The Battle of Smolensk

Napoleon could not understand the russian people who seemed t him suicidal. They would destroy their country rather than surrender it. Now he had to decide whether to march on moscow itself. It might have seemed wise to wait through the winter at smolensk, but that would give the tzar time to raise a larger army and prove too hard for napoleon to handle with his own depleted forces. The french emperor felt certain the czar would defend moscow the very heart and soul of russia. Once moscow fell, alexander would have to sue for peace.