Suvorov crossing the Alps. History Lessons

The longer the interval that moves Suvorov's passage through the Alps from us to the past, the more difficult it is to realize the greatness of this exceptional event in the history of the Russian army and in the world military strategy. Remember it seems to be everything, it has become a textbook. He devoted a famous work of the great Russian painter Vasily Ivanovich Surikov. The picture "Suvorov's crossing through the Alps" is presented in the Tretyakov Gallery's exposition, and anyone can see it. It is written for the centennial anniversary of this event. But let's remember again how it was.

The army, commanded by Suvorov, was forced to move from the northern part of the Apennine peninsula to Switzerland to join forces with the corps under the command of Rimsky-Korsakov. Russian troops confronted there four times the superior forces of the French. But the transition of Suvorov through the Alps seemed an almost impossible task. Difficultly negotiable mountain passes were reliably controlled by enemy troops. More than twenty thousand strong army with carts and artillery was to be conducted through the steepest St. Gothard Pass and the so-called Devil's Bridge - a high and narrow stone arch without fencing over a mountain stream with rapids and waterfalls. This natural obstacle was controlled by the enemy and was almost irresistible. But Suvorov overcame it. At the most critical moment of the battle for the Devil's Bridge, the enemy was hit by the regiment of General Kamensky, thereby completing the tactical maneuver of a deep detour. The French hurriedly retreated, not even having time to completely destroy the bridge arch. Russian soldiers managed to restore the crossing by enemy fire, closing the gap on the bridge with the help of logs of the destroyed shed and belt belts of their ammunition. Perhaps, it was the brightest episode for the whole passage of Suvorov through the Alps. But not the only one. In extreme weather conditions, often to the waist in the snow, along narrow mountain paths, overcoming steep turns and passes, the Russian army stubbornly moved towards the goal. On the way, about a third of her personnel were lost. Suvorov's transition ended in an environment. Rimsky-Korsakov, in connection with which Suvorov moved, by that time was defeated and retreated. This allowed the French to block all the exits from the Muten valley. The Russian army was met by ambush. But even in this stone bag and in a seemingly hopeless situation complicated by the obvious betrayal of the Austrian allies, Suvorov managed to find a way out. Regrouping forces, he went into a desperate attack and crushed the one preparing to celebrate the victory of the enemy. The crossing of Suvorov through the Alps ended in a breakthrough from the Mutenskaya Valley.

The campaign of the Russian army is still remembered today

Memorial signs and commemorative chapels in honor of the Russian soldiers were erected at the St. Gotthard Pass and in the area of the Devil's Bridge. Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov for this campaign was awarded the title of Generalissimo and lived only six months after him. And his actions became classics of military art and entered the world textbooks on strategy and tactics.