Tag Archives: wars

1898: Guam’s Surrender – A Tale of Miscommunication and Unfired Salutes

In the Spanish-American War of 1898, Guam fell into US hands without any resistance. The island was such a neglected and isolated Spanish colonial outpost that the local governor was oblivious to the war’s commencement. As US ship arrived and began firing poorly aimed shots at the decrepit Spanish fort, the inhabitants mistook it for… Read More »

Great Emu War

During the Great Emu War in Australia in 1932, the Australian military used machine guns to fight against an army of emus. Despite the use of heavy artillery, the emus proved too elusive and only a small number were killed, leading to the military’s defeat in the so-called “war”. Source