Original Text(~250 words)
CHAPTER IV After the encounter at Vyázma, where Kutúzov had been unable to hold back his troops in their anxiety to overwhelm and cut off the enemy and so on, the farther movement of the fleeing French, and of the Russians who pursued them, continued as far as Krásnoe without a battle. The flight was so rapid that the Russian army pursuing the French could not keep up with them; cavalry and artillery horses broke down, and the information received of the movements of the French was never reliable. The men in the Russian army were so worn out by this continuous marching at the rate of twenty-seven miles a day that they could not go any faster. To realize the degree of exhaustion of the Russian army it is only necessary to grasp clearly the meaning of the fact that, while not losing more than five thousand killed and wounded after Tarútino and less than a hundred prisoners, the Russian army which left that place a hundred thousand strong reached Krásnoe with only fifty thousand. The rapidity of the Russian pursuit was just as destructive to our army as the flight of the French was to theirs. The only difference was that the Russian army moved voluntarily, with no such threat of destruction as hung over the French, and that the sick Frenchmen were left behind in enemy hands while the sick Russians left behind were among their own people. The chief cause of the wastage of Napoleon’s army...
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Summary
The Russian army is falling apart from exhaustion, losing half its men not to battle but to the brutal pace of chasing Napoleon's retreating forces. While the French flee in panic, the Russians pursuing them are equally devastated by the relentless march. Kutuzov understands this harsh reality and tries to slow the pursuit to preserve his army, but his generals are obsessed with glory and dramatic victories. They want to capture Napoleon himself or at least a famous marshal to prove their worth. At Krasnoe, despite Kutuzov's efforts to avoid unnecessary fighting, his subordinates engage the French anyway. They capture thousands of prisoners and celebrate their 'victory,' but Kutuzov sees the bigger picture: his army is destroying itself in the pursuit of glory. The generals blame Kutuzov for being too cautious, accusing him of cowardice and even treason. They can't see that his restraint is actually wisdom. History, Tolstoy notes, will remember Napoleon as a genius and dismiss Kutuzov as a weak old man, missing the truth that sometimes the greatest leadership means knowing when not to act. The chapter reveals how people caught up in the moment often make terrible decisions while believing they're being heroic, and how true leadership sometimes means accepting blame for doing the right thing.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
Pyrrhic victory
A victory that costs the winner so much that it's essentially a defeat. Named after King Pyrrhus who won battles but lost so many soldiers he said 'Another such victory and we are undone.' The Russian pursuit is destroying their own army even as they 'win.'
Modern Usage:
Like working so much overtime to get promoted that you ruin your health and family relationships.
Strategic restraint
The wisdom to hold back when everyone else wants action. Kutuzov knows his army is falling apart but his generals want glory. Sometimes the hardest leadership decision is doing nothing when action feels heroic.
Modern Usage:
Like a manager who refuses to overwork their team during busy season, even when upper management demands it.
Glory hunting
Pursuing personal recognition over practical results. The Russian generals want to capture Napoleon or famous marshals to boost their reputations, even if it destroys their army. They care more about looking heroic than being effective.
Modern Usage:
Like politicians who push for dramatic policies that sound good but don't actually solve problems.
Attrition warfare
Wearing down the enemy through continuous pressure rather than decisive battles. Both armies are being destroyed not by fighting but by the relentless pace of movement. Sometimes the pursuit is as deadly as the battle.
Modern Usage:
Like toxic workplaces where people quit not from one big incident but from constant daily stress.
Historical revisionism
How history gets rewritten to fit preferred narratives. Tolstoy notes that Napoleon will be remembered as brilliant while Kutuzov will be dismissed as weak, even though Kutuzov's restraint actually saved Russia.
Modern Usage:
Like how CEOs get credit for company success while the workers who actually did the work are forgotten.
Command disconnect
When leaders at different levels have completely different understandings of the situation. Kutuzov sees the big picture while his generals only see immediate opportunities for glory. This gap in perspective creates dangerous decisions.
Modern Usage:
Like when upper management makes policies without understanding what frontline workers actually deal with daily.
Characters in This Chapter
Kutuzov
Russian commander-in-chief
Tries to slow the pursuit to save his army but faces constant pressure from glory-seeking subordinates. He understands that winning sometimes means knowing when not to fight. His wisdom is mistaken for weakness by those around him.
Modern Equivalent:
The experienced supervisor who gets blamed for being 'too soft' when they protect their team from burnout
Russian generals
Subordinate commanders
Obsessed with capturing Napoleon or famous French marshals to prove their worth. They push for aggressive action despite the cost to their own troops. They see Kutuzov's caution as cowardice and even treason.
Modern Equivalent:
Middle managers who sacrifice their team's wellbeing to impress the boss
Napoleon
Retreating French emperor
Though not directly present, his fleeing army represents the target everyone is chasing. His retreat is so rapid it's destroying both his own forces and the Russians pursuing him. He becomes the symbol of the glory everyone wants to claim.
Modern Equivalent:
The competitor everyone's so focused on beating that they forget to take care of their own business
Russian soldiers
Exhausted troops
Losing half their numbers not to battle but to the brutal pace of pursuit. They march twenty-seven miles a day until they collapse. Their suffering reveals the true cost of their commanders' ambitions.
Modern Equivalent:
Frontline workers who bear the real cost of management's unrealistic demands
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot when pursuing the measurement replaces pursuing the actual objective.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone celebrates hitting numbers while the underlying purpose suffers—then ask yourself what the real goal actually is.
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"The rapidity of the Russian pursuit was just as destructive to our army as the flight of the French was to theirs."
Context: Describing how the chase is destroying both armies
This reveals Tolstoy's key insight that sometimes winning and losing look exactly the same. Both armies are being destroyed by the same relentless pace, just for different reasons. The pursuit is as deadly as the retreat.
In Today's Words:
We were killing ourselves trying to catch them just as much as they were killing themselves trying to get away.
"The Russian army which left that place a hundred thousand strong reached Krasnoe with only fifty thousand."
Context: Showing the devastating toll of the pursuit
Hard numbers that reveal the true cost of glory-seeking. Half the army lost not to enemy action but to their own relentless pursuit. This stark statistic cuts through all the heroic rhetoric to show what's really happening.
In Today's Words:
We started with a hundred thousand soldiers and ended up with only fifty thousand - and we didn't even fight a real battle.
"The sick Russians left behind were among their own people."
Context: Contrasting Russian and French situations during the retreat
This shows the one advantage Russians have - their wounded are cared for while French wounded are abandoned. It's a small mercy in a situation where both sides are suffering tremendously from the pace of movement.
In Today's Words:
At least when our people collapsed, they were with friends who would help them.
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Glory Trap - When Success Metrics Destroy Success
When the pursuit of visible success markers destroys the actual success you're trying to achieve.
Thematic Threads
Leadership
In This Chapter
Kutuzov demonstrates true leadership by restraining his army despite being called weak and treasonous
Development
Evolved from earlier military scenes to show leadership as knowing when NOT to act
In Your Life:
Real leadership at work often means taking unpopular stands that protect your team's long-term interests
Pride
In This Chapter
The generals' pride in visible victories blinds them to the larger strategic picture
Development
Continues the theme of pride causing self-destruction seen throughout the war
In Your Life:
Your need to look successful to others might be sabotaging your actual success
Wisdom vs Intelligence
In This Chapter
History will remember Napoleon as brilliant and Kutuzov as weak, missing the truth
Development
Deepens the contrast between appearing smart and being wise
In Your Life:
The smartest-sounding person in the room isn't always the wisest one to follow
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Kutuzov faces accusations of cowardice for not conforming to expected military heroics
Development
Shows how social pressure can force destructive choices
In Your Life:
Sometimes doing the right thing means accepting that others will judge you harshly
Power
In This Chapter
Kutuzov's subordinates undermine him because they can't see past their own ambitions
Development
Illustrates how power struggles can destroy the mission everyone claims to serve
In Your Life:
Office politics and ego battles often hurt the very goals everyone says they want to achieve
Modern Adaptation
When the Promotion Goes Sideways
Following Andrew's story...
Andrew's team at the nonprofit is celebrating their 'victory'—they secured a huge federal grant by promising aggressive expansion targets. The board loves the headlines, donors are impressed, and his colleagues are already planning their promotions. But Andrew sees what everyone else is missing: they're about to burn out their best caseworkers chasing impossible numbers. The grant requires them to process twice as many clients with the same staff, turning genuine help into a quota game. When Andrew suggests slowing down to protect service quality, his colleagues accuse him of lacking ambition. They want the recognition, the success story for their resumes. Meanwhile, Andrew watches their most experienced social worker—someone who actually changes lives—quietly update her LinkedIn profile. The board pressures him to 'think bigger,' but Andrew knows that sometimes the most important work happens in the quiet moments between crises, not in the quarterly reports.
The Road
The road Kutuzov walked in 1812, Andrew walks today. The pattern is identical: when the pursuit of visible success destroys the very thing you're trying to protect.
The Map
This chapter gives Andrew the Glory Trap detector—the ability to spot when people optimize for the measurement instead of the mission. He can now ask: 'What's the real goal here, and what would actually achieve it?'
Amplification
Before reading this, Andrew might have felt guilty for questioning his team's 'success' and wondered if he lacked drive. Now he can NAME the Glory Trap, PREDICT where metric-chasing leads, and NAVIGATE by choosing substance over show.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why are the Russian generals so focused on capturing Napoleon or a famous marshal, even though their own army is falling apart?
analysis • surface - 2
What does Kutuzov understand about the situation that his generals don't see?
analysis • medium - 3
Where have you seen people chase impressive-looking achievements while ignoring what actually needs to be done?
application • medium - 4
Think of a time when doing the right thing made you look weak or lazy to others. How did you handle that pressure?
application • deep - 5
Why do we often value dramatic action over quiet wisdom, even when the quiet approach gets better results?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Spot the Glory Trap in Your Life
Think of a current situation where you or someone around you is being pressured to achieve something visible or impressive. Map out what the real goal should be versus what people are actually chasing. Write down what the 'Kutuzov move' would look like in this situation - the wise but unglamorous choice that would actually work better.
Consider:
- •What would success actually look like if no one was watching or keeping score?
- •Who benefits from the dramatic approach versus who benefits from the quiet approach?
- •What would you advise a friend to do in this exact situation?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you chose substance over show, or when you wish you had. What did you learn about the difference between looking successful and actually being successful?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 322: True Leadership Against Popular Opinion
The coming pages reveal authentic leaders often face criticism for doing what's right rather than what's popular, and teach us staying true to core principles matters more than managing your reputation. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.