In-Depth Scientific Examination of Napoleon’s 1812 Army: Uncovering the Causes of Its Demise Through Modern Research
Recent scientific advances and cutting-edge technologies shed new light on the tragic fate of Napoleon’s army in 1812.
By analyzing DNA from the remains of soldiers, researchers are striving to determine the true causes behind the mass losses suffered by the French forces during their retreat from Russia.
During that harsh winter, when Napoleon’s multi-national troops faced cold, hunger, and disease, nearly half of the 600,000 soldiers perished before spring arrived.
Experts suggest that through DNA analysis, they can identify specific infections such as Salmonella enterica and bacteria causing relapsing fever, which likely contributed to the soldiers’ death toll.
These findings, obtained from dental samples of several dozen soldiers, propose that many victims did not perish during combat but rather from infections and exhaustion.
Such research not only enhances our understanding of the epidemiological conditions of that era but also offers a new perspective on historic events.
The mass graves discovered in Vilnius, harboring over 3,000 bodies, confirm the scale of the catastrophe.
Scientists emphasize that further sampling and analysis are essential to fully unravel this historical tragedy, where factors like fatigue, exposure to cold, and infectious diseases combined to decimate Napoleon’s troops on Russian soil.