Liechtenstein’s Army Returns With More Soldiers: A Friendly Outcome to a War

The Austro-Prussian War of 1866 was a major conflict involving several European powers. But in the midst of this war, a curious incident took place involving one of the smallest countries in Europe - Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein's army, consisting of just 80 men, was dispatched to guard a mountain pass on the Austrian border. The goal was to secure the pass and keep an eye on any potential enemy activity. However, the war did not reach this pass, and the soldiers saw no action.

When the war ended, the soldiers returned home. But here's the twist - they came back with 81 men. That's right, the Liechtenstein army returned from the war with one more soldier than when it left.

As the story goes, they met an Italian man along the way who decided to join them. He was a liaison, someone who was supposed to coordinate with the Liechtenstein forces. When the time came to return, he simply decided that life would be better in Liechtenstein.

So, technically, you could say Liechtenstein won the war - not by defeating the enemy, but by gaining an extra soldier. This quirky tale, while not a major event in the Austro-Prussian War, is a reminder that not all war stories are about battles and bloodshed. Some are about making friends in the unlikeliest of places.