The Effects Of Infectious Disease On Napoleon’s Russian Campaign

This paper will discuss the effects of infectious disease on Napoleon’s forces during the Russian campaign of 1812. In short, it will argue that the primary reason Napoleon failed to defeat the Russian army was because his forces were decimated by disease, specifically typhus, dysentery, and diphtheria. It will also demonstrate the effect of disease and illness on Napoleon’s judgement and decision making process. This subject, infectious disease and the military, has great implications for milit