War and Peace: SparkNotes Literature Guide by SparkNotes

Author:SparkNotes [Sparknotes Editors]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Study Guides
ISBN: 9781411478244
Publisher: Spark
Published: 2014-08-12T04:00:00+00:00

Book Nine, Chapters 1–12

On June 12, 1812, the French forces cross Russia’s frontiers. The narrator explores the question of what caused this invasion, disagreeing with the historians’ answers to this problem. The invasion, the narrator argues, comes about not because of diplomatic errors or strategic decisions alone, but because of a coincidence of millions of small causal events. Even the great leaders Napoleon and Alexander are not responsible for the events of 1812. Like all men, they imagine themselves acting independently, but are really the slaves of circumstance. There is, therefore, no rational explanation for history.

In Prussia, Napoleon prepares to head eastward, and the sight of him inspires Polish officers to a suicidal plunge into the river, hoping to impress him. Forty officers die during this feat. Meanwhile, on the Russian side, confusion reigns at Vilna, and no defense strategy has yet been chosen. The tsar attends a ball his aides have thrown, at which Helene and Boris, now rich and powerful, are present.

The tsar writes Napoleon a polite note asking whether Napoleon’s crossing of the Niemen River is indeed intended as an act of invasion. The tsar sends General Balashev on a diplomatic mission to deliver the note. On his way, Balashev meets the French commander Murat, and during their discussion, each side claims that the other is the aggressor in the war. Upon reaching Napoleon’s camp, Balashev is surprised at the rude treatment he receives from the French soldiers and Napoleon’s chief of war, Davout. Napoleon summons Balashev for a meeting at which Napoleon talks incessantly, irrationally attempting to justify France’s invasion and trying to impress Balashev with the French army’s superiority. Napoleon is utterly convinced by the lies he utters. Later, Napoleon invites Balashev to dinner and is cordial toward him.

Andrew goes to St. Petersburg, receives an appointment on Kutuzov’s staff, and unsuccessfully attempts to challenge Anatole Kuragin to a duel for his plans to elope with Natasha. After some military service in Turkey, Andrew asks General Kutuzov for a transfer to the western front. On the way, Andrew stops at Bald Hills, where he finds everyone unchanged except for his young son, who is quickly growing up. Still aware of Prince Bolkonski’s mistreatment of Mary, Andrew speaks to his father and blames Mademoiselle Bourienne for stirring up discord between father and daughter. The old prince tells Andrew to leave, and Andrew does so without reconciling with his father. Mary urges Andrew to forgive their father, saying that men are never to blame and that evils come from heaven.

On the western front, Andrew encounters massive confusion, with hard-nosed strategists opposing proponents of bold action, and both groups opposing the majority that simply wants a situation beneficial to them. Andrew is summoned to meet with the tsar and his military advisors, who disagree in a hodgepodge of European languages. When Andrew’s opinion is requested, he responds that he does not know enough to offer one, which angers the advisors. When the tsar asks Andrew where he would like

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