An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 1023 words)
t that very time, in circumstances even more important than retreating
without a battle, namely the evacuation and burning of Moscow,
Rostopchín, who is usually represented as being the instigator of that
event, acted in an altogether different manner from Kutúzov.
After the battle of Borodinó the abandonment and burning of Moscow was
as inevitable as the retreat of the army beyond Moscow without fighting.
Every Russian might have predicted it, not by reasoning but by the
feeling implanted in each of us and in our fathers.
The same thing that took place in Moscow had happened in all the towns
and villages on Russian soil beginning with Smolénsk, without the
participation of Count Rostopchín and his broadsheets. The people
awaited the enemy unconcernedly, did not riot or become excited or tear
anyone to pieces, but faced its fate, feeling within it the strength to
find what it should do at that most difficult moment. And as soon as the
enemy drew near the wealthy classes went away abandoning their property,
while the poorer remained and burned and destroyed what was left.
The consciousness that this would be so and would always be so was and
is present in the heart of every Russian. And a consciousness of this,
and a foreboding that Moscow would be taken, was present in Russian
Moscow society in 1812. Those who had quitted Moscow already in July
and at the beginning of August showed that they expected this. Those who
went away, taking what they could and abandoning their houses and half
their belongings, did so from the latent patriotism which expresses
itself not by phrases or by giving one’s children to save the fatherland
and similar unnatural exploits, but unobtrusively, simply, organically,
and therefore in the way that always produces the most powerful results.
“It is disgraceful to run away from danger; only cowards are running
away from Moscow,” they were told. In his broadsheets Rostopchín
impressed on them that to leave Moscow was shameful. They were ashamed
to be called cowards, ashamed to leave, but still they left, knowing
it had to be done. Why did they go? It is impossible to suppose that
Rostopchín had scared them by his accounts of horrors Napoleon had
committed in conquered countries. The first people to go away were the
rich educated people who knew quite well that Vienna and Berlin had
remained intact and that during Napoleon’s occupation the inhabitants
had spent their time pleasantly in the company of the charming Frenchmen
whom the Russians, and especially the Russian ladies, then liked so
much.
They went away because for Russians there could be no question as to
whether things would go well or ill under French rule in Moscow. It was
out of the question to be under French rule, it would be the worst thing
that could happen. They went away even before the battle of Borodinó and
still more rapidly after it, despite Rostopchín’s calls to defend Moscow
or the announcement of his intention to take the wonder-working icon of
the Iberian Mother of God and go to fight, or of the balloons that were
to destroy the French, and despite all the nonsense Rostopchín wrote in
his broadsheets. They knew that it was for the army to fight, and that
if it could not succeed it would not do to take young ladies and house
serfs to the Three Hills quarter of Moscow to fight Napoleon, and that
they must go away, sorry as they were to abandon their property
to destruction. They went away without thinking of the tremendous
significance of that immense and wealthy city being given over to
destruction, for a great city with wooden buildings was certain when
abandoned by its inhabitants to be burned. They went away each on his
own account, and yet it was only in consequence of their going away
that the momentous event was accomplished that will always remain the
greatest glory of the Russian people. The lady who, afraid of being
stopped by Count Rostopchín’s orders, had already in June moved with her
Negroes and her women jesters from Moscow to her Sarátov estate, with
a vague consciousness that she was not Bonaparte’s servant, was really,
simply, and truly carrying out the great work which saved Russia. But
Count Rostopchín, who now taunted those who left Moscow and now had the
government offices removed; now distributed quite useless weapons to
the drunken rabble; now had processions displaying the icons, and now
forbade Father Augustin to remove icons or the relics of saints; now
seized all the private carts in Moscow and on one hundred and thirty-six
of them removed the balloon that was being constructed by Leppich; now
hinted that he would burn Moscow and related how he had set fire to his
own house; now wrote a proclamation to the French solemnly upbraiding
them for having destroyed his Orphanage; now claimed the glory of
having hinted that he would burn Moscow and now repudiated the deed;
now ordered the people to catch all spies and bring them to him, and now
reproached them for doing so; now expelled all the French residents from
Moscow, and now allowed Madame Aubert-Chalmé (the center of the whole
French colony in Moscow) to remain, but ordered the venerable old
postmaster Klyucharëv to be arrested and exiled for no particular
offense; now assembled the people at the Three Hills to fight the French
and now, to get rid of them, handed over to them a man to be killed
and himself drove away by a back gate; now declared that he would
not survive the fall of Moscow, and now wrote French verses in albums
concerning his share in the affair—this man did not understand the
meaning of what was happening but merely wanted to do something himself
that would astonish people, to perform some patriotically heroic
feat; and like a child he made sport of the momentous, and unavoidable
event—the abandonment and burning of Moscow—and tried with his puny hand
now to speed and now to stay the enormous, popular tide that bore him
along with it.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
The tendency to prioritize looking important over being effective, especially during crises when real leadership is most needed.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to identify leaders who prioritize looking important over being effective during crisis.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone calls a meeting that could have been an email, or when leaders make grand announcements while frontline workers solve the actual problems.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Every Russian might have predicted it, not by reasoning but by the feeling implanted in each of us and in our fathers."
Context: Explaining why abandoning Moscow was inevitable
Tolstoy argues that some knowledge comes from deep cultural understanding rather than logical analysis. The Russian people knew what needed to be done because generations of experience with invasion had created collective wisdom about survival.
In Today's Words:
Sometimes you just know what's coming because your family and community have been through this kind of thing before.
"The consciousness that this would be so and would always be so was and is present in the heart of every Russian."
Context: Describing the Russian people's understanding of sacrifice
This reveals how cultural identity shapes response to crisis. Russians accept that defending their homeland sometimes requires destroying what they love. This acceptance enables effective action without the paralysis that comes from hoping for perfect solutions.
In Today's Words:
Deep down, everyone understood this was just how things work when your back's against the wall.
"Those who had quitted Moscow already in July and at the beginning of August showed that they expected this."
Context: Explaining how the wealthy anticipated Moscow's fall
The people who left earliest weren't cowards but realists who read the situation accurately. Their quiet departure demonstrates practical wisdom - understanding when to fight and when to preserve resources for future battles.
In Today's Words:
The smart ones saw the writing on the wall and got out while they could.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Wealthy families quietly leave Moscow while officials make grand speeches, showing how different classes respond to crisis
Development
Continues the theme of class differences in practical wisdom versus social performance
In Your Life:
Notice how working-class people often solve problems directly while management talks about solutions
Authority
In This Chapter
Rostopchín's official position gives him no actual power to control events, only the illusion of control
Development
Builds on earlier examples of how formal authority often lacks real influence
In Your Life:
The person with the title isn't always the person with the answers or the ability to help you
Collective Action
In This Chapter
Moscow's evacuation succeeds through individual families making the same practical choice, not through coordination
Development
Introduces the idea that effective group action can emerge without central planning
In Your Life:
Sometimes the best community response happens when everyone independently does the right thing
Pride
In This Chapter
Rostopchín's need to appear decisive leads to contradictory, harmful decisions
Development
Shows how pride in crisis situations can override practical judgment
In Your Life:
Your ego can make you double down on bad decisions when admitting uncertainty would be wiser
Practical Wisdom
In This Chapter
Ordinary families understand what needs to be done better than the official in charge
Development
Reinforces the theme that common sense often trumps official expertise
In Your Life:
Trust your instincts about what's really happening, even when authorities say otherwise
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What are the two different ways people responded to Napoleon's approach to Moscow, and what were the actual results of each response?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Tolstoy suggest that Count Rostopchín's dramatic leadership style was less effective than the quiet actions of ordinary families?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about a crisis at your workplace, school, or community. Who made the most noise about helping, and who actually got things done? What was the difference?
application • medium - 4
When you're under pressure, do you tend to focus more on looking capable or being capable? How can you tell the difference in yourself?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter suggest about the relationship between true leadership and the need for recognition or credit?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Spot the Performer vs. the Problem-Solver
Think of a current situation in your life where there's a problem that needs solving - at work, in your family, or your community. List the people involved and categorize them: Who talks the most about the problem? Who posts about it? Who calls meetings? Now identify who actually takes concrete steps to fix things, even if they get less attention. Write down what you notice about the difference between these two groups.
Consider:
- •The loudest voice isn't always the most effective one
- •People who need credit for helping might be more focused on their image than the actual problem
- •Sometimes the most important work happens quietly, without fanfare
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you caught yourself performing helpfulness rather than actually helping. What was driving that need to be seen as helpful? How might you approach similar situations differently in the future?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 235: Hélène's Religious Conversion Strategy
As Moscow empties and burns, the focus shifts to how this massive sacrifice will affect Napoleon's campaign and the broader war effort.
