The French invasion of Russia in 1806 would prove to be the downfall of Napoleons great army and undefeated status. However this would not be the fall of Napoleon for after exile he would soon rise again."Napoleon, who considered Russia a natural ally since it had no territorial conflicts with France, soon moved to teach Alexander a lesson. In 1812 the French emperor raised a massive army of troops from all over Europe, the first of which entered Russia on June 24. “It was the most diverse European army since the Crusades,” Sutherland said. Estimates vary, but experts believe that at least 450,000 Grande Armée soldiers and perhaps as many as 650,000 ended up crossing the Niemen River to fight approximately 200,000 soldiers on the Russian side. By comparison, George Washington’s army during the American Revolution rarely numbered more than 10,000 or 15,000 men, explained Sheperd Paine, president of the Napoleonic Historical Society." Napoleon however lost over 400,000 of the men he invaded with do to slash and burn tactics used by the Russians combined with the mini ice age that plagued the men with biter cold. Starvation then claimed the remaining lives do to insufficient supply lines. This event proved devastating to France as they soon lost Prussia and Austria as allies.