In Napoleon’s wartime life, perhaps the invasion of Russia was one of the most humiliating and memorable failures of the most talented general in French history. According to archaeologists, the emperor’s Grand Armée may have disintegrated because of… louse .
In the fall of 2001, workers in Vilnius (Lithuania) discovered a large mass grave while dismantling military structures left by the former Soviet Union. Immediately, the Prosecutor General’s office, the French Italian Medical Institute of Lithuania and later archaeologists stepped in to find out the case.
The mass graves of French soldiers of the Napoleonic era were found in Lithuania.
After digging deeper, the country’s authorities found a total of 3,269 bodies. In addition, archaeologists also found coins, medals, buttons, belts and pieces of military uniforms. Historical documents show that this is the burial area for French soldiers during the Russo-French war (1812). However, after examining the bone samples, the authorities discovered a terrible secret that could be directly related to Napoleon’s defeat.
Specifically, scientists have found the DNA of the bacteria that causes malaria and typhoid fever in humans. However, hunger, cold and trauma – conditions encountered by French soldiers on the Russian battlefield as recorded by history books – could not cause soldiers in the Great Army to contract this bacteria.
The painting “On the Great Road” depicts the retreat of the Great Army.
The answer is lice . The test proved that the DNA of the lice was in everything the archaeologists found. Accordingly, the absence of proper hygiene measures plus the fact that soldiers wore the same uniform for a long time created a perfect environment for lice, fleas and diseases to breed, especially in the wild. summer.
According to a historical document, this is the reason why French soldiers at that time often burned their uniforms for entertainment. The reason is that the clothing covered with lice will explode when burned and will crack until it bursts into flames – a rather amusing and entertaining sight in turbulent times.
In addition, archaeologists also found evidence of malnutrition of soldiers. This leads to the conjecture that many members of the Great Army went to bed to get their daily meals – something they did not have before becoming soldiers.