Attrition Warfare: What Can We Learn From the Russian Attrition Warfare against Napoleon

11 Jun

Written By Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher

https://www.rozen-bakher.com/timeline-risks/11/06/2024/2056

Published Date: 11 June 2024 at 20:56

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**Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher**

A Researcher in International Relations/International Business with a speciality in Risks for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), International Trade, and Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) in relation to Security Risks, Political Risks, Economic Risks, and Strategic Risks

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11 June 2024 at 20:56. Attrition warfare is based on the attempt to win a war by creating significant casualties and damages to the enemy until the collapse of its army. In other words, the aim of Attrition Warfare is to ‘Grind down’ the ability of the enemy forces to continue with the war by creating continuous destruction of the military capabilities by any available tactics.

The Russian attrition warfare against Napoleon is a good example of using Attrition warfare successfully. Napoleon's Grande Armée started the invasion of Russia on 24 June 1812, but it ended in total defeat six months later on 14 December 1812 due to the Russian attrition warfare, as shows in Minard's Map of French Casualties (see below). The case of Napoleon teaches us that even the best army can be defeated by a less powerful army via Attrition Warfare, especially during an invasion.

If we look at two current wars, the Ukraine War and Gaza War, then Russia did not make Fast Progress with its invasion of Ukraine, which prevented falling into the trap of attrition warfare by the Ukrainian Army. However, Israel made a Fast Invasion of all Gaza Strip, so now the Israeli army suffering from Attrition warfare from the Palestinian Resistance Groups, regardless of the Attrition warfare from Hezbollah, Houthis, Islamic Resistance of Iraq, and the Islamic Resistance group of Bahrain (Al-Ashtar Brigades).

What we can learn from history? The first phase of an invasion can be the easy part for a strong army, but holding occupation and progress with the invasion can be a very difficult task even for a strong army under Attrition warfare, such as the failure of the USA to keep its forces in Afghanistan.

Minard's Map of French Casualties, Modern version