When Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, he hoped to achieve a quick victory and force Tsar Alexander I to make peace. However, the Russians used a scorched earth policy, destroying crops and villages as they retreated, and Napoleon's army was forced to advance without adequate supplies.
The Russian winter also proved to be a major obstacle for the French. The temperatures dropped below freezing, and Napoleon's soldiers were not prepared for the cold weather. Many died from frostbite and starvation, and the army's morale plummeted.
In December 1812, Napoleon finally ordered his army to retreat from Russia. The retreat was a disaster, and thousands of French soldiers died in the freezing weather. Napoleon himself barely escaped, and he returned to France a broken man.
The invasion of Russia had a profound impact on Napoleon's empire. It showed that Napoleon was not invincible, and it inspired other European countries to resist his rule. The invasion also led to the formation of the Sixth Coalition, which included Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden. The Coalition defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, and he was forced to abdicate the French throne.
Napoleon's invasion of Russia was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It marked the beginning of the end of Napoleon's empire, and it led to the rise of a new European order.