In 1812, Napoleon marched into Russia with approximately 600,000 men. Within a year, he lost around 450,000 soldiers and had to retreat back to Paris. In the spring of 1813, he returned to Germany with 300,000 troops, some of whom were newly recruited. In March, Russia and Prussia formed an alliance, which was joined by Sweden, Great Britain, and Austria by August. This marked the beginning of the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon's foreign rule. In May, the Battle of Bautzen took place, which Napoleon formally won; however, his army suffered losses of up to 25,000 men over two days. A temporary armistice benefited the allies, allowing them to strengthen their forces for the upcoming Battle of Nations. The depiction of the battle is the centerpiece of the volume. It is followed by letters from Gneisenau, a contemporary account of the battle, and an informative little lexicon of the Wars of Liberation. Gerd Fesser vividly and excitingly recounts the events of 1813.