Here is a question that has been burning in me regarding Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Why did he choose to go after Moscow instead of St. Petersburg? I have found plenty of good reasons why N should have gone for St. Petersburg and other subjective reasons. First doing a quick google search, it is slightly shorter to go from Warsaw to St. Petersburg than to Moscow. Second, he would have been in Lithuanian and Baltic territory that would probably had been more friendly to him. Third the Czar was more likely to be in St. Petersburg since it was the "new" Russian capital.

Logistically it probably would have been better as well. He may have been able to use the shallow Baltic bays and inlets to transport supplies and material without too much worry of Royal Navy attack. I would also think that the Russian soldiers and people in general would not have reacted so patriotically if N attacked the new capital. The Russian serfs had special attachments to certain religious landmarks such as the city of Smolensk. Defending the "Holy city of Moscow" against the great French barbarians would stir a much greater determination in the Russian troops than if N attacked the city of the nobility. Do you think that the Russian troops would have given such a stout Borodino like resistance near the walls of St. Petersburg? I also feel that if the St. Peters fell the nobility would have pressured Alexander into a peace since their lavish palaces would be in great danger. Finally it may have deterred Bernadotte from joining the Allies in the first place. Do you think the marshal that would not help Davout at Auerstadt would have stood his ground with 500,000 enemy soldiers near Sweden? If anyone has an answer regarding Napoleon's train of thought for opting for Moscow or if you have a different opinion please let me know.