From Neman to Smolensk: the Beginning of the Russian Campaign in Representation Soldier of Great Army of Napoleon

Abstract

In article the attempt is made, having addressed transformation of representations of soldiers of Great army at the initial stage of the Russian campaign, to track sources of formation of the Western European memory of a campaign of 1812. The author comes to a conclusion that the relative unity of memory of soldiers of army of Napoleon of events of 1812 was dictated by a number of factors. So, even prior to opening of military operations the big role was played by official promotion which promoted creation of ideological stereotype of ideas of the French soldiers of the enemy. However immersion of soldiers of Great army in the Russian reality began to change their initial representations. If at the very beginning of the campaign soldiers believed in the idea of rescue of the Poles groaning under oppression of the Russian tsar, then soon thanks to the begun contacts with the population of “the Russian Poland” they quickly were disappointed in nobility of the mission. Now war which obviously dragged on thanks to “Scythian” tactics of Russians became a symbol of fight against barbarity for Napoleonic soldiers. For the majority of the ranks which are not devoted in plans and details of actions of Great army, the only thing that soon remained it is belief in the genius of the emperor.