The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 Volume 1

The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 is the only publicly available translation into English of Bogdanovich’s official history of the Russian forces’ involvement in the fight against Napoleon and his allies in Russia in 1812. This translation also includes extracts from Ivan Liprandi’s critique of Bogdanovich’s work.

Volume 1 of The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 includes the causes of the war and an account of the operational planning by Russian forces for their retreat from the borders into the Empire, dispelling the myth of the non-existence of any premeditated plan. The logistics of the forces on both sides are examined, along with highly detailed descriptions of the operations from Russia’s western borders to beyond Smolensk and operations on the northern and southern flanks. Outstanding feats were performed not only by prominent personalities but also by others who participated in this war. The composition of the forces are shown as clearly as possible, as are force numbers, casualties on each side, and so on. The maps attached to this work were drafted in such a way that they might serve to explain entire phases of the war. The battle plans show the locations of dominant terrain according to detailed state surveys, while villages, forests and roads have been copied from previously published plans.

"This was an enjoyable and fascinating read. As I have said earlier the translation is seamless (if that is the right word) which makes it all that much easier to follow.  I certainly know much more about the initial stages of the invasion of Russia than I had previously and am looking forward immensely to the next volume in the series. For Napoleonic fans this is a must buy book." carryingsonupthedale.com