War of 1812 documentaries

RTD’s War of 1812 documentaries cover this fateful year for Napoleon’s fortunes from all angles. Until then, the greatest strategic genius of the modern age had managed to conquer the whole of the continent with the largest and most effective force of his day, the Grande Armee. However, when he attacked Russia, it all started to unravel.

Borodino reenactment
Still from Borodino: Version 2012

With our War of 1812 documentaries, you can relive the Battle of Borodino, the Napoleonic victory that led to his defeat, through the outsized military-historical reenactment that enthusiasts from all over Europe staged for its bicentenary. You can also follow a troop of modern-day Cossacks on horseback as they retrace the steps of the soldiers who pushed Napoleon all the way back to the Champs Elysees and managed to charm Parisians in the process. Or you can shadow French and Russian archeologists as they dig for the grave of General Gudin. One of Napoleon’s childhood friends, Gudin was mortally wounded during the Russian campaign, and was said to have been buried somewhere in the Smolensk fortress, so will this mystery finally be solved?