New Delhi: What do we mean by historical events? More often than not, it means battles, invasions, the rule of a particular person or dynasty, a political marriage, the construction of a monument, a major incident and something related to the administration of a kingdom. There can be other segments, but in the end, historical events are something that makes sense in the pages of the past. However, there are some historical events which out outright bizarre, so much so that they are bound to surprise you. Wondering what are they? Read on to find more.
Unusual historical events that will surprise you
1. Emu War
It may sound strange but there was a time when Australia was engaged in a war with the Emus. Towards the end of 1932, the Australian government undertook a military operation to address public concern over emus destroying crops in Western Australia’s Campion district. It was an unsuccessful attempt as the government even employed Royal Australian Artillery soldiers armed with Lewis guns. The soldiers killed many birds but the emu population persisted and continued to destroy crops.
2. Dancing Plague of 1518
It was a strange case in which people en masse were dancing in Strasbourg, Alsace from July 1518 to September 1518. The number of dancing people ranged from 50 to 400 and they did so for weeks. Among the many theories stated to explain this phenomenon, the most popular one says that it occurred due to stress-induced mass hysteria.
3. Jack the Ripper
Who was Jack the Ripper? Well, the answer to this question remains a mystery to this day. In 1888, the person was an unidentified serial killer who went on a killing spree in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district in London. There are accounts which have also called the killer the Whitechapel Murderer and Leather Apron. The newspapers covered the murders extensively and Jack the Ripper became a legendary figure in the crime-thriller genre. The police were not able to solve the murders and the legends about the Ripper’s crimes became a combination of historical research, folklore, and pseudohistory.
4. The tsunami bomb
During World War II, scientists tried to create a tectonic weapon that could result in massive tsunamis. E.A. Gibson, a US Navy officer, noticed how explosions generated small waves and from there, the idea of the bomb came. The US and New Zealand tried to make the bomb in a program whose code name was Project Seal. While the concept was thought to be feasible, scientists were not able to create the weapon.
5. Juliana, the Great Dane
Juliana was a Great Dane whose heroics during World War II fetched her plenty of honour. She extinguished an incendiary bomb and in a later incident, alerted her masters to a fire in their shop. For her bravery, she was awarded two Blue Cross medals for the two respective incidents.
6. Napoleon Bonaparte vs rabbits
Yes, Napoleon Bonaparte once had to face the might of the rabbits. In 1807, after signing the Treaties of Tilsit which ended the war between the French Empire and Imperial Russia, Napoleon decided to celebrate the historic event by holding a rabbit hunt. Alexandre Berthier, his chief of staff, oversaw the hunt and he collected over 3,000 rabbits from local farmers. But during the hunt, the domesticated rabbits attacked Napoleon and his people after being released instead of running away like wild rabbits. In the end, Napoleon was the one who had to run away as the rabbits defeated the powerful French Emperor.
Yes, Napoleon Bonaparte once had to face the might of the rabbits. In 1807, after signing the Treaties of Tilsit which ended the war between the French Empire and Imperial Russia, Napoleon decided to celebrate the historic event by holding a rabbit hunt. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
