BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts

Thanks for downloading this episode of In Our Time.

There's a reading list to go with it on our website and you can get news about our programs

if you follow us on Twitter at BBC In Our Time.

I hope you enjoyed the programs.

Hello, in September 1812, Napoleon captured Moscow and waited the month for the Russians

to meet him, to surrender.

Yet to his dismay, no one came.

Soon his triumph was revealed as a great defeat.

According to his coming, supplies were low.

The order is grown down May of 600,000 to retreat.

And by the time he crossed the border, desertion, disease, capture, cross-ex on the cold, had

reduced that to 20,000.

Napoleon had shown his weakness.

His pressure now lies changed sides.

And within 18 months of the day, the Russians and the Austrians had captured Paris and the

Emperor was exiled to Elba.

With me to discuss Napoleon's retreat from Moscow are Michael Row, reader in European

history, King's College London, Michael Report, reader in modern European history, the

University of Glasgow, and Janet Hartley, Professor Emeritus of International History at the

LSE.

Janet Hartley, why had Napoleon invaded Russia?

...