Putting Theory into Practice: Ludwig von Wolzogen and the Russian Campaign in 1812

Abstract

It was not the battle of Borodino but the Russian retreat that devastated Napoleon’s army in 1812. The time of the Napoleonic Wars was not solely the time of decisive battles but also of new theories that considered battle a mere ‘ultimatum’ of war dynamics. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the events of 1812 were planned by the Russian officer Ludwig von Wolzogen on the grounds of a theory developed by Dietrich von Bülow. Owing to its seemingly absurd concept of avoiding battles altogether, it was applied secretly and later fell into oblivion. This article reconsiders the history of an idea of war dynamics that brought peace to Europe for this time.