Battle of Smolensk

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The Battle of Smolensk was a major 1812 engagement during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, in which French and Russian forces clashed fiercely over the strategic city of Smolensk, setting the stage for the later Battle of Borodino.

All labels observed (4)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Napoleonic Wars battle
battle
alsoKnownAs First Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
attackedBy Grande Armée
belligerent First French Empire
Russian Empire
campaign Russian campaign of 1812
cause Napoleon’s advance toward Moscow
cityDefendedBy Russian Empire
commander Jean-Andoche Junot
Louis-Nicolas Davout
Michel Ney
Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly
Napoleon I of France
linked to: Napoleon Bonaparte

Pyotr Bagration
conflict Napoleonic Wars
country Russia
date 16–18 August 1812
followedBy Battle of Borodino
FrenchCasualtiesAndLosses tens of thousands killed wounded or missing
FrenchStrength approximately 175000 soldiers
historicalEra Age of Napoleon
linked to: Napoleonic era
historicalPeriod 19th century
involvedUnit Grande Armée
Russian First Army of the West
Russian Second Army of the West
linked to: Russian Second Army
location Russian Empire
Smolensk
Smolensk Governorate
notableConsequence Russian army preserved by withdrawal
destruction of much of Smolensk
set stage for Battle of Borodino
notableFeature extensive artillery bombardment
heavy urban fighting
partOf French invasion of Russia (1812)
precededBy Battle of Vitebsk
result French tactical victory
Russian strategic withdrawal
RussianCasualtiesAndLosses tens of thousands killed wounded or missing
RussianStrength approximately 130000 soldiers
significance demonstrated Russian strategy of trading space for time
major early engagement of the 1812 Russian campaign
strategicObjective capture of Smolensk
open road to Moscow
tacticalCharacteristic Russian fighting withdrawal
frontal assaults on fortified positions
theatre Eastern Front of the Napoleonic Wars
year 1812

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (13)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Battle of Borodino precededBy Battle of Smolensk
French invasion of Russia notableEvent Battle of Smolensk
French invasion of Russia keyBattle Battle of Smolensk
Mikhail Kutuzov notableEvent Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Patriotic War of 1812 battle Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Michel Ney participatedIn Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Eastern Front of the Napoleonic Wars includesBattle Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Smolensk wasSiteOf Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Battle of Smolensk (1812) alsoKnownAs First Battle of Smolensk (1812)
subject linked to: Battle of Smolensk
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Battle of the Moskva precededBy Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Prince of Smolensk linkedBattle Battle of Smolensk (1812)
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Отечественная война 1812 года ключевоеСражение Сражение под Смоленском
linked to: Battle of Smolensk
Battle of Vitebsk followedBy Battle of Smolensk