The war of 1812

The article examines the impact of the degree of unity of Russian society on the course of military conflicts and the integrity of the country in crisis situations. The main manifestations of the split in Russian society are considered. It is shown that if a split in society crosses a critical line, the country disintegrates (the Troubles, 1917, 1991), or Russia loses in an armed conflict where the enemy did not have an overwhelming advantage (the Crimean War).

The article includes a historiografic review of works of the Saratov researchers about the war of 1812. Mainly it says about the books published in 1912–2012. Analysing the works by N. F. Hovansky, V. V. Pugachev, N. A.Troitsky, V. P. Totfalushin, V. S. Parsamov, Yu. L. Yepanchin, I. N. Pleshakov etc. the author has come to the conclusion that the works of the Saratov historians of 1812 war have common features: attentive attitude to the sources, wide range of issues regarded, tendency to demythologization of the war history, denial of pseudopatriotic stereotypes.