Chapter 197
Napoleon Meets a Russian Peasant
While this was taking place in Petersburg the French had already passed Smolénsk and were drawing nearer and nearer to Moscow. Napoleon’s historian Thiers, like other of his historians, trying to justify his hero says that he was drawn to the walls of Moscow against his will. He is as right as other historians who look for the explanation of historic events in the will of one man; he is as right as the Russian historians who maintain that Napoleon was drawn to Moscow by the skill of the Russian commanders. Here besides the law of retrospection, which regards all…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map the Power Dynamic
Think of a situation where you've seen someone in authority completely misread the room - maybe a boss, teacher, parent, or politician who thought people agreed with them when they actually didn't. Write down what the authority figure believed was happening versus what was really happening from the perspective of those with less power.
Consider:
- •What information was the person in power not getting, and why?
- •How did people with less power protect themselves while managing the situation?
- •What would have happened if someone had told the complete truth?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to 'play the game' with someone in authority. How did you balance protecting yourself while maintaining your integrity? What did that experience teach you about navigating power?
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