Part 6/8:

It was during this retreat that the true tragedy unfolded. The army aimed for the shortest route home through the mountains. However, by New Year’s Eve, they were met with severe blizzards that compounded their already dire circumstances. The once-legendary soldiers had become utterly vulnerable against the brutal landscape.

The Horrors of the Death March

The onset of the blizzard saw many soldiers freeze to death, horses perished, and morale shattered. Supplies were abandoned, and desperate men scavenged what they could for heat and food. As harsh conditions caused casualties, the unit disintegrated into smaller groups, with soldiers losing their way and succumbing to exposure amid the unforgiving cold.