Who has attacked Russia, and then left when winter set in?

Question

I have heard that on a few occasions when Russia has been attacked, they used a strategy where they drew the attackers far into the country, and then waited for the winter to set in. The attacking army then became frozen and demoralised, eventually quitting the attack. I just can't remember the specific attackers. I have a feeling that one may have been Germans during a world war, but I'm not at all sure. Does anyone know who were the attacking armies?

Answer 1

Hitler also invaded Russia in the winter. I don't think the Russians drew the attackers in, though. The Russians just got worked until the weather got nasty enough and Napoleon's supply lines were too long. The WWII Nazis made a big mistake by opening a second front in the east with Russia. They pressed pretty deep into Russian territory, but in the end they overextended themselves and angered a ferocious enemy.

Answer 2

Napoleon Bonaparte and the Imperial French Army invaded Russia in the early 19th century. The Russian used a policy called "scorched earth", in which they would abandon a village as the French approached it, and burn it down completely, so that the French could not restock their supplies or seek shelter from the cold.

They would continue to do this, jumping from village to village, all the way to Moscow, and burning each settlement down as they left. Napoleon's army reached the Russian capitol, but the city was destroyed and most of the people had gone. Due to virtually no shelter in which to keep the army safe from the cold, they were forced to retreat, therefore the invasion was no successful.

The same exact policy, scorched earth, was used by the Bolsheviks as the German army, commanded by Adolf Hitler during the second World War, as they pushed through the Eastern front into the United Soviet Socialist Republic.

Once again, as the Nazi's approached, the villagers would burn down their village and grain supplies and retreat to village further to the North East. The Nazi's ran out of supplies, the fuel lines in their vehicles and tanks were frozen, and they had virtually no shelter against the bitter cold.

In both situations, because of the scorched earth policy in conjunction with the Russian winter, both armies had to retreat due to lack of supplies and high death tolls due to frostbite. It was quite a clever tactic, using the elements as an advantage. Villages could be rebuilt and food could be regrown, but if the French or the Nazi's had taken the Kremlin, Russia would have been virtually impossible to recapture.

Answer 3

Napoleon Bonaparte- The German Army in 1941

Answer 4

Napoleon. This was the major failure in his life; and was the principal cause for his ultimate, forced, final relinquishing of political power.

People speak of "Waterloo" as being his ultimate defeat; but it was anecdotal to the real loss for his political power.

He didn't loose his life in the retreat from Moscow, but most of his once truly magnificent and glorious army did; there were only approximately something like 5% or so left, when they finally returned to Paris.

You're correct about the Germans during WW II. Their army was so badly defeated by the Russian winter, that for them to recoupe from it and try to carry on the war, was impossible. Many claim that the Russian winter was the determiner of victory in WW II. And I would tend to agree with them.

Wotan

Answer 5

Napoleon in 1812 and Hitler in 1941.
Hundreds of years ago it was the best form of defence to have your capital city in the middle of your country. You can still see this example in Spain and Russia.
Taking a capital city would then require the enemy to fight all the way to the centre allowing the defenders to slow them down and counter attack.

The benefit with Russia is her vast size and severe winters. Regardless of how large and well equipped your army is, minus 40degrees will kill most things unless they find proper shelter. Unfortunately for Napoleon and Hitler they learned this lesson the hard way.

Answer 6

1812 Napoleon found is army in a fast progress into Russia but had problems with his supply line a vast number of his army were abandoned to find their way home and thousands never returned he was unprepared for the harsh winter and buggered off

Answer 7

No army can defeat the three unbeatable Russian Generals: 1. General Mud; 2. General Snow; and 3. General Cold.


Field Marshal Montgomery in WWII advised Prime Minister Winston Churchill that there are three things you must never do in a war: 1. Never invade Russia; 2. Never invade China; and 3. Never invade Russia and China.

Answer 8

I am fairly certain it was the Germans. Hitler issued his soldiers to Russia, believing that it would take two weeks for the Russians to arrange a defense. However, winter set in, and being unprepared for the cold of the north, many died, and a retreat was called.

Answer 9

its also why America in the war of 1812, couldn't defeat Canada. So send in the Canadians to fight russia in about 1000 years, cause then the population base will be closer. Canadian soldiers far superior to the russians, only problem the Canadian soldiers are effectively controlled by a foreign nation.

Answer 10

Napoleon I or Napoleon Bonaparte emperor of France invaded Russia in 1812 with 450,000-600-000 men and only about 30,000 men returned.