alternatehistory.com

During the fighting around Smolensk in early August of 1812, Napoleon had several fine opportunities to catch the two Russian armies of Barclay and Bagration in positions where they might have been smashed. The best chance may have been in the days before the battle on the north bank of the Dnieper, where Napoleon could have abandoned his plan to cross to the south side of the river and simply launched an all-out assault on the disorganized and divided Russian forces.

What if Napoleon had achieved a decisive victory against the Russians, on the scale of Austerlitz?

IOTL, Napoleon's decision to press on after taking Smolensk was due largely to the fact that hehad not yet brought the Russians to battle and inflicted a significant defeat. If he had achieved this, might he have halted to reorganize his forces, which were suffering unimaginable logistical problems? Could the defeatist elements in the Russian court have prevailed and forced Alexander to open negotiations with Napoleon? f so, what kind of peace might have resulted?
Top