Liechtenstein's Army of Eighty-One

Imagine going to war and returning with more soldiers than you started with.

In eighteen sixty-six, the tiny nation of Liechtenstein sent eighty men to the Austro-Prussian War.

Their mission was simple: guard a beautiful mountain pass and keep a lookout

for the enemy. They saw absolutely zero combat. Instead, they relaxed,

drank wine, and made some local friends. When the fighting ended,

the soldiers packed up their gear and began the long march home. Upon arrival,

their commander counted eighty-one men. One more than the original unit. The extra man

was an Italian soldier who befriended them and decided to move to Liechtenstein.