For all of the somber and mundane events that have occurred throughout human history, others are absurd enough to make you laugh out loud. The history website historyfacts.com has published some of them. Continued from last week, here are more:
In 1932, Australia declared “war” on emus
In 1932, a drought in Australia caused some 20,000 emus to move inland, disrupting farmers’ crops. The government sent in World War I veterans to assist the beleaguered farmers, and though they were outfitted with machine guns, they soon found themselves overwhelmed by their flightless foes. The birds emerged victorious in what’s now known as the Great Emu War, and they still thrive Down Under.
The US used potatoes to attack a submarine during World War II
Everyone’s favorite tuber took a break from being boiled, mashed, and stuck in a stew on April 5, 1943, when the crew of the USS O’Bannon was alarmed to see a Japanese submarine approaching. The ship was eventually close enough to its target for sailors to begin throwing objects at it—including, for lack of a better option, potatoes recovered from their deck lockers.
Lyndon B. Johnson liked to conduct meetings in the bathroom
Lyndon B. Johnson was known for his untraditional tactics, which included conducting meetings while seated on the toilet. While some advisers would turn away in order to give the president privacy, Johnson would invite them to come closer so he could hear them better. LBJ treated other private facilities as meeting rooms as well—he was known to have aides stand just outside the shower, and he kept the conversation going while drying himself off afterward.
King Louis XIV reportedly owned 413 beds
France's King Louis XIV embraced opulence to a historic degree throughout his reign. Case in point: The Sun King, as he was known, reportedly owned no fewer than 413 beds, which were considered status symbols at the time. Lavish beds at Versailles and other palaces were frequently used by the king for official business, and he would sprawl out atop the gilded linens during these stately meetings.
On April 18, 1930, the BBC announced, “There is no news.”
On April 18, 1930, nothing at all newsworthy occurred—at least according to the BBC. At the start of its regular news broadcast at 8:45 pm, the BBC announced, “Good evening. Today is Good Friday. There is no news.” This unexpected declaration was followed by 15 minutes of piano music, before the radio station resumed its broadcast of Wagner’s opera Parsifal.
To Be Continued . . .
Source: historyfacts.com
Contributed by Jane Hart