Wacky history

Cods and pigs: 10 strangest “wars” that actually happened

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Not all conflicts are fought for power or territory—some "wars" erupted over pies, buckets, and even unsuspecting animals. Human history, it seems, can be incredibly unpredictable. From bizarre misunderstandings to centuries-long stalemates over trivial disputes, here are 10 of the strangest "wars" ever fought.

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In 1838, French pastry chef Remontel demanded compensation after his shop in Mexico was looted by soldiers. France sent warships to collect, escalating into an all-out war.

When Mexico refused to pay, France blockaded Veracruz and bombarded the city. The war only ended when Britain mediated, leading to Mexico paying 600,000 pesos to avoid further conflict.

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A land dispute over a strip of land called the Toledo Strip caused Ohio and Michigan to nearly go to war in the 1830s. The states armed militias but only exchanged minor skirmishes.

The conflict only ended when the federal government intervened, awarding Ohio the disputed land and giving Michigan the Upper Peninsula as compensation.

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In 1925, a Greek soldier chased his stray dog across the Bulgarian border and was shot, sparking hostilities. In response, Greece invaded, capturing several villages before the League of Nations intervened.

Greece was ordered to withdraw and pay reparations to Bulgaria. Despite its absurd start, the conflict helped prove the effectiveness of international diplomacy in averting larger wars.

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A 20th-century conflict, the Cod Wars were disputes between Iceland and the UK over fishing rights in the North Atlantic. Iceland extended its fishing boundaries several times, angering British trawlers.

Despite no deaths, the confrontations involved ramming ships and cutting nets. Iceland eventually prevailed, asserting control over its waters and reshaping international fishing agreements.

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In 1932, Australia deployed soldiers to manage an emu overpopulation wreaking havoc on crops. Using machine guns, they expected an easy victory but were surprisingly outwitted by the agile birds, accomplishing nothing.

The campaign failed spectacularly, and emus remains a humorous symbol of nature’s resistance to human efforts, even to its military might! The government later turned to fencing to manage the problem without making fools of themselves.

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In 1325, rival Italian city-states Bologna and Modena clashed when Modenese soldiers stole a bucket from Bologna's city well. A large battle ensued, resulting in well over 2,000 deaths.

Eventually, Modena triumphed, and the bucket is still displayed as a trophy in the city. While the origins of the conflict might seem bizarre, it highlights the intense (and sometimes absurd) rivalries between independent cities in medieval Italy.

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In 1859, on the still undefined U.S.-Canada border, a stray pig innocently crossed the border to eat vegetables from a neighboring farm, prompting an angry farmer to shoot it. This led to a feud with his neighbor that escalated into a military standoff between American and British forces, which lasted months.

The "war" only ended when the border issue was peacefully resolved through international arbitration. Fortunately, there were no casualties, except for the poor pig.

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This conflict between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly began during the English Civil War. According to local historians, the small archipelago declared war on the Netherlands but never bothered to sign a peace treaty afterward.

Despite no fighting, it technically lasted over 300 years due to the forgotten declaration of war. In 1986, a peace treaty was finally signed, bringing an end to one of history’s most prolonged and bloodless "wars."

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Since the 1970s, Denmark and Canada have engaged in a playful "war" over Hans Island, with each side leaving flags and bottles of whisky or schnapps during their visits.

The dispute was finally resolved in 2022, with the island being split between the two nations. This resolution also resulted in Canada and Denmark sharing a land border, meaning neither country borders just one other—the United States in the case of Canada, and Germany in the case of Denmark.

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In 1784, the Holy Roman Empire and the Dutch Republic clashed over trade rights, with the Dutch winning the conflict by firing only one shot. The only casualty? A kettle of soup.

Apparently, when the bullet ricocheted off the metal container, the captain became so nervous that he immediately surrendered. While this incident wasn’t the last conflict between the two states, it remains a humorous example of history’s quirks.

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Pronunciation can be deceiving! 10 confusing similarities!

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Naturally, words that are pronounced or spelled the same but have different meanings are fun. They are called homophones and homonyms, respectively. But if you’re paying much attention to a certain conversation, they have the power to create quite a confusion, and who knows where that talk might end? To avoid these kinds of misunderstandings, check these 10 words that share a pronunciation, but come from different places.

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Waist and waste are pronounced the same, which makes them homophones. However, the meaning is quite different and so are their origins. Let’s see how they go.

The word "waist" refers to the part of your body just below your ribs, where your pants sit comfortably, or not so comfortably after a big meal! On the other hand, "waste" is a synonym for squander, like when you leave food on your plate. But it can also refer to an ineffective use of your time, like watching TV all afternoon.

Interestingly, "waist" comes from the Old English word wæst, meaning "growth", while "waste" has Latin roots in vastare, meaning "unoccupied" or "uncultivated". So, next time you’re adjusting your waistband, don't waste the opportunity to show off your vocabulary!

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Have you ever tripped up the stairs because you were too busy catching someone’s stare?

While "stair" refers to a step, typically one in a series, helping you get to the next floor of your house, "stare" is a way of looking at someone, an intense way of looking at someone, to be precise! For example, the kind of look you give your friend when they share too much information!

Although they sound the same, "stair" comes from the Old English stǣger, while "stare" has roots in Old Norse stara, meaning to "gaze steadily." Never mind this, just be careful where you’re looking, or you might miss a step!

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Whether you’re flying on a plane or enjoying the view of a plain, these words sound the same but mean completely different things.

You know, a plane can either be the flat surface of something (like geometry class) or a flying machine. Meanwhile, a plain refers to a large area of flat land, or something that’s simple or unadorned, like your favorite plain T-shirt.

Now, similar pronunciation is also a trait of their root words: On the one hand, "plain" comes from the Latin planus, which means "flat" or "even". On the other hand, "plane" comes from planum, referring to a "level surface."

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No matter how much of a lone you are, there’ll always be someone to loan you something, right?

"Lone," however obsolete, means solitary, like when you’re the only person at the park bench on a peaceful afternoon. "Loan," instead, means to lend something, like a book, money, or even a spare jacket on a cold day; you could never go wrong with that move!

Now, as for the etymology behind these homophones, "lone" derives from the Old English word all ane which ultimately derived into "lone," a short for "alone." Meanwhile, "loan" is rooted in an Old English root that didn’t survive: læn, which meant "gift." Mind you, a loan is not a gif, so be careful with that!

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We don’t know about that, but let’s get into these homophones. If you’re hoarse, your voice is scratchy and raspy, probably from shouting too much at the latest NFL game, right? Did we get you there? Anyway, as for its homophone, a horse is an animal you can ride to enjoy a nice trot.

Now, if they sound similar, are their origins so? No, they aren’t. "Hoarse" comes from Old English hās, which means "rough," while "horse" has roots in the Proto-Germanic harss, which also meant "swift running animal." Next time you’re cheering yourself hoarse while watching a horse race, you can appreciate this fun coincidence of language.

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The worst kinds of homophones and homonyms are the ones you can actually use in a logical sentence a confuse your audience for the same price! This is one of those cases.

Your heel is the back part of your foot, the part that takes the brunt of every step. Meanwhile, healing refers to the process of recovery, whether it’s a wound, a sprain, or just an emotional crisis.

Both words sound the same but have distinct origins: heel comes from Old English hēla, while heal comes from hǣlan, meaning "to make whole." So if you’ve got a sore heel, take it easy and let it heal!

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It’s easy to confuse grease and Greece, especially when you’re frying some bacon while thinking of a Mediterranean getaway.

While "grease" refers to animal fat or any oily substance used to make things run smoothly, Greece is the country famous for its ancient history, delicious cuisine, and stunning islands we all wish we could visit right now.

These two words have different origins anyway. Grease comes from the Latin crassus, meaning "fat," and the Old French gresse, which means the same. At the same time, Greece derives from the Latin Graecia, a reference to the ancient Greek people. What do they have in common? A trip to Greece or greasy wheels will keep you moving!

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It doesn’t matter if you’re in the first, second, third, or fourth position; you have to take a step forth and keep moving!

"Forth" means to move forward, often with purpose, while "fourth" refers to the number four in a sequence. But what about their origin? Are they as close as their spelling?

"Forth" has roots in Old English forð, meaning "forward," while "fourth" simply comes from the Old English feorða, the word for the number four. So whether you’re stepping forth into a new adventure or celebrating a fourth-place win, you’re always on the right track.

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Just a one-letter difference, and different meanings too, but we can say that one is a consequence of the other!

A flea is a tiny, jumping insect known for its itchy bites, while "flee" is what you’ll want to do if you come across one of those insects, run away! "Flea" means, usually, to avoid something unpleasant (like a flea infestation!)

Contrary to the others, some etymologists suggest they may come from the same word. "Flea" comes from Old English flēa, but it may also come from the same root as "flee,"which is flēon, "to escape." Curious, right? If you ever find yourself dealing with fleas, just remember: it’s perfectly reasonable to flee from those little pests! They are doing that themselves!

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To end this article, let’s tackle "doe" and "dough," two words that have a common pronunciation but are spelled in different ways.

A "doe" is a female deer, soft and graceful, while "dough" is what you work with before it turns into bread.

Pronunciation is the only thing they share, since their origins are also different. The word "doe" comes from the Old English dā, which means exactly what it is, "female deer,". On the other hand, "dough" comes from dāg, which means "kneaded mass." Funny how two very similar words can mean different things, and come from completely different places. That’s the fun behind our language!