Although the defects of the Russian Army were notorious, although the Russian winter, not the Russian Army, had turned Napoleon back from Moscow, although it had been defeated on its own soil by the French and British in the Crimea, although the Turks in 1877 had outfought it at the siege of Plevna and only succumbed later to overwhelming numbers, although the Japanese had outfought it in Manchuria, a myth of its invincibility prevailed.
The Russian Army had a storied history of defeats and setbacks, notably falling short against adversaries such as the French, British, and Japanese. Despite these failures, the myth of its invulnerability lingered, often attributing its struggles to factors beyond its control, such as the harshness of the Russian winter rather than military shortcomings. Historical events like the siege of Plevna further illustrated its vulnerabilities, revealing that the image of a powerful Russian military was largely a facade.
This illusion of invincibility dominated perceptions of the Russian Army, overshadowing its real experiences in key battles. Even when it lost on home soil or was bested by smaller yet more effective forces, the narrative surrounding its might remained largely intact. The contrast between its actual performance and the romanticized belief in its strength highlights how myths can persist despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
