Джон Шемякин о Василии Перовском на войне 1812 года
Summary
This episode explores the life of Russian general and Decembrist Vasily Perovsky, focusing on his capture during the 1812 French invasion of Moscow. The host details Perovsky's harrowing experiences as a prisoner, including his encounters with French commanders like Murat and Davout, and his brutal treatment during a forced march of captives. The narrative highlights the harsh realities of war, the betrayal of European ideals, and Perovsky's resilience amidst extreme suffering.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The Perovskiy brothers
The illegitimate children of the Razumovsky family
Aleksey Razumovsky and his connection to Lomonosov
The educational paradise created for the children
Overview of the three main brothers: Lev, Vasily, and others
Vasily's escape from France and friendship with Nicholas I
Vasily's military career: Anapa and the Decembrist connection
The Great Game: Vasily as Governor of Orenburg
The winter campaign against Khiva
Vasily's role in the emancipation of serfs
Lev Perovskiy: Minister of Internal Affairs and education
Battle of Borodino: Bagration's death and replacement
Anecdote about a finger injury at Borodino
The English tourist Stan and the Isaac Cathedral
Russian peasants blocking Napoleon's path to Moscow
Vasily meets General Sebastiani in Moscow
Discussion on French pronunciation and attitude
Sebastiani's history: Arc de Triomphe and prisoners
Sebastiani's role in the 1798 coup and diplomacy
Sebastiani's engineering work on the Bosphorus
The cat-and-mouse game with French officers
Meeting King Joachim Murat of Naples
Murat's brutality and the Madrid uprising
Russian officers confront the French in Moscow
Vasily's intuition about the French behavior
The bandaged man's accusation in the reception room
Citizens' resistance and the shooting of Murat's suite
The peasant who bit the French officer
Background on the May 2, 1808 Madrid uprising
The Spanish revolt against the 'Moors'
Murat's memory of Madrid and arrival in Moscow
The massacre of Moscow's remaining defenders
The bandaged man's anger and the second army
Vasily is sent to Berthier in the Kremlin
Why the French kept Vasily: his importance
Vasily walks to the Kremlin with hands tied
The fate of Moscow postal workers
Vasily enters the Kremlin through Nikolsky Gates
Chaos in the Kremlin: fires and looting
Accusation of arson against a Russian official
French attempts to establish control in Moscow
Napoleon's hesitation on abolishing serfdom
Search for collaborators and traitors in Moscow
Vasily is locked in the Church of Spas na Baru
Vasily's delirium and the new fire in the Kremlin
Vasily is sent to Marshal Davout at Devichye Pole
Davout questions Vasily's identity and intent
Davout recalls Vasily's previous capture near Smolensk
Davout's stance on surrender and amnesty
Davout and Napoleon's school days: The Snowy Slopes
The story of the snow fortress and the commoners
Napoleon's attack on the snow fortress
Napoleon's face injury and the crowd's reaction
Aftermath of the snow battle
Davout releases Vasily back to the Russian side
Vasily is pushed into the crowd of prisoners
Conditions in the prisoner barracks at Devichye Pole
Vasily works at the slaughterhouse
Cooking meat without utensils or salt
Alcohol distribution and the 11th day of captivity
The death march: order to shoot stragglers
Vasily's first proper shoes and the first shot
Reflections on European civilization and treatment of prisoners
The march of death: soldiers saying goodbye
Comparison with the 1941 retreat and Cussy's account
Europe as a mother who came to kill
The European Christian soldier shooting stragglers
Arrival at Borodino and eating carrion
Influence of Perovskiy's account on Tolstoy's War and Peace
The phrase 'divide among all' and sharing food
Arrival in France and Vasily's survival
Reflections on the horror of the experience
Comparison of 1812 and 1941 European behavior
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