Classic example Napoleon made a major misstep when he declared war on Russia after a dispute with Tsar Alexander I and launched an invasion of Russia in 1812 with 600 000 troops twice the number of the standing Russian army The campaign was a catastrophe Obstinant Russian resistance combined with the bitterly cold Russian winter dealt Napoleon a disastrous defeat from which more than 95 of his invading force perished Is this a neutral analysis No Is the analysis of Napoleon s campaign necessary here No Leave it to the relevant article this is a summary of Russia s history