- From this moment on, Kutuzov’s main goal is to hold the Russian army back as much as he can and not needlessly engage the French.
- The French army, meanwhile, is hemorrhaging men – a third have already left Moscow.
- But still, they aren’t fleeing yet. For that to happen, first this has to happen:
- Napoleon rides out for some reason – inspecting troops or something – when a bunch of Russian soldiers who have been looting the French nearly capture him. Yup, just like that – a random band of Russian soldiers out to grab a little booty, and Napoleon just barely escapes.
- Which means, if this kind of crazy thing can happen right in the middle of the French army...well, then, there pretty much is no French army anymore.