Napoleon deploys the Imperial Guard at Borodino

In OTL the Battle of Borodino, the Russian lines had been breached and Napoleon's Marshals and Generals requested him to deploy the Imperial Guard but he refused stating that he did not reuire them to win the Battle. This caused the Russians to remain intact and thus allowed them to regroup and force the French out thus the beginning of the end for Napoleon. But WI he deployed the Guard.


The scenario:


The Russian lines have been breached, General Belliard ridesto the HQ giving said information to the Emperor. Marshals Ney and Berthier and Generals Rapp, Dumas and Dura had told the Emperor that the time had commit the Guard and destroy the Russians. The Emperor decided to commit the Guard in Battle. On seeing the Guard in Battle, boosted the morale of the other French forces and for the Russians forces which were already tired, this did not seem to bode well. The Russians would bravely defend their positions but the ferocity with which the French attacked was too much. The result of the Battle was complete annhilation of the Russian army and the deaths of Field Marshal Kutuzov and General Bagration with Field Marshal Barclay de Tolly captured.

What would be the consequences of such a scenario?
 
In OTL the Battle of Borodino, the Russian lines had been breached and Napoleon's Marshals and Generals requested him to deploy the Imperial Guard but he refused stating that he did not reuire them to win the Battle. This caused the Russians to remain intact and thus allowed them to regroup and force the French out thus the beginning of the end for Napoleon. But WI he deployed the Guard.


The scenario:


The Russian lines have been breached, General Belliard ridesto the HQ giving said information to the Emperor. Marshals Ney and Berthier and Generals Rapp, Dumas and Dura had told the Emperor that the time had commit the Guard and destroy the Russians. The Emperor decided to commit the Guard in Battle. On seeing the Guard in Battle, boosted the morale of the other French forces and for the Russians forces which were already tired, this did not seem to bode well. The Russians would bravely defend their positions but the ferocity with which the French attacked was too much. The result of the Battle was complete annhilation of the Russian army and the deaths of Field Marshal Kutuzov and General Bagration with Field Marshal Barclay de Tolly captured.

What would be the consequences of such a scenario?

The problem is that the Guard is Napoleon's last remaining reserve in an army that's losing people by the day due to the appalling supply problems. And he hadn't reached Moscow yet. He's only going to throw it in when he has no other choice - like at Waterloo, where he had to try to break Wellington fast if he was going to stand a chance against the intervening Prussians on his right flank.
 
Absolutely.

A more crushing victory at Borodino would not fundamentally change the course of events. Taking Moscow was not decisive.

Chasing a russian army deep into Russia was a loser strategy.
 
I doubt that committing the Imperial Guard would have resulted in a victory as tactically decisive as PulkiNahata suggests. I do think the Russian army would have been badly damaged but would have been able to withdraw in good order much like the Archduke Charles did at Wagram in 1809.

A somewhat greater margin of French victory at Borodino might have been enough to convince Alexander to sue for peace much as Francis II did after Wagram. The Russians would probably have got good terms perhaps losing some of Poland and having to re-instate the Continental System. Napoleon would probably have been lokking for a way out of the Rissian war and so might be more generous in his terms than he had been in the past.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
The only way that a decisive French victory at Borodino would alter the overall course of events would be if it spooked Czar Alexander sufficiently to cause him to open peace talks. He might be persuaded that, with his major field army routed in battle, it would be better to have peace on Napoleon's terms than to continue fighting. It doesn't change the military situation all that much, since the French army would still have been badly battered, Moscow can still be burned, and the supply situation will be just as bad.
 
Maybe if Napoleon followed Davout's plan to envelop the Russian left flnk instad of the fontal attack and committed the Gaurd at the opportune moment such a victory might have been achieved. Then the Empire might have lasted a few more years, lomng enough for Napoleon to have established a dynasty. But mos likely Napoleon would have done something stupd to prvoke a rebellion in Germany and prbably a war with Austria and Prussia. With Russia entering against him. Perhaps in say 1816 or 1817. And he would probably not have been able to win the Spanish war either unless he were somehow able to deploy a "surge" of conscripts to Spain. But large armes in Spain cannot live off the land....
 
The Imperial Guard was necessary to allow the Grand Army to retreat at Krasnoy, a Guard who's even more worn down wouldnt be doing themselves any favors, let along the effects of butterflies.

Kutuzov dying would also change things up in Russia's favor. Kutuzov was a great general, but he lacked Suvorov's offensive bent. Any replacement for him would choose to pursue the retreating French. Hard.

Borodino wasnt decisive, Krasnoy would be decisive in this case. Napoleon lead the Imperial Guard personally from the front during that battle. A Russian victory rather than a stalemate at Krasnoy would mean Napoleon is dead or captured, and his army shattered.
 
The only way that a decisive French victory at Borodino would alter the overall course of events would be if it spooked Czar Alexander sufficiently to cause him to open peace talks. He might be persuaded that, with his major field army routed in battle, it would be better to have peace on Napoleon's terms than to continue fighting. It doesn't change the military situation all that much, since the French army would still have been badly battered, Moscow can still be burned, and the supply situation will be just as bad.

Guys

One danger for the French is can they afford negotiations with the Russians? Anything other than 'those are our demands, accept them immediately or else' and things can get tied up for a couple of weeks minimum. Which the French can't afford as the Russians can regroup, the French are running out of supplies and winter is approaching.

Steve
 
The Imperial Guard was necessary to allow the Grand Army to retreat at Krasnoy, a Guard who's even more worn down wouldnt be doing themselves any favors, let along the effects of butterflies.

Kutuzov dying would also change things up in Russia's favor. Kutuzov was a great general, but he lacked Suvorov's offensive bent. Any replacement for him would choose to pursue the retreating French. Hard.

Borodino wasnt decisive, Krasnoy would be decisive in this case. Napoleon lead the Imperial Guard personally from the front during that battle. A Russian victory rather than a stalemate at Krasnoy would mean Napoleon is dead or captured, and his army shattered.

Well, there might not be a Krasnoy per se if the French actually win big at Borodino. But I could still see scenarios where the Russians wait it out and rebuild the army and then Napoleon is forced to retreat by the same Smolensk road.

Losing Kutuzov might be bad for morale but I personally think he's seriously overrated.

Everything depends on whether Alexander negotiates.
 
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