Napoleon

For a place that people have barely heard of, It is hard to believe how much history has happened here.
Vingis park which I visited by bike in Vilnius turns out is quite historical.
In War and Peace when someone whispers into the Grand Duke's ear on June 23, 1812 that Napoleon has invaded Russia, turns out that takes place in the summer palace in Vingis Park.
And where Napoleon invaded Russia....
That was Kaunas.
The Nemunas River in Kaunas marked the east/west boundary where Napoleon entered Russia from Prussia.
It was just the beginning of the end for the more than 400,000 French soldiers who famously suffered from the harsh Russian winter and disgruntled Russian serfs and dwindled to fewer than 40,000 by the time they returned to France.
Perhaps the origin of the phrase "won the war but lost the battle?"