guys with rifles vs guys with pointy sticks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cottage

cliffs:
- the allies invade an island thinking its occupied by the japanese
- the japanese, however, had abandoned the island two weeks earlier
- at least 24 people gets killed in friendlyfire, maybe even more

"Gunshots, largely friendly fire, killed 24.[citation needed] A Japanese stray mine caused the USS Abner Read (DD-526) to lose a large chunk of its stern. The blast killed 71. Forty-seven troops went missing during the two-day stay on the island and presumably also died from friendly fire. Four other troops had also been killed by landmines or other traps."

Wow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasiliy_Arkhipov

There are a couple "Russian guy who saved the world"s iirc.

This doesn't nearly tell the whole story (I saw a documentary on this). These Russian subs were underwater in way warmer water than they were designed to handle for months. It was literally 140-150 degrees in some parts of the subs. The men were all sick from diesel fumes and horrible sweat-rashes. They had no idea what their orders were and hadn't heard from Moscow for months. All this during the insanely tense final standoff of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Basically it was the perfect scenario for someone to make a rash decision and start WW-III.

When the sub finally surfaced the captain of the Russian sub and the captain of US Destroyer looked at each other through binoculars. There's a great quote from the Destroyer captain, who's still alive - "I knew I didn't want to be the one to start WW-III. I just looked at him and prayed he felt the same." The destroyer captain ordered his guns turned away as a sign of non-combativeness. But as he looked up they had misread the order and started turning the guns toward the sub. He started screaming and got them to go the other way. Imagine if that gaffe started WW-III?

Lol though, the US boats had no idea the Russian subs were armed with tactical nuclear missiles until much later. That knowledge in itself might have prompted the US ships to try to launch a pre-emptive attack. And how knows what happens then.

When the Russian sub crews finally got back home, they said the military brass didn't know whether to treat them as heros or goats. So they sent them all to the gulag for 10 years for surfacing when their orders said not to - even though they were about to suffocate.

Tis the idea my friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matvei_Golovinski

random russian guy wrote a fake book that would later cause world war 2 (because idiots believed it was real)... killing 50 million people

I'm sure Hitler hated Jews enough without this. Sure didnt do any good for Jews in Europe tho.

people in general dont love or hate anything in their blank young mind. they learn that stuff.
but hitler and the people mentoring him believed (fanatically) that the book is "true". also hitler was defending the protocols in mein kampf eventhough in the 1920s there was signicifant evidence that the protocols are a hoax.

most people just think hiter was just a random guy who hatest the jewish people but actually the cause of ww2 is prejustice and hate in general.


(yeah and hitler still was an idiotic moron)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sada_Abe

Sada Abe (28 May 1905 – after 1970) is remembered in Japan for erotically asphyxiating her lover, Kichizo Ishida, on May 18, 1936, and then cutting off his penis and testicles and carrying them around with her in her handbag. The story became a national sensation in Japan, acquiring mythic overtones, and has since been interpreted by artists, philosophers, novelists and filmmakers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot


Very pertinent today, and makes you realize what extent people will go for a power grab.


Wealthy business men (ie the banksters) came very close to turning the US into a facist regime, they failed....well, I guess they didnt really.

Jesus

there were a handful of Welsh there too (I know the film portrayal is bull****)

"Contrary to popular belief, the Zulus had some old muskets and antiquated rifles stockpiled that were carried by the force approaching Rorke's Drift."

Even if the Zulus only had spears I'd like to see how brave you'd be when outnumbered at least 30 to 1. 11 Victoria Crosses were earned that day.

Here's his statement to the court after he was charged:

I like his style tbh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaps...2%80%931991%29

Collapse of the Soviet Union

I thought everybody knew that the Soviets were the real heroes and we are just decadent bourgeoisie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourgeoisie

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_delusion

The glass delusion was an external manifestation of a psychiatric disorder recorded in Europe in the late Middle Ages (15th to 17th centuries). People feared that they were made of glass "and therefore likely to shatter into pieces". One famous early sufferer was King Charles VI of France who refused to allow people to touch him, and wore reinforced clothing to protect himself from accidental "shattering".

Finally got to the end. Only have about 10 links up to finish, but don't think I will get to it today, gotta wait until Monday I guess.

How come I never learned about this in 6 years of public school, 6 years of private school or while attending a pretty damn good four year undergrad program? I knew about it from my own studying but there was never a peep about it in school.

jesus.

I lol'ed

It seems like a thousand years ago but i was in that "crowd", having no political agenda and for no reason at all other then too much time on my hands...

More of the British bravery but totally unnecessary this time
Charge of the Light Brigade

great thread - hope i'm not spoiling it..

This could be an interesting trip report, probably not in this thread though as it may derail.

Did anyone get through the like 100 links the guy posted earlier? I've been through most of the articles posted in this thread except those and it's been a great time waste. If anyone has read through those million or so links that guy posted and recommends any of the articles please share.

The Door to Hell:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darvaza

Hope it hasn't been posted before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Donald

I was watching a documentary on National Geographic last night and found this story quite inspirational.

The Wiki page doesnt do this total justice so I will summarize in my own words:

The KKK lynched a WWII veteran named Michael Donald in 1981. A Klansman was arrested for the crime and put to death (the first recorded incident of a KKK member being put to death over the murder of an African American in this country's history.)

Furthermore, Beulah Mae Donald (the deceased's mother) filed a civil suit against the United Klans of America or UKA (which at one point had ~30,000 members including law enforcment officials, judges, and politicians, essentially making them the governing body in the south circa 1965.)

It was a proud day for ALL civil rights enthusiasts when Ms. Beulah Mae Donald purchased her first house w/ a $7,000,000 settlement taken from the Klan legally in a court law in the state of Alabama (a statement that would have been unheard of just 15 years prior.)