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1、Theysaythatpridecomesbeforeafall.InthecaseofbothNapoleonandHitler,themanyvictoriestheyenjoyedledthemtobelievethatanythingwaspossible,thatnothingcouldstandintheirway.Russia'sicydefenderwastoprovethemwrong.TheIcyDefenderNilaB.Smith1In1812,NapoleonBonaparte
2、,EmperoroftheFrench,ledhisGrandArmyintoRussia.HewaspreparedforthefierceresistanceoftheRussianpeopledefendingtheirhomeland.HewaspreparedforthelongmarchacrossRussiansoiltoMoscow,thecapitalcity.ButhewasnotpreparedforthedevastatingenemythatmethiminMoscow--th
3、eraw,bitter,bleakRussianwinter.2In1941,AdolfHitler,leaderofNaziGermany,launchedanattackagainsttheSovietUnion,asRussiathenwascalled.Hitler'smilitarymightwasunequaled.HiswarmachinehadmoweddownresistanceinmostofEurope.Hitlerexpectedashortcampaignbut,likeNap
4、oleonbeforehim,wastaughtapainfullesson.TheRussianwinteragaincametotheaidoftheSovietsoldiers.Napoleon'sCampaign3Inthespringof1812,NapoleonassembledanarmyofsixhundredthousandmenonthebordersofRussia.Thesoldierswerewelltrained,efficient,andwellequipped.Thism
5、ilitaryforcewascalledtheGrandArmy.Napoleon,confidentofaquickvictory,predictedtheconquestofRussiainfiveweeks.4Shortlyafterwards,Napoleon'sarmycrossedtheNemanRiverintoRussia.Thequick,decisivevictorythatNapoleonexpectedneverhappened.Tohissurprise,theRussian
6、srefusedtostandandfight.Instead,theyretreatedeastward,burningtheircropsandhomesastheywent.TheGrandArmyfollowed,butitsadvancemarchsoonbecameboggeddownbyslow-movingsupplylines.5InAugust,theFrenchandRussianarmiesengagedatSmolensk,inabattlethatleftovertentho
7、usanddeadoneachside.Yet,theRussianswereagainabletoretreatfartherintoRussianterritory.Napoleonhadwonnodecisivevictory.Hewasnowfacedwithacrucialdecision.ShouldhecontinuetopursuetheRussianarmy?OrshouldhekeephisarmyinSmolenskfortheapproachingwinter?6Napoleon
8、tookthegambleofpressingontoMoscow,448kilometersaway.OnSeptember7,1812,theFrenchandRussianarmiesmetinfiercebattleatBorodino,112kilometerswestofMoscow.Bynightfall,thirtythousandFrenchandforty-fourthousandRussianslaydeadorwou
