Why did Clausewitz join Russian service during Napoleon's invasion of Russia?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

strategy Detail of the Bayeux Tapestry depicting an English soldier in combat with Norman cavalry during the Battle of Hastings, wool on linen, 11th-century; in the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, France.

In 1812, Prussia was compelled to enter into an alliance with France to participate in Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Carl von Clausewitz, along with several of his comrades in the Prussian military reform circle, strongly opposed this forced cooperation with French power.

Driven by a desire to wage a national war of liberation against France, Clausewitz resigned his commission in the Prussian army rather than serve under Napoleon. He subsequently joined the Russian service, where he served in various staff positions. His actions during this period, particularly during the French retreat from Moscow, were instrumental in the chain of events that eventually pressured Prussia to abandon its alliance with France and join the coalition against Napoleon.1