The once-mighty Grande Armée, led by the seemingly invincible Napoleon Bonaparte, lies in tatters as the last of the French troops stumble out of Russia, their tails between their legs. The ill-fated campaign that began with such bravado and promise has devolved into a chaotic rout, with thousands of frozen, starving, and diseased soldiers shuffling back to France, leaving behind a trail of devastation and death. The Russian winter, aided by the scorched-earth tactics of the Russian army, has proved to be the ultimate victor, reducing Napoleon's army from 600,000 to a mere specter of its former self. This crushing defeat marks a turning point in Napoleon's fortunes, and the echoes of this disaster will resound throughout Europe.