The Tolstoy Library

In which the Cossacks, led by Count Orlóv-Denísov, embark on a daring night advance that swiftly unsettles the French camp, yet their triumph is tempered by disorder and missed opportunities. Meanwhil...

19 Syys 8min

In which Napoleon enters the deserted and wealthy city of Moscow in the wake of a great victory, poised with numerous strategic options to secure his army's triumph during the harsh winter months. Yet...

19 Syys 5min

In which the cautious and sagacious Kutúzov, mindful of the chaotic realities of war, restrains his eager generals from rash advances, allowing the battle to unfold in its unpredictable manner. Throug...

19 Syys 5min

In which the Russian army, under Kutúzov’s command and the distant gaze of the Emperor, is enmeshed in a web of intrigue and shifting loyalties among its officers, yet the course of the war marches on...

18 Syys 7min

In which the earnest preparations for a crucial attack are subject to the unpredictable delays and distractions of human folly, revealing that even the best-laid plans can falter amidst the commotion ...

18 Syys 5min

In which the venerable Kutúzov, burdened by the weight of command and a reluctance towards battle, awakens to a disquieting pause in his troops' advance on a bleak autumn morning. His stern reproaches...

18 Syys 4min

In which the Russian army’s seemingly aimless retreat is revealed as a natural response to circumstance rather than a product of strategic brilliance, and Kutúzov’s true merit is shown in his restrain...

17 Syys 5min

In which the nature of historical causation is pondered with gentle clarity, revealing that great events arise not from the will of a solitary hero but from the complex interplay of countless circumst...

17 Syys 7min