Some of History's Most Absurd Wars Quiz

Answer: Modena and Bologna

The War of the Oaken Bucket began when Modenese soldiers stole a wooden bucket from a well during a raid. The theft was actually the flashpoint of a much longer, deeper political rivalry between the pro-papal Guelphs (Bologna) and the pro-imperial Ghibellines (Modena).

The Modenese won the decisive Battle of Zappolino despite being heavily outnumbered. They took the bucket as a trophy, and it has been kept in Modena, where it remains on display in the Palazzo Comunale.

Answer: Spanish coast guards cut off his ear

The War of Jenkins' Ear between Britain and Spain began in 1739 after Spanish coast guards boarded British captain Robert Jenkins' ship in 1731 and severed his ear. Jenkins preserved the ear in a bottle and presented it to Parliament seven years later, which used the incident as a pretext for war. The conflict merged into the larger War of Austrian Succession and lasted nine years.

Answer: San Juan Islands

The Pig War of 1859 was a bloodless confrontation between the USA and Britain over the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. The crisis began when an American farmer shot a British-owned pig that was eating his potatoes. Both nations sent military forces to the islands. Commanders on both sides chose restraint, however, and no shots were fired between troops.

The only casualty was the pig itself. The dispute was eventually resolved through arbitration in 1872.

Answer: The emus won

The Emu War was a 1932 military operation in Western Australia where the Australian Army was deployed to cull emus that were destroying wheat crops. Armed soldiers attempted to shoot the large flightless birds using machine guns, but the emus proved remarkably difficult to kill and quickly scattered when attacked.

After expending thousands of rounds of ammunition with limited success, the military withdrew, making it one of history's most unusual military operations, with the emus widely regarded as the winners.

Answer: World Cup

The Football War was a brief but bloody conflict between El Salvador and Honduras in July 1969. It was triggered by tensions during their World Cup qualifying matches. Existing social and economic problems between the nations were inflamed by violence at the football games, leading to El Salvador's invasion of Honduras.

Despite its nickname, the football matches were merely a catalyst rather than the root cause. The four-day war resulted in over 3,000 deaths.

Answer: Mexico

The Pastry War of 1838-1839 was fought between France and Mexico over unpaid debts to French citizens, including a pastry chef named Remontel, whose shop had been looted by Mexican officers. France demanded 600,000 pesos in compensation, and when Mexico refused, the French navy blockaded Veracruz and bombarded the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa. Mexico eventually agreed to pay the claims, and French forces withdrew in 1839.

Answer: His lack of facial hair

The War of the Whiskers was part of the broader conflict between King Louis VII of France and the Count of Champagne in the 1150s. According to tradition, tensions were inflamed when Louis's wife Eleanor of Aquitaine mocked his lack of facial hair compared to other nobles.

The dispute contributed to the deterioration of their marriage and Eleanor's eventual annulment from Louis, after which she married Henry II of England, significantly altering European politics.

Answer: The Stray Dog

The War of the Stray Dog, also known as the Incident at Petrich, occurred in 1925 on the border between Greece and Bulgaria. A Greek soldier chasing his runaway dog crossed into Petrich in Bulgaria and was shot by a Bulgarian sentry. Greece demanded an apology and compensation, and when Bulgaria refused, Greek forces invaded.

The League of Nations intervened quickly, preventing the incident from escalating into a full-scale Balkan war.

Answer: Holy Roman Empire

The Kettle War of 1784 was a minor naval skirmish between the Holy Roman Empire and the Dutch Republic over access to the Scheldt River in Holland. The only shot fired during the entire conflict was fired by a Dutch ship the "Dolfijn". It was a warning shot but struck a soup kettle aboard an Austrian ship "Le Louis", giving the confrontation its memorable name.

The commander was spooked by the single cannonball and the loss of their dinner and surrendered. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II then declared war. No casualties resulted from the incident, and the dispute was resolved diplomatically.

Answer: Iowa Territory

The Honey War of 1839 was a bloodless boundary dispute between Iowa Territory and Missouri over a narrow strip of land along their border. The conflict began when a Missouri sheriff attempted to collect taxes from settlers, including fees for honey trees on disputed land. Iowa officials cut down three valuable honey-producing trees in defiance, and both sides assembled militias. No shots were fired, and the dispute was resolved through surveying and negotiation.