The Hungarian War of Independence lasted a year and a half. The revolutionary army, outnumbered and outgunned, fought with desperate courage. They won victories that seemed miraculous. They suffered defeats that seemed final. They persisted.
Vilmos commanded forces throughout the campaign. He was known for his coolness under fire, his care for his soldiers, his willingness to share their hardships. He led from the front, taking the same risks he asked of others.
The war produced heroes: Görgei, the brilliant tactician who won impossible battles; Bem, the Polish general who came to fight for Hungarian liberty; Kossuth, the political leader who gave voice to the national dream.
But by summer 1849, the cause was lost. The Habsburgs had called upon Russian intervention. The Tsar sent two hundred thousand troops to crush the Hungarian uprising. Against such numbers, courage was not enough.
The revolutionary government fled. The army disintegrated. On August 13, 1849, at Világos, the remaining Hungarian forces surrendered to the Russians.
The Russians turned their prisoners over to the Austrians. The Austrians were not inclined to mercy.