoulders" - these are the characteristic features of Napoleon's appearance. back", "overgrown fat chest", "groomed body", "swollen and the yellow "face", "thick shoulders" - all these details draw a person who is far from working life, fat, deeply alien to the basics of folk life.

Napoleon was a selfishly narcissistic man who presumptuously believed that the entire universe obeyed his will. People were of no interest to him. The writer with subtle irony, sometimes turning into sarcasm, exposes Napoleon's claims to world domination, his constant posing for history, his acting. Napoleon played all the time, there was nothing simple and natural in his behavior and in his words. This is expressively shown by Tolstoy in the scene of admiring Napoleon's portrait of his son on the Borodino field. Napoleon approached the portrait, feeling "that what he will say and do now is history"; "his son played with the globe in a bilbock" - this expressed the greatness of Napoleon, but he wanted to show "the simplest paternal tenderness." Of course, it was pure acting. Here he did not express sincere feelings of "fatherly tenderness", namely, he posed for history, he acted. This scene clearly reveals the arrogance of Napoleon, who believed that with the occupation of Moscow, Russia would be conquered, and his plans for gaining world domination would be realized.

As a player and actor, the writer portrays Napoleon in a number of subsequent episodes. On the eve of Borodin, Napoleon says: "Chess is set, the game will begin tomorrow." On the day of the battle, after the first cannon shots, the writer remarks: "The game has begun." Further, Tolstoy shows that this "game" cost the lives of tens of thousands of people. Thus, the bloody nature of the wars of Napoleon, who sought to enslave the whole world, was revealed. War is not a "game", but a cruel necessity, Prince Andrei thinks. And this was a fundamentally different approach to the war, expressed the point of view of a peaceful people, forced to take up arms under exceptional circumstances, when the threat of enslavement hung over their homeland.

3. Conclusion.

The people in Tolstoy act as the creator of history: the millions of people ordinary people, not heroes and commanders create history, move society forward, create everything valuable in material and spiritual life, accomplish everything great and heroic. And this idea - "people's thought" - Tolstoy proves on the example of the war of 1812. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy denied the war, argued heatedly with those who found the "beauty of horror" in the war. When describing the war of 1805, Tolstoy acts as a pacifist writer, but when describing the war of 1812, the author switches to the position of patriotism. The war of 1812 appears in the image of Tolstoy as a people's war. The author creates many images of peasants, soldiers, whose judgments together make up the people's worldview.

Patriotism and closeness to the people are most characteristic of Pierre Bezukhov, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova. The people's war of 1812 contained that enormous moral force that cleansed and reborn Tolstoy's beloved heroes, burned out many class prejudices and selfish feelings in their souls.

4. List of used literature.

Bychkov S., L. N. Tolstoy. Sketch of creativity - M., 1954

Gromova - Opulskaya L.D. The epic novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace" - M .: Nauka, 1987

Gromova-Opulsskaya, Lidia Dmitrievna. Selected works / L. D. Gromova-Opulska; Ros. acad. sciences; Institute of World Culture. A.M. Gorky. - M.: Nauka, 2005.

Shepeleva Z. S. Tolstoy's skill in "War and Peace" - Kostroma, 1954

Cudgel of the People's War

Cudgel of the People's War
From the novel "War and Peace" (vol. IV, part 3, ch. 1) by L. N. Tolstoy (1828-1910): "Let's imagine two people who went out with swords to a duel according to all the rules of fencing art ... suddenly one of the opponents, feeling wounded, realizing that this was not a joke ... dropped his sword and, taking the first club that came across, began to turn it around ...
the lumberjack, who demanded a fight according to all the rules of art, were the French; his opponent, who dropped his sword and raised his club, were Russians... Despite all the complaints of the French about the failure to comply with the rules... the cudgel of the people's war rose with all its formidable and majestic strength and, without asking anyone's tastes and rules, rose, fell and nailed French until the whole invasion is dead.
Allegorically: about great opportunities people's war.

encyclopedic Dictionary winged words and expressions. - M.: "Lokid-Press". Vadim Serov. 2003 .

See what the "Cudgel of the People's War" is in other dictionaries:

famous writer, which has reached an unprecedented in history literature XIX in. glory. In his face powerfully united great artist with a great moralist. T.'s personal life, his steadfastness, indefatigability, responsiveness, animation in defending ... ... Big biographical encyclopedia

Tolstoy L. N. TOLSTOY Lev Nikolaevich (1828 1910). I. Biography. R. in Yasnaya Polyana, ex. Tula lips. Descended from the old noble family. Grandfather T., Count Ilya Andreevich (prototype of I. A. Rostov from "War and Peace"), went bankrupt by the end of his life. ... ... Literary Encyclopedia

Wikipedia has articles about other people with that surname, see Kirichenko. Ivan Fedorovich Kirichenko ... Wikipedia

Main article: Novomoskovsk ( Tula region) Coat of arms of Novomoskovsk The history of Novomoskovsk originates from the village of Bobriky (1765 1930), which in the early 1930s in just a few years became a large industrial city, the capital ... ... Wikipedia

PATRIOTIC WAR OF 1812 - liberation war Russia against Napoleonic aggression. In June 1812, Napoleon's half-million army, led by the emperor of France, who aspired to world domination, crossed the Russian border. Napoleon's plan was to...

Troops: ground troops Type of troops: armored troops ... Wikipedia

WAR AND PEACE- Roman epic L.N. Tolstoy*. The novel "War and Peace" was written in 1863-1869. during the life of the writer in Yasnaya Polyana. The first chapters appeared in the journal "Russian Messenger" in 1865 under the title "1805". In 1866, a new version… … Linguistic Dictionary

Winged words- stable, aphoristic, usually figurative expressions that have come into common use from a certain folklore literary, journalistic or scientific source or based on them (apt sayings of prominent public figures, ... ... Pedagogical speech science

The Ukrainian SSR, Ukraine, is located in the southwest of Europe. part of the USSR, in the south it is washed by the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. It borders in the west with the SRR, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Poland, in the north with the BSSR, in the north and east with the RSFSR, in the southwest with Mold. SSR. Formed on 12 (25) Dec. 1917. In Dec. 1922 with others Soviet historical encyclopedia

- ... Wikipedia

Books

, Dyukov Alexander Reshideovich. The organization of the partisan movement during the Great Patriotic War is still one of the least studied pages of our history. Until now, historians are arguing: why the centralized ...
People's War. Partisans against punishers, Dyukov, Alexander Reshideovich. The organization of the partisan movement during the Great Patriotic War is still one of the least studied pages of our history. Until now, historians are arguing: why the centralized ...

"The club of the people's war rose with all its formidable and majestic strength and, without asking anyone's tastes and rules, rose, fell and nailed the French until the whole invasion died," everyone who read "War and Peace" will not forget These are the words of Leo Tolstoy.

partisan poet

The French rejoiced for a short time. In September, the invaders ruled in Belokamennaya, and in October they no longer knew how to escape - and the partisans played a significant role in this change. After the first news of the victories, of the retreat of the enemy, Russia finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It all started with a message to Prince Bagration, in which the brave hussar and brilliant poet Denis Vasilievich Davydov proposed to equip a detachment for guerrilla warfare. Guerrilla warfare - the only way defeat Napoleon, stop him, make the existence of a "great army" in Russia unbearable. Bagration approved Davydov's plans. The word was for the new commander-in-chief Kutuzov.

On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, Kutuzov accepts the plan of Davydov and Bagration. Denis Vasilyevich, having received at his disposal several dozen hussars and Cossacks, immediately began a "search" in the French rear. That is why he will not take part in the Battle of Borodino. But Borodino was almost native to Davydov ... His father acquired it immediately after his resignation.

On the Borodino field, Denis Vasilyevich's brother, cavalry guard, captain Evdokim Davydov, was wounded in the leg. But Denis Vasilyevich was engaged in no less important matter than the heroes of Borodin. In the days of Napoleon's approach to Moscow, in the days great battle Davydov had already disturbed the French rear, beat off Russian prisoners, and destroyed the convoys.

Many considered Davydov's flying detachment doomed and saw him off as if to death. But for Denis Vasilievich, guerrilla warfare turned out to be his element. After the first victory over the French detachment on the Smolensk road, he hands over the weapons seized from the enemy to the peasants. How much he did to ensure that the "club of the people's war" hit the enemy more painfully!

The first detachment of Davydov - only fifty hussars and eighty Cossacks - moved to the rear of the "great army" on the eve of Borodin. And immediately I almost got captured ... by the Russian partisans! Yes, yes, this is not an empty joke, the peasants really mistook the hussars for the French. Davydov had to let go of his beard and put on a Russian caftan. And he knew how to talk with men - he was never a gallomaniac. Denis Vasilyevich himself tells the following about those days: “How many times have I asked the inhabitants after the conclusion of peace between us:“ Why did you think we were Frenchmen? they look like their clothes." - "But don't I speak Russian?" - "But they have people of all kinds!" Then I learned from experience that in the People's War one should not only speak the language of the mob, but I put on a man's caftan, began to grow a beard, instead of the Order of St. Anne, I hung the image of St. Nicholas and spoke to them in the language of the people. " Yes, the word "niello" hurts our ears. But in those days, and even in the mouth of Davydov, it did not have a derogatory connotation. In the twentieth century, we outgrew this word, destroying class prejudices. No matter how the worst of the distant past has returned to our lives now ... In the first weeks of the raid on the French rear, Davydov captured three to four times more prisoners than there were fighters in his detachment. These successes impressed Kutuzov, Major Davydov received reinforcements. The detachment was replenished by peasants - folk avengers. Soon, Davydov had already four thousand prisoners on his account. And he gets the rank of colonel.

Napoleon not only sentenced Davydov to death, but was also forced to form a cavalry detachment of two thousand sabers, who were instructed to destroy Davydov. However, the Russian partisans lured the French cavalry into a trap. Rumors spread throughout Russia about Davydov's invincibility, about miraculous victories... Hunger in French army- also in many respects the merit of Davydov, who captured a lot of food carts.

The largest victories of the flying detachment took place on October 28 at Lyakhov and on November 9 near Kopys. Under Lyakhov, the Augereau brigade was attacked by four Russian detachments: in addition to Davydov's, the partisan detachments of Seslavin, Figner and Orlov-Denisov. Davydov, the initiator of the operation, commanded the vanguard. They managed to defeat the superior forces of the French, and one and a half thousand, including the general, surrendered. This is one of the brightest episodes of the operation, which will remain in history as the expulsion of the "great army" from Russia. "Night came; the frost intensified; Lyakhovo burned; our troops, on horseback, stood on both sides of the road along which the disarmed French troops illuminated by the glow of fire. The chatter of the French did not stop: they scolded the frost, their general, Russia, us, "Davydov described the finale of the battle.

Not only a grunt, but also a talented military writer, Davydov became a theoretician of guerrilla warfare and a historian of the 1812 war. Of course, there were opponents who believed that Denis Vasilyevich exaggerated his role in the partisan movement. But let's remember that folk hero he became already in 1812. Rumor picked up his name, and popular artists replicated the image. Walter Scott himself kept an engraved portrait of Denis Davydov from a series of portraits of Russian heroes in 1812, which was released by the artist Dayton.

On the Dayton engraving, Denis Davydov is depicted in the guise of a mighty warrior, with a black curly beard and a hat of hair, in a fur skin draped over his shoulders and fastened with a buckle at the collar, with a scarf instead of a belt and a saber in his hand. The signature read: "Denis Davydov. Black Captain." There is no time for portrait resemblance, but Davydov will be flattered to learn about this from correspondence with the English classic.

And yet - the victorious people!

AT recent times it has become fashionable to "dispel myths" about the great past. We are told: partisan movement was not popular. Just officers - representatives of the aristocracy - carried out secret missions, professionally carried out sabotage behind enemy lines. And the peasants did not even know such a word - "patriotism"! The performances of the time of a certain Dmitry Runich returned, who claimed: “The Russian man did not defend his political rights. He fought in order to exterminate the“ predatory animals ”that came to devour his sheep, chickens, devastate his fields and granary.” The gentlemen did not believe that the "plebeians" were capable of high impulses, capable of thinking about anything other than their daily bread. Even in our time, the concept of "people" is not held in high esteem, it is considered an atavism of Soviet rhetoric. Once Suvorov argued to Potemkin: "Allow me, most illustrious prince, to convey: there are heroes in the lower rank." Around the same time, Karamzin revealed to the enlightened public a secret behind seven seals: "Even peasant women know how to love." In "Notes of a Hunter" Turgenev showed the generosity and humanity of the peasants. And suddenly, in the 21st century, they began to write about Russian farmers and soldiers of 1812 as if they were animals!..

Such times have already come, everyone fancies himself a lone hero and despises the "overwhelming majority". For many years, the "rulers of thoughts" have been imposing on us skeptical ideas about the "people": if they are a mass, then they are obviously gray. A new generation of "intellectuals" has been bred. It's in old times The ideology and raison d'être of the intelligentsia was to serve the people:

People! People!

I love you, I sing your suffering.

But where is the hero who will lead you out of the darkness into the light? ..

Modern snobs ridiculed this position. On the path of self-affirmation, everything is burned. Tolstoy's understanding they hate the historical drama of 1812. By the way, L.N. Tolstoy, one can find arguments about the "drone population of the army" - about those officers who thought only of honors. And Denis Davydov has a fundamental dispute with salon Russophobes:

Every sissy, Every one robbed, Fool of fashionable nonsense, Writhes a liberal.

"..." And you look: our Mirabeau of Old Gavrilo For a crumpled frill Whips in the mustache and in the snout.

And you look: our Lafayette, Brutus or Fabricius Muzhikov puts under the press

Along with beets.

This poem is called contemporary song". The trouble is that even now it is again modern! In today's talkative circles, contempt for the "people" (or even the denial of such a concept) is already perceived as valor.

partisan glory

But let us return from Davydov the poet to Davydov the partisan. He saw that the commanders were not ready for a general battle: the risk was too great, you could lose the army, and with it Russia. I saw the weakness of positions " great army": Napoleon traveled 1200 kilometers from the Neman to Moscow. Such stretched communication lines were then military history dont know. This is the vulnerability of the winners of the summer of 1812. Davydov's troops were joined by peasants, soldiers who had fallen behind the army, and sometimes Kutuzov sent reinforcements. But the mass support of the resistance is not a tale!

The peasants of the Bronnitsky district of the Moscow province, the peasants of the village of Nikola-Pogorely near Vyazma, the Bezhetsky, Dorogobuzh, Serpukhov peasants constantly supported the partisans, replenished the flying detachments. Often, groups of peasants tracked down individual enemy detachments, destroyed French foragers and marauders. There was no question of mercy. The peasants punished inexorably.

AT Soviet times Vasilisa Kozhina Street appeared in Moscow. Who is she - the legendary peasant partisan? They say her husband was killed by the invaders, and she vowed revenge. Miscellaneous stories walked about her. Something like this: “The headman of a village in the Sychevsky district of the Smolensk province led a party of prisoners taken by the peasants to the city. In his absence, the villagers caught several more Frenchmen and immediately brought them to the headman Vasilisa to go where they should. This last, not wanting to distract adults from their main classes to beat and catch the villains, gathered a small convoy of guys and, mounting a horse, set off in the form of a leader to escort the French herself ... In this intention, driving around the prisoners, she shouted to them in an imperative voice: “Well, French villains! In front! Line up! Go, march!" One of the captured officers, annoyed that a simple woman took it into her head to command them, did not obey her. Vasilisa, seeing this, jumped up to him instantly and, hitting him on the head with her staff - a scythe, threw him dead at her feet , crying out: "To all you thieves, dogs, it will be the same, who only dares to move a little! I have already cut off the heads of twenty-seven such mischievous people! March to the city!" And after that, who will doubt that the prisoners recognized the power of the elder Vasilisa over themselves.

Vasilisa Kozhina - a stern escort of prisoners - was dedicated to a popular series of popular prints. We still remember A.G. Venetsianov 1813 "The French are hungry rats in the team of the headman Vasilisa" with the inscription "Illustration of an episode in the Sychevsky district, where the wife of the village headman Vasilisa, having recruited a team of women armed with scythes and a dracula, drove several captured enemies in front of her, one of whom for disobedience he was killed by her."

The famous portrait of a simple peasant woman is an unprecedented thing! - wrote the artist Alexander Smirnov. Under the picture is the caption: "Partisan of 1812. She did a great favor for Russia. She was awarded a medal and a cash prize - 500 rubles." Yes, it's not about the award, but about the exploits! The fact that the invaders failed to break the freedom-loving spirit of the Russian people. Where is it seen that a woman does not submit to an armed invader? And the stories about Vasilisa, perhaps, were more important than her bold deeds. War is won not only by soldiers and cannons, but also by books, songs, and correctly formulated slogans.

Game with death

The energetic organizer of the partisan movement was Alexander Figner, who started the war in the rank of captain. Remember Tolstoy Dolokhov? Figner is one of his prototypes. A desperate brave man, he burned with hatred for the enemy, dreamed (like all partisans) of capturing Bonaparte. When the enemy occupied Moscow, he went to the occupied city. A born scout, an actor, he changed outfits, pretending to be either a Frenchman or a German (Ostsee origin allowed!). As you know, he failed to capture Napoleon. But Figner managed to get important information from French camp, and after leaving Moscow, he put together a small detachment of volunteers.

The young officers admired Figner's reckless audacity. He played with death like a bully. But not only for fame, and certainly not for personal gain.

He defended the Fatherland.

Legends of Figner's resourcefulness inspired the army. Once the French managed to press the partisan detachment to the impenetrable swamps. There are seven thousand enemies, a handful of Fignerites. The situation is hopeless! At night, the French did not close their eyes, they guarded the partisans in a trap in order to deal with them in the morning. But when dawn broke, it turned out that the marshy copse was empty. The Russians are gone. What the miraculous salvation? There was no miracle, just once more worked military stratagem. In the dark, Figner, risking his life, crossed over the bumps through the swamp. A quiet village stood two versts from the swamp. Figner gathered the peasants, told them what was happening, and together they found a way out. In two counts (every minute counts!) Boards and straw were brought to the shore, and a road was laid out in the swamp. The commander was the first to check the strength of the flooring, returned to the detachment. He ordered to carefully transfer to safe place horses - the French sentries did not hear suspicious sounds. Then people followed the chain. The latter removed the boards behind them and passed them forward. Even the wounded managed to get out of the trap, and there was no trace left of the road.

Is there any exaggeration in this story? There were many incredible episodes in the combat biography of Figner, Davydov, Seslavin - not a single dreamer would come up with this. Figner himself (like Dolokhov) loved a spectacular pose, knew how, as they say, to impress. In one of his reports, he admitted:

“Yesterday I learned that you are worried about finding out about the forces and movement of the enemy, for the sake of which yesterday the French had one, and today I visited them with an armed hand. After which I again had negotiations with them.

Mr. Captain Alekseev, who was sent by me to you, will tell you better about everything that happened, for I am afraid to boast.

He understood that loud popularity helps in the battle, instills courage in the hearts of volunteers. It is worth paying attention to the elegant style of Figner's reports. bright person- all bright! A master of hoaxes, dramatizations - and an incredible brave man ...

On another occasion, the partisans were surrounded. The French cavalry was preparing for battle, Figner divided his detachment into two groups. The first, which included the cavalrymen of the Polish uhlan regiment, wearing a uniform very similar to the French, jumped out of the forest and rushed to their comrades, Russian partisans. There was a shootout and even hand-to-hand combat. French observers decided that Figner was beaten. While they were collecting their thoughts, the partisans disappeared. But Napoleon was ready to pay dearly for Figner's head. The elusive partisan terrified the enemy!

He did not stop combat sorties even when experienced partisans needed a break: “Figner, unique in everything, often disguised himself as a simple worker or peasant and, armed with a blowgun instead of a stick and taking the St. George Cross in his pocket in order to show it to the Cossacks if necessary, whom he could meet, and thereby prove his identity, went alone to reconnaissance while everyone was resting.

Legends about his exploits spread throughout Europe. Even in Germany, he did not stop secretly penetrating the cities occupied by the French. AT foreign campaign Figner formed the "Legion of Revenge" from the Germans, Russians, Italians - those who were ready to fight Napoleon. He fought as before in partisan style, with honor he bore the rank of Russian colonel. The troops of Marshal Ney pressed the daredevils to the Elbe. Only the saber of the brave colonel remained on the shore. The waters of the German river closed over the wounded hero.

But he managed to accomplish the main thing: the enemy was expelled from Russia!

A hussar poet, a front-line soldier (I note in passing: the most respectable long-liver in classical Russian literature - he lived for almost 94 years) Fyodor Glinka dedicated wonderful poems to the hero:

Oh, Figner was a great warrior, And not an easy one... he was a sorcerer!..

Under him, the Frenchman was always restless...

Like an invisible, like a flyer,

Everywhere an unrecognized scout,

Then suddenly he is a fellow traveler to the French,

That is their guest: like a German, like a Pole;

He goes to the bivouac to the French in the evening And plays cards with them, Sings and drinks ... and he said goodbye, As if with his brothers ...

But the tired at the feast will still be overcome by sleep, And he, quietly, with his vigilant team, Sneaking out of the forest under the hill, Like here! .. "Sorry!" They have no excuse:

And, without spending a single cartridge, He takes two-thirds of the squadron ...

("The Death of Figner").

Seslavin

Next to the furious, daring Figner fought a partisan leader, distinguished by nobility and wisdom.

One of the heroes of the Battle of Borodino - Colonel Alexander Nikitich Seslavin in the fall of 1812 received a separate flying squad. It was his soldiers who first noticed Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. Seslavin's detachment pursued the French all the way to the borders of Russia, set up ambushes, captured prisoners. He did not let the enemy come to his senses, he imposed on the French a round-the-clock guerrilla war, no days off.

If not for the timely report of Seslavin to General D.S. Dokhturov, Napoleon might have been able to occupy the fertile southern provinces and start a new campaign in the spring of 1813, replenishing the army. But near Maloyaroslavets, the Russians blocked the path to salvation for the "Great Army". They had to retreat along the old Smolensk road, which promised only hunger and meetings with the partisans. In the last period of the war, the Seslavins captured the demoralized French by the thousands. In the battle near Vilna, a dashing detachment was the first to break into the city, and Seslavin was wounded in the arm with bone crushing - not the first and not the last in his combat biography. He did not stay in the infirmary for long and took part in all the main battles of the European campaign of 1813 and 1814, up to the battle for Paris. In the Moscow Kremlin, near the Arsenal, you can see a lot of captured cannons recaptured from the enemy by the miraculous heroes of Seslavin.

Glory to "the people who, in the moment of trial, without asking how others acted according to the rules in similar cases, with simplicity and ease, picks up the first club that comes across and nails it until in his soul his feeling of insult and revenge is replaced by contempt and pity "- these are the words of L.N. Tolstoy. We believe that our people have not lost these qualities.

Arseny ZAMOSTYANOV.

Leaving Moscow, the Russian army along the Ryazan road reached the Moskva River, crossed to its right bank and, turning sharply to the west, moved along the Pakhra River to Podolsk and further to the old Kaluga road. No one in the army, except for corps commanders, knew the direction of movement.

A Cossack detachment was left on the Ryazan road. He was pursued by the French cavalry corps. For several days the French thought they were pursuing Kutuzov's main forces. Kutuzov, on the other hand, transferred his army to Krasnaya Pakhra, and then to the village of Tarutino across the Nara River and fortified well there.

So he performed his ingenious Tarutinsky march-maneuver. Look at the map: the Russian army, breaking away from the enemy and making a sharp turn, literally hung over his communications (means of communication), threatening to strike at the flank or rear. The Russian army covered the southern provinces with their stocks of bread and fodder and with the Tula arms factory.

Portrait of D. V. Davydov. Engraving from 1814

Moscow was surrounded by a ring of partisan detachments allocated by Kutuzov from the army. Together with them, many peasant partisan detachments acted. A "small war" unfolded.

The first who turned to Kutuzov with a request to send him behind enemy lines with a small party was lieutenant colonel of the hussar regiment, the poet Denis Vasilyevich Davydov. Initially, he received 50 hussars and 80 Cossacks. Partisan life began: the detachment spent all day on. on horseback he roamed the surrounding roads, ran into enemy foragers, transports with food and weapons, beat off prisoners. Davydov took some of the released prisoners to his detachment. Many of Davydov's plans were carried out successfully thanks to the help of the peasants. They notified the partisans in time about the appearance of the enemy and their numbers, and supplied the detachment with food. Davydov, in turn, passed on his military knowledge and experience to the peasants. He wrote instructions for the peasants on how to act when the French approached, how to contact the military detachments of the Russian army. Denis Davydov willingly shared with the peasants and captured weapons.

The commander of the partisan detachment, Alexander Samoilovich Figner, always took on the most dangerous assignments. Knowing French, Italian and German very well, Figner, in the uniform of a Napoleonic officer, penetrated the location of enemy troops, spoke with soldiers and officers and received important information. Once he changed into a peasant dress and entered Moscow. He wanted to kill Napoleon, but he did not manage to get into the Kremlin.

The position of the conquerors in Moscow became more and more difficult. "During a six-week holiday main army under Tarutin, my partisans instilled fear and horror in the enemy, taking away all means of food; already near Moscow, the enemy was supposed to eat horse meat, ”wrote Kutuzov. On the day the French entered Moscow, fires broke out in the city. Almost all of Moscow burned down. Campaign participant - famous French writer Stendhal said: “The sight of this lovely city ... turned into black and stinking ruins brought me special sadness ...” Napoleonic soldiers began to rob on the very first day of their stay in Moscow. The military camp became like a fair: there was a brisk trade in loot. Discipline has fallen. The army turned into an unbridled crowd of marauders.

The flight of the French cavalry, who ate their horses in Russia. Caricature by I. Terebenev. 1813

Napoleon understood the precarious position he was in. His power in the conquered countries rested on the bayonets of soldiers and continuous victories. But now he was far from Central Europe, the army was decaying, and there was nothing to think about victory. Napoleon sent letters and ambassadors to Alexander I and Kutuzov with an offer of peace. There was no answer. Then Napoleon decided to leave Moscow. But by this time, the Russian army was already ready to wrest the initiative from the enemy and go on the counteroffensive. Before leaving, Napoleon ordered to blow up the Kremlin and other ancient monuments of Russian culture that had survived the fire. Fortunately, the invaders managed to carry out this atrocity only partially.

Napoleon led his army from Moscow towards Kaluga, where large food supplies were concentrated and from where it was possible to move west along roads not devastated by the war. The commander of the partisan detachment, Seslavin, informed Kutuzov that Napoleon had left Moscow. Kutuzov decided to detain the enemy army on the way to Kaluga, near Maloyaroslavets. The battle began at dawn on 12 October. Napoleon threw eight times

his troops to Maloyaroslavets, the city changed hands eight times. Finally, the city (or rather, its ruins) was captured by the French. But on the way to the south, a powerful Russian army stood unshakably. And Napoleon ordered to retreat. His army was forced to move along the Smolensk road, ravaged to the ground. However, the French army was still formidable force. It replenished and numbered about 100 thousand people. Kutuzov faced a difficult task: to destroy the invaders, but in such a way as to shed the blood of his people as little as possible.

Napoleon strove for Smolensk. The Russian army, not lagging behind, pursued the enemy. The main forces moved along a parallel road on the left side. This provided a connection with the grain-growing provinces, and, in addition, as Kutuzov explained, "the enemy, seeing me walking next to him, will not dare to stop, fearing that I will not bypass him." But Kutuzov did not just move alongside the enemy army. Light troops attacked enemy detachments, smashed them, captured guns, carts, banners. The partisans acted boldly.

To Smolensk, the army of invaders was reduced by half. Napoleon hoped in Smolensk to give rest to the army, to pull up reserves. But there was less food here than they thought. What was immediately plundered by crowds of soldiers who were the first to enter the city. I had to keep going. The Russian army continuously attacked the enemy. The battles near Krasnoe were especially glorious for the Russian army. In three days, the enemy lost about 26 thousand prisoners here and lost almost all of his artillery and cavalry. Attacked by Russian units, the enemy fought not for life, but for death.

The partisans exterminated manpower the enemy, protected the population from robbery, freed the prisoners. 4 The cudgel of the people's war rose with all its formidable and majestic strength ... rose, fell and nailed the French until the entire invasion died ”(L. N. Tolstoy).

The defeat of the enemy at the crossing of the Berezina was completed. Here Kutuzov wanted to surround and capture Napoleon. Only the mistakes of Admiral Chichagov and General Wittgenstein saved the remnants of the French army from captivity. About 10 thousand hungry, sick and frostbitten people crossed the Berezina.

The Patriotic War is over. “Brave and victorious troops! - Kutuzov turned to the soldiers. - At last you are on the borders of the empire. Each of you is the savior of the fatherland. Russia greets you with this name.”

Decembrists about the war of 1812

Borodino. Tarutino. Red... Glorious milestones of the Patriotic War. The exploits of the heroes of 1812, the future Decembrists, are associated with them. Wounds of honor, golden swords "For Courage", St. George's crosses ... Pavel Pestel, Sergei Muravyov-Apostol, Sergei Volkonsky, Mikhail Fonvizin. A lot others.

And the "younger" Decembrists? Did the Patriotic War pass them by?

“The storm of 1812 was being prepared. These events had a strong impact on our childhood ... ”These are the words of Ivan Pushchin, a lyceum comrade of Pushkin and Kuchelbeker, a peer of Kondraty Ryleev.

Subsequently, in the casemates Peter and Paul Fortress, in Siberian exile, the Decembrists think a lot about 1812, about the attitude of the people to the Patriotic War, about its role in. victory over the invaders.

“In 1812, incredible efforts were needed; the people happily sacrificed everything for the salvation of the fatherland,” wrote Pyotr Kakhovsky.

But the people not only sacrifice everything, they are not passive: when the enemy appeared, the villages rose voluntarily, and the peasants everywhere waged a guerrilla war, fought with amazing courage” (I. Turgenev).

The Decembrists believed that the main merit in the victory over the French belongs to the people.

“All the orders and efforts of the government would not be enough to drive out the Gauls who invaded Russia and with them twelve tongues, if the people still remained in a daze ... Everyone felt that he was called to assist in a great cause” (I. Yakushkin) .

The Decembrists also noted the just hatred of the people for the invaders: “There was no mercy for the enemies who marked their invasion in our fatherland with all sorts of fury” (N. Muravyov).

His generosity was also noted:

“To the credit of our good people, it must be said that he received them (captives) with compassion, fed them. And he covered, with what he could, their nakedness ”(A. Belyaev).

“The people's war of 1812 aroused such confidence in the people's strength and patriotic enthusiasm, about which until that time they had no idea, no foreboding” (A. Rosen).

All these observations helped the Decembrists to understand the unnaturalness of serf slavery, in which the heroic people were, to understand the justice of the people's indignation at their position. A. Bestuzhev recalls with shame and bitterness that the soldiers, returning home, said:

“We shed blood ... and we are again forced to sweat in corvee! We have delivered our homeland from a tyrant, and the lords are tyrannizing us again!”

A. Bestuzhev wrote: “...Napoleon invaded Russia, and then the Russian people for the first time felt their strength, then a sense of independence awakened in all hearts, first political, and later national. This is the beginning of freethinking in Russia.”

“The great events of the Patriotic War, leaving deep impressions in my soul, made in me some kind of desire activity” - many Decembrists could say after M. Fonvizin. Briefly and expressively, M. Muravyov spoke about the significance of the events of the Patriotic War for the Decembrists: "We were children of 1812."

Russian army of 1812

The Russian army during the Patriotic War of 1812 was one of the best in the world. She had great experience wars with a strong enemy, went through a harsh school of military art under the guidance of such prominent military leaders as Peter I, Rumyantsev, Suvorov and others.

The army was divided by type of troops into infantry, cavalry, and artillery. The infantry was the main fighting force. It was divided into linear and light. Linear, or heavy, infantry (the regiments of the Life Guards Semenovsky, Preobrazhensky, Izmailovsky and Lithuanian, grenadier and infantry regiments) were intended to operate in close formation with fire and bayonet strike. Light infantry (life guard regiments of chasseurs and field chasseur regiments) acted in loose formation with rifle fire. The infantry was armed with smooth-bore flintlock guns that fired at 300 paces, rifle jaeger guns that fired at 1000 paces, and pistols that fired at 25 to 30 paces.

The cavalry was also divided into heavy and light. Heavy cavalry (cuirassiers and dragoons) operated in close formation, in lines, attacking the enemy. Light cavalry (hussars and lancers), more mobile, operated in the rear and on the flanks of the enemy, was used for reconnaissance and pursuit in the vanguard and rearguard. The cavalry had dragoon guns, carbines, fittings, as well as edged weapons.

Russian artillery played a huge role in defeating Napoleon's aggressive army. Field artillery consisted of smooth-bore copper guns of various calibers loaded from the muzzle. The aiming range of artillery fire, depending on the caliber of the gun and charge, ranged from 200 to 800 m. Artillery companies had 12 guns each. Each gun was relied on 10 - 13 gun servants and 4 - 6 horses. The companies were divided into battery and light (depending on the caliber of the guns), foot and horse. Artillery companies were reduced to brigades.

The artillery brigades also included engineering units - pioneer (sapper) and pontoon companies.

A special place in the Russian army was occupied Cossack troops and other irregular units (Kalmyk, Bashkir, etc.). The latter were called up for service only in war time. These troops, especially the Don Cossacks, played big role in the victorious outcome of the war.

Irregular was civil uprising- military units formed only for the duration of the war. After the end of the war, the militias, as a rule, disbanded, while the soldiers served 25 years.

In 1812, about 300 thousand volunteers from the people formed the ranks of the militia. The militia was one of the main sources of replenishment of the field army, one of the main factors that determined folk character war.

The uniforms of the Russian army of this time differed sharply according to the types of troops.

This facilitated the management of troops during hostilities. The infantry went on the attack at full height, and only the jaeger units (arrows) were used on the ground. The cavalry also acted quite openly. The commander-in-chief could freely observe the battle and manage it.