Napoleon’s Address to the Troops on the Beginning of the Russiaii Campaign, May 1812:
“Soldiers: The second war of Poland has commenced. The first war terminated at Friedland and Tilsit. At Tilsit, Russia swore eternal alliance with France, and war with England. She has openly violated her oath, and refuses to offer any explanation of her strange conduct till the French Eagle shall have passed the Rhine, and, consequently, shall have left her allies at her discretion. Russia is impelled onward by fatality. Her destiny is about to be accomplished. Does she believe that we have degenerated? that we are no longer the soldiers of Austerlitz? She has placed us between dishonor and war. The choice cannot for an instant be doubtful. Let us march forward, then, and crossing the Niemen, carry the war into her territories. The second war of Poland will be to the French army as glorious as the first. But our next peace must carry with it its own guarantee, and put an end to that arrogant influence which, for the last fifty years, Russia has exercised over the affairs of Europe.”
Most historians agree, that Napoleon did not expect and did not plan any war on Russia in 1812, because 5 years before that, after a series of victories over Russian troops and their allies, he was generous enough to sign the Treaties of Tilsit in 1807 with the Russian Tsar Alexander 1st. It is the Tilsit Napoleon mentions in the beginning of his Address above. The title image to the article is a painting by Nicolas Gosse portraying Napoleon, Alexander I of Russia, Queen Louise of Prussia, and Frederick William III in Tilsit, 1807.
But the revengeful Russian tsar started preparing for a new war with Napoleon almost immediately and in 1811 already had Armies standing on the border ready to invade Europe.
Then there was an ultimatum from Alexander to Napoleon to move the French troops from the line along the Oder River, so there was no option for Napoleon, but to respond.
In 2025, it is worth remembering this historic fact – Russia is incapable of honoring the peace treaties.
