Welcome back to pplpod! In this episode, we march into the sweeping and turbulent history of the Imperial Russian Army, the massive land armed force that defended and expanded the Russian Empire from 1721 until its collapse during the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Join us as we explore the evolution of one of Europe's most formidable military powers. We break down how Peter the Great revolutionized the military by replacing the old streltsy corps with modern, Western-style regiments and introducing the quota-based conscription system. We'll track the army's pivotal role in the Napoleonic Wars, detailing the disastrous 1812 French invasion of Russia and the legendary scorched-earth tactics that forced Napoleon's retreat.

Dive de ...