In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 13, Chapter 1

Chapter 1

This is another of Tolstoy's essays on how you can only truly understand the cause of an event if you understand all the moving parts, which is impossible, so people deviate to assuming the cause is what god wanted, or want key players like Napoleon wanted, in this case.   This time, he's focussed on where the Russian army went after the battle of Borodino.  Many historians claim this move was one of great strategic wisdom, as it lead to the defeat of the French.  Tolstoy says no one could possibly have known or planned that, since the French could just have easily have moved on St Petersburg and won - the Russian army just went where the provisions were.  Most of the command are known to have voted for a totally different retreat, and, after this vote, it was pointed out that the suggested movement would separate the army from its supplies over winter.