Napoleon Bonaparte led one of history's most calamitous campaigns when he invaded Russia in 1812 with some 500,000 men–less than 50,000 returned to France. Defeated by the merciless Russian winter, we highlight the Grand Army's retreat from Moscow as recorded by a survivor of the hellish journey home. In 1941, Adolf Hitler proved no student of history for the fate suffered by his armies during his Russian campaign was virtually identical to that which befell Napoleon. Prepared for a swift summer campaign, Germany soon faced an enemy as deadly as the Red Army. We describe the effects of the winter on these disastrous campaigns, and eerie similarities and coincidences. Archive film and firsthand accounts of veterans of 1941 provide a harrowing record of men battling against undefeatable elements.
When:
Sunday 12 April 2009, 7am (Eastern Time)
Where:
The History Channel (USA)
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