Chapter 229
The Hollow Victory at Borodinó
Several tens of thousands of the slain lay in diverse postures and various uniforms on the fields and meadows belonging to the Davýdov family and to the crown serfs—those fields and meadows where for hundreds of years the peasants of Borodinó, Górki, Shevárdino, and Semënovsk had reaped their harvests and pastured their cattle. At the dressing stations the grass and earth were soaked with blood for a space of some three acres around. Crowds of men of various arms, wounded and unwounded, with frightened faces, dragged themselves back to Mozháysk from the one army and back to Valúevo from the…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Own Borodino
Think of a current situation where someone has more obvious power than you - a difficult boss, family member, or institution. Write down what their 'superior force' looks like, then identify what your 'Russian strengths' are - the things they can't break about you. Map out how standing your ground might create a moral victory even if you face short-term consequences.
Consider:
- •What beliefs or values are you absolutely unwilling to compromise?
- •How might your refusal to break affect their confidence over time?
- •What would 'winning while losing' look like in your specific situation?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you stood your ground against someone more powerful. What did you learn about yourself? What did they learn about you?
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