Some Historical Facts

[makhno]

Historical Facts:

1. In 1757 Prussian soldiers failed to win an advantage against the French army when they mistook a row of young fir trees for enemy infantrymen.

2. In 1836 an entire Mexican army were defeated in just 18 minutes by Texan troops when the Mexican general ordered that all of his men take a siesta.

3. During World War II, a German U-boat was sunk by a truck. The U-boat in question attacked a convoy in the Atlantic and then rose to see the effect. The merchant ship it sank had material strapped to its deck including a fleet of trucks, one of which was thrown in the air by the explosion, landing on the U-boat and breaking its back.

 

[Korean Seaboy]

WFT!!!!!!!

 

[Mark Conley]

Historical Facts:

1. In 1757 Prussian soldiers failed to win an advantage against the French army when they mistook a row of young fir trees for enemy infantrymen.

ok....

2. In 1836 an entire Mexican army were defeated in just 18 minutes by Texan troops when the Mexican general ordered that all of his men take a siesta.

Yep. the battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna actually was so confident that Sam houstons army was so demoralised, he really did this. So much for an error in judgement.

3. During World War II, a German U-boat was sunk by a truck. The U-boat in question attacked a convoy in the Atlantic and then rose to see the effect. The merchant ship it sank had material strapped to its deck including a fleet of trucks, one of which was thrown in the air by the explosion, landing on the U-boat and breaking its back.

Well...at least lend lease was successful in some aspects ...Talk about being hoisted by your own petard (always wanted to see that phrase on a forum board)...:smile:

All i can say is...pretty good hunting!

 

[franzmaximilian]

Historical Facts:

...................

2. In 1836 an entire Mexican army were defeated in just 18 minutes by Texan troops when the Mexican general ordered that all of his men take a siesta.

................

That was just not fair. It's like engaging British troops while they are having their afternoon tea: absolutely unfair!

 

[Seehund]

3. During World War II, a German U-boat was sunk by a truck. The U-boat in question attacked a convoy in the Atlantic and then rose to see the effect. The merchant ship it sank had material strapped to its deck including a fleet of trucks, one of which was thrown in the air by the explosion, landing on the U-boat and breaking its back.

It is a myth. There was none of the German submarines that were sunk in this way in WWII

The story comes from WWI when the German submarine U 28 sank after having fired on the British ship Olive Branch with the deck gun.

One account, in Under the Black Ensign by R.S. Gwatkin-Williams (London: Hutchinson, 1926), says that when the cargo of ammunition carried by the British ship Olive Branch was touched off by one of U 28's shells in a close range surface bombardment, a truck carried as deck cargo was blown into the air, only to land (from a great height) on the U-Boat, sinking it.

Although this version first appears in print several years after the event, it is feasible that the blast of the explosion, followed by the resultant tidal wave could have laid the submarine over far enough to swamp her open hatches. A heavy lorry crashing down on deck would have contributed to the damage, though probably not sufficiently to be fatal to a strongly built vessel like a submarine.

 

[Atasas]

.................nevermind

 

[Hoper1997]

WFT!!!!!!!

Why this reaction?

Have a look at it: http://www.wordsiseek.com/interesting-historical-facts/

 

[BritinBritain]

That was just not fair. It's like engaging British troops while they are having their afternoon tea: absolutely unfair!

British Troops CAN engage in a firefight while drinking tea at the same time.