The Battle For East Africa
Let’s begin on a rather hilarious note in East Africa. World War I saw British forces advance near the horn of Africa. Their mission was to send the German colonizers packing. Major-General Arthur Aiken led the British charge of poorly trained and informed soldiers.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
On the German end, no stone was left unturned in defending their treasured territory. As both parties advanced for a feast of blood, sweat, and tears, an unwelcome guest arrived.
Let The Drama Bee-gin
It turned out that both armies were unaware of bees in the area. A swarm of angry bees, unfazed by arms and artillery, soon joined the fight and took no sides while terrorizing them with their stings.
Source: BBC Earth/YouTube
In a short while, the battleground was in a chaotic mess. Armies scattered around the field, causing the battle to pause as each side scampered for safety.
A Picnic in the Middle of War
Picnics and war are an unlikely combination, but the Centerville, Virginia, American Civil War battleground proves us wrong. Civilians in the Union were so sure of victory that they came with their food and mats to watch the fight.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
When the Confederates began to gain an upper hand, the Union army fled into the feasting audience. The upset was so unexpected that the civilians didn’t even have time to pack their stuff before the battle shifted to the picnic grounds.
Share Thy Trench With Thine Enemy
A fistfight broke out between two opposing soldiers in the American Civil War. The interesting part is that it all happened after an awkward meeting in the trenches.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
As the battle intensified, a Union and a Confederate soldier ran to a trench for cover. What happened next will leave you chuckling for days.
Fury Of The Fists
After a few seconds, the two soldiers recognized the presence of the enemy, and a war of words ensued. Soon, the two soldiers agreed to settle their scores rather differently with their hands. A noisy fistfight broke out that attracted nearby soldiers’ attention from both sides.
Source: BattlePaintings/Reddit
What started as a business between two warring soldiers soon became the center of attraction on the battlefield. Minutes later, all soldiers lowered their arms to watch this interesting fight.
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
The prolonged feud between the Medes and the Lydians escalated again in 585 BC. Both sides brought out their swords in the middle of the day to settle their scores.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
Unknowingly, an eclipse was beginning to sneak on them in the background. And right in the thick of the battle, it engulfed the land in darkness, making it so pitch black that both armies had to bring the battle to an abrupt halt.
The Power Of Prayer
When the Roman Empire faced an imminent crack, a battle was the only way to decide the fate of the kingdom. As the East and West sides of the Empire squared off for a showdown, Emperor Theodosius, instead of taking up arms, decided to pray.
Source: Vanguard Christian Center/Facebook
After spending most of the night in communion with a supernatural being, Theodosius braced for battle, hoping for supernatural intervention. The gods must have been pleased with his devotion, and in the end, he got what he wanted.
A Supernatural Storm
Soon after both armies began to fight, a storm emerged from the North. Although the windstorm affected Theodosius and his army and gave the opposing side an advantage, it helped Theodosius win the battle.
Source: Sounds4Sleeping/YouTube
The leader of the Western army became overconfident in his advantage and a potential win that he let his guard down. This lack of focus offered Theodosius a perfect opportunity to strike and steal a victory.
Oh, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
During the First World War, respect for Christmas inspired soldiers to break off their fight. While there was an official armistice declared between leaders of warring parties, it was left to the soldiers to suspend action or not.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Reverence for Christmas had an upper hand over conflict as both sides sheathed their swords to wish one another a Merry Christmas. It didn’t end there.
God Bless Ye Merry Gentlemen
Soon, singing broke out on the battlefield. Beautiful lyrics of Christmas carols filled the air on both sides. German and British soldiers exchanged pleasantries and saw each other in a different light, even if it was temporary.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
Yet, it was one of the finest moments in history. Belgian and French soldiers joined in too. Christmas day in 1914 was indeed a great day for humanity.
A Volcano’s Temper Tantrum
On the 21st day of March, during the Second World War, Allied invaders occupied parts of Italy. While the intruders launched attacks on Germany, a volcano nearby was raging on the inside. Mt. Vesuvius was brewing a hot liquid fire and was about to erupt.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
A rain of mountain rocks from the sky soon descended on the Allied army camp. The army suffered a high casualty and destruction which included military hardware and much more.
Once Upon A Shooting Star
During the Third Mithridatic War lasted from 76 to 63 B.C., the Roman politician, Lucullus, attained prominence. The politician and war commander squared off against the Pontus Kingdom, led by King Mithridates himself.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Just as the battle was about to begin, a giant meteor, described as having the shape of a hog’s head, fell between the two armies.
A Sign From The Gods
This large extraterrestrial fireball seemed like an emissary from the gods — a sign of divine disapproval. Soon, both parties decided against annoying the gods any further and laid down their arms.
Source: Riddle/YouTube
They agreed to call it quits and obey the will of the gods. This was how a “sign from the gods” ended a battle before it began.
When A Bathroom Break Turns Deadly
By the late 1930s, tensions between the Chinese and Japanese had escalated. This was due in part to provocative military drills by the Japanese near Chinese camps.
Source: Reddit
During one such exercise, a Japanese soldier, Shimura Kikujiro, went for a bathroom break without notifying his colleagues. His absence was soon noticed, and suspicion grew in his camp against the Chinese.
The Return Of Private Shimura
The Japanese stormed the Chinese camp demanding a search for their comrade. The Chinese declined their request, setting off an unplanned battle. Even though Private Shimura returned soon afterward, swords had already become busy.
Source: Pinterest
This battle set off a series of other battles and further widened the gulf between the two Asian nations. Hostilities between the two countries continued for several more years. War is a scary affair, but as seen in the stories above, every cloud has a silver lining. After all, all’s well that ends well right?