In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte – Emperor of the French and conqueror of Europe – marched into Russia with what was then the largest army the world had ever seen.
Over 600,000 soldiers.
Dozens of nations.
Cannons, cavalry, and engineers.
A force so massive it was called the Grande Armée.
But by the time he stumbled back across the border months later, fewer than 100,000 remained.
What happened?
You might think it was the Russian winter.
Or the sheer size of the country.
And yes – those things played a part.
