War & Peace Podnotes, A Study Guide

The 1790 Siege of Izmail is profiled as Tolstoy builds this experience into War &Peace characters who advanced to leadership roles, most notably General Kutuzov.The Siege was led by General Alexander Suvorov against an Ottoman stronghold near the mouth of the Danube and along the northwest coast of the Black Sea. The Russian and Ottoman empires spent centuries fighting for influence in this area.  The loss of Izmail was a factor in the Ottomans leaving the North Black Sea region.  While the Turks withdrew, the Muslim population who remained evidence their legacy. Kutuzov played a pivotal role in the Siege and was almost killed. He both trained and led a contingent of men across a formidable moat to approach the fortress.  Once the walls were actually reached, improvised ladders were utilized by Cossack reserves. Kutuzov himself fell back on multiple occasions and persevered as bodies fell around him. Notably, Kutuzov did not captain from the back -- but was in the thick-of-it as much as anybody. His gener