In Barbero’s telling, these two ideological forces were destined to collide, regardless of the individual will of their leaders. Drawing on Tolstoy’s War and Peace , Barbero suggests that even a figure as powerful as Napoleon was often "dragged by forces greater than himself". The Italian Perspective
A key part of Barbero's narrative—often shared on social media—is that while the West frequently views Russia as an aggressor, history shows a long list of Western powers attempting to invade Russia. He points out that in the last 200 years:
: Small Italian contingents participated in the Allied intervention against the Bolsheviks. Mai INVADERE la RUSSIA - Alessandro Barbero [Co...
: The Kingdom of Sardinia sent troops to fight alongside France and the UK.
: Barbero notes the irony that while Italy invaded Russia three times, Russian troops have only entered Italian soil once (in 1799 to fight the French), and they left voluntarily shortly after. In Barbero’s telling, these two ideological forces were
: The Zar viewed Moscow as the "Third Rome" (following Rome and Constantinople), believing that no fourth would ever exist.
Barbero illustrates this through the lens of Napoleon’s 1812 campaign. He argues that the conflict wasn't just a political disagreement, but a clash between two empires that believed they were the heirs to the Roman legacy: He points out that in the last 200
: He uses these examples not to justify current politics, but to encourage a study of history that avoids prejudice and seeks to understand the motivations of all sides. Mai INVADERE la RUSSIA - Alessandro Barbero [Completo]