They say that pride comes before a fall. In the case of both Napoleon and Hitler, the many victories they enjoyed led them to believe that anything was possible, that nothing could stand in their way. Russia's icy defender was to prove them wrong.
人道是驕兵必敗。就拿拿破侖和希特勒兩人來說吧，他們所向披靡，便以為自己戰無不勝，不可阻擋。但俄羅斯的冰雪衛士證明他們錯了。

The Icy Defender

Nila B. Smith

1 In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, led his Grand Army into Russia. He was prepared for the fierce resistance of the Russian people defending their homeland. He was prepared for the long march across Russian soil to Moscow, the capital city. But he was not prepared for the devastating enemy that met him in Moscow -- the raw, bitter, bleak Russian winter.
冰雪衛士

奈拉·B·史密斯

1812年，法國皇帝拿破侖·波拿巴率大軍入侵俄羅斯。他準備好俄羅斯人民會為保衛祖國而奮勇抵抗。他準備好在俄羅斯廣袤的國土上要經過長途跋涉才能進軍首都莫斯科。但他沒有料到在莫斯科他會遭遇勁敵—俄羅斯陰冷凄苦的寒冬。
　
2 In 1941, Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, launched an attack against the Soviet Union, as Russia then was called. Hitler's military might was unequaled. His war machine had mowed down resistance in most of Europe. Hitler expected a short campaign but, like Napoleon before him, was taught a painful lesson. The Russian winter again came to the aid of the Soviet soldiers.
1941年，納粹德國元首阿道夫·希特勒進攻當時被稱作蘇聯的俄羅斯。希特勒的軍事實力堪稱無敵。他的戰爭機器掃除了歐洲絕大部分地區的抵抗。希特勒希望速戰速決，但是，就像在他之前的拿破侖一樣，他得到的是痛苦的教訓。仍是俄羅斯的冬天助了蘇維埃士兵一臂之力。

Napoleon's Campaign

3 In the spring of 1812, Napoleon assembled an army of six hundred thousand men on the borders of Russia. The soldiers were well trained, efficient, and well equipped. This military force was called the Grand Army. Napoleon, confident of a quick victory, predicted the conquest of Russia in five weeks.
拿破侖發起的戰役

1812年春，拿破侖在俄國邊境屯兵60萬。這些士兵受過良好訓練，作戰力強，裝備精良。這支軍隊被稱為大軍。拿破侖對馬到成功充滿自信，預言要在5個星期內攻下俄國。


4 Shortly afterwards, Napoleon's army crossed the Neman River into Russia. The quick, decisive victory that Napoleon expected never happened. To his surprise, the Russians refused to stand and fight. Instead, they retreated eastward, burning their crops and homes as they went. The Grand Army followed, but its advance march soon became bogged down by slow-moving supply lines.
不久，拿破侖的大軍渡過涅曼河進入俄國。拿破侖期盼著的速決速勝遲遲沒有發生。令他吃驚的是，俄國人并不奮起抵抗。相反，他們一路東撤，沿途焚毀莊稼和民居。大軍緊追不舍，但它的長驅直入很快由于糧草運輸緩慢而停頓下來。


5 In August, the French and Russian armies engaged at Smolensk, in a battle that left over ten thousand dead on each side. Yet, the Russians were again able to retreat farther into Russian territory. Napoleon had won no decisive victory. He was now faced with a crucial decision. Should he continue to pursue the Russian army? Or should he keep his army in Smolensk for the approaching winter? 到了8月，法俄兩軍在斯摩棱斯克交戰，這一戰役中，雙方各有上萬人陣亡。可是，俄國人仍能在自己的國土上繼續后撤。拿破侖未能取得決定性的勝利。此刻他面臨著一個重要抉擇。是繼續追擊俄國軍隊，還是把軍隊駐扎在斯摩棱斯克，在那兒度過將到的冬天？

6 Napoleon took the gamble of pressing on to Moscow, 448 kilometers away. On September 7, 1812, the French and Russian armies met in fierce battle at Borodino, 112 kilometers west of Moscow. By nightfall, thirty thousand French and forty-four thousand Russians lay dead or wounded on the battlefield.
拿破侖孤注一擲，決定向遠在448公里之外的莫斯科進發。1812年9月7日，法俄兩軍在莫斯科以西112公里外的鮑羅季諾激戰。夜幕降臨時，3萬名法國士兵以及4.4萬名俄國士兵或傷或亡，倒在了戰場上。


7 Again, the Russian army retreated to safety. Napoleon had a clear path to Moscow, but the occupation of the city became an empty victory. The Russians fled their capital. Soon after the French arrived, a raging fire destroyed two-thirds of the city. Napoleon offered a truce to Alexander I, but the Russian czar knew he could bide his time: "We shall let the Russian winter fight the war for us."
俄國軍隊再次撤往安全之處。拿破侖順利進入莫斯科，然而，對該市的占領成為毫無意義的勝利。俄國人棄城而走。法國人進城不久，一場熊熊大火燒毀了整個城市的三分之二。拿破侖向亞歷山大一世提出停戰，但沙皇深知他可以等待時機：“且讓俄羅斯的嚴冬為我們戰斗吧。”