“10 Laughable Historical Occurrences with Deleted Details”
Photo Credit (Freepik)
History is not necessarily a serious subject, despite the fact that it is occasionally connected to dry facts and dates. Some bizarre and funny stories have survived the ages, while many historical occurrences have long since been forgotten. These ten examples show that history can be extremely humorous and vary from space jokes to military errors.
- George Washington’s One-Liner
The famous painting of General George Washington crossing the Delaware River is recognizable to all and stands for bravery and self-reliance. The real story of the episode is hilarious, though.
During a surprise raid on Trenton, things weren’t going as planned. The combination of the severe weather and sleet was wearing down Washington’s forces, who were already malnourished and exhausted. As he stepped onto his boat and turned to confront the plump artillery chief Harry Knox, Washington delivered a famous speech. “Harry, move your big ass, but don’t swamp the poor boat!” stated Washington.
The unexpected comedy lifted the morale of the men, and they captured Trenton without losing a single soldier.
- The Odd Santa Anna Funeral
General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, well-known for his role in the Alamo, experienced a strange event in his later years. In battle with the French in Veracruz, Mexico, Santa Anna lost his leg; he had it amputated and buried on his land.
Years later, after becoming president in 1842, Santa Anna ceremoniously excavated and buried his leg. There was a huge procession around Mexico City in honor of his disintegrating leg, complete with military honors, poetry readings, and even cannon fire.
- Tootsie Rolls’ Battle Confusion
In November 1950, the Korean War’s Battle of Chosin Reservoir occurred. The American soldiers were outnumbered and lacking mortar ammunition at the time. They asked for a supply drop, expecting ammunition, but instead they got crates full of Tootsie Rolls.
It turns out that the code name for mortar shells was “Tootsie Rolls.”” Despite their mistake, the soldiers used the candies cleverly. By applying body heat to the hardened candies, they were able to use them as temporary repairs for equipment damaged by bullets.
- The Tree of Tenere’s Strange Destiny
For a long time, the acacia Tree of Tenere was the only tree present in a significant area of the Sahara Desert. It marked the way for passing cars as it stood alone in the desert for hundreds of miles.
Then in 1973, a truck struck the tree. Maybe drunk, the driver struck the only thing for kilometers in the barren landscape. The remnants of the tree are presently on display at the National Museum of Niger, and a plaque has been placed in the desert to designate the location.
- The Medicated Mayor of Ecuador
The Ecuadorian village of Picoaza needed a mayor in 1967. The firm Pulvapies, which makes foot powder, saw an opportunity and started a playful ad. The campaign slogan, “Vote for any candidate, but if you want well-being and hygiene for your feet, vote for Pulvapies,” was favorably received by the public.
The election results were unexpectedly strong for Pulvapies, who became Picoaza’s official mayor.
- The Dreadnought Fraud
In 1910, a forged telegram was delivered to the crew of the British cruiser HMS Dreadnought, warning them of the Emperor of Abyssinia and his entourage’s upcoming visit. To make an impression, the sailors rolled out the red carpet.
They did not know that the “”Emperor”” was really a group of clowns, one of whom was the author Virginia Woolf. They dressed strangely in facial paint, spoke incomprehensible languages, and professed to be royalty. When the prank was exposed the next day, the Royal Navy became the target of ridicule across the nation.
- A Joke Regarding Vacation Area
In December 1965, Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, two astronauts aboard the Gemini 6 spacecraft, reported sighting an inexplicable object orbiting Earth. Mission Control was alerted as the astronauts described the object moving above the Arctic Circle.
As panic began to set in, Schirra and Stafford interrupted with a harp and sleigh bell performance of Jingle Bells, revealing that all of this was a Christmas joke. Those were the instruments used to play the first musical compositions in space.
- The Kettleville Battle
On October 8, 1784, the Holy Roman Empire and the Northern Netherlands started what is now known as the Kettle War. Three warships were sent by the Empire to break through the Netherlands’ blockade of important trade routes.
But the Netherlands only had one ship in service, the Dolfijn. The two armies exchanged gunfire, but the Empire surrendered after just one shot that struck a kettle of soup instead of the enemy’s deck.
- The Error of the Vikings
One of the main objectives for the Viking brothers Bjorn and Hastein was to conquer Rome. When the brothers reached what they thought to be the ancient city, they requested entry so they could bury their master, who had converted to Christianity.
The Vikings darted out of their hiding places, swords drawn, and took swift possession of the city. They discovered that, although declaring victory over Rome, they had actually seized Luna, a town that was a good distance away from their first goal.
- “The Forgotten Grave of the Rear.””
During World War I, the mayor of a French village came up to Colonel George S. Patton and, with tears in his eyes, begged him to tell him why he hadn’t been informed of the American soldier’s burial nearby. Confused, Patton followed the mayor to the alleged burial.
It came out that Patton’s men had covered an abandoned latrine pit with a sign that read “Abandoned Rear” in order to draw attention to it.”Misinterpreting the sign, the villagers looked after the location as a memorial for almost thirty years.
