What is the craziest military tactic ever used?

The modern day bayonet charge.

Even back when the bayonet charge was a legitimate war time tactic, you still needed to have some stones to pull it off. In modern times with weapons that include magazines, ammo belts, high explosives, and weapons with high cyclic rate of fire; the thought of a bayonet charge is insane. As a disclaimer, I would not try this at home or at all.

Enter Corporal Brian Wood.

On 14 May 2004 a squad of British warrior fv510s (an infantry fighting vehicle that carries a small squad of infantry and light weaponry) were responding as backup to a unit that had been ambushed at a point known as Checkpoint Danny Boy outside of Amarah in Iraq.

More than 100 of the Mahdi forces from prepared positions had opened fire and disabled a number of the vehicles in the patrol. Corp. Wood’s unit came to respond. When Corp. Brian Wood (then aged 22) came under fire, he found that his lead vehicle had been struck by a well placed rocket propelled grenade, knocking it completely out of the fight. Corp. Wood’s vehicle was struck next. The driver of the Warrior turned to Wood and told him what happened, “we’re #^%ed, the 30mm cannon has been disabled, and we’re one lucky shot away from becoming an over-microwaved TV dinner.”

Under pressure with enemy fire coming from three different positions and knowing his vehicle was a sitting duck, Wood did the only thing that seemed to make sense to him at the time. Without hesitation he kicked the back door open and ordered his men to fix bayonets.

Rather than staying put and waiting under cover for backup, Wood and his 5 soldiers decided to take the fight to the enemy.

Using sequential bounding tactics, the six British men would charge, drop, fire, and charge. They made their way 200 or so meters to safety. They made it all the way to the enemy fixed position, and charged over it. The men on the fixed position were not expecting hand to hand combat, so Wood’s men made short work of the men who were there. They attracted so much attention that it pulled the attackers back from attacking the convoy. The crew members inside of his warrior were able to bring its 30 mm cannon back online. The Mahdi forces withdrew shortly after.

The best part of this? Not only did it work, and not only were there enemies that were captured/ forced to retreat, but none of the British were killed.

Corporal Wood went on to receive a military cross for bravery.

What are some amusing historical facts?

In 1958, 17 year old Robert G. Heft designed a 50 star flag for a school project. He received a B- on it, but his teacher made a deal that if he got it approved by Congress he would bump his grade up. A year later, when Alaska and Hawaii were granted statehood, his flag design was chosen and he got an A.

US President Coolidge used to prank his bodyguards by ringing for them and then hiding under his desk.

Gabriel de Clieu brought the first coffee seedlings to the New World to the island of Martinique in 1720. Over the next fifty years there were 18,680 coffee trees and it eventually spread to other parts of Latin America. Of the top 10 coffee producing country 6 are from Latin America, all because of those first little seeds.

Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day, July 4, 1826. Jefferson’s last words were, “Is it the Fourth?” and Adams were, “Thomas Jefferson survives.”, not knowing that Jefferson died several hours earlier.

During World War II, in order to fool Germany into thinking the invasion would come from somewhere else, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops or Ghost Army used inflatable tanks, sound trucks, and fake radio transmission.

The Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War was fought between the Isle of Scilly and the Netherlands from March 30 1651 to April 17 1986. The total casualties resulted in zero for each sides due to the Netherlands declaring war on the Royalist forces holding the island right before they would surrender to the Parliamentarians ending the English Civil war, but there was never an official declaration of peace so the war just continued until Jonkheer Rein Huydecoper signed a peace treaty.

What are some mind-blowing facts about The Big Bang Theory (TV series)?

 If you're a fan of The Big Bang Theory, you're in for a treat. This show isn't just about a bunch of nerds hanging out; it's packed with some pretty fascinating behind-the-scenes tidbits that might just blow your mind.

Firstly, the character of Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons, was originally inspired by a real computer programmer. Sheldon is famous for his quirks and unique way of thinking, and it turns out those traits were modeled after a real-life person, proving that truth can be stranger (and funnier) than fiction.

Speaking of Sheldon, Jim Parsons, who brought the character to life, has never watched Star Trek or Doctor Who. Despite playing a die-hard fan of these shows, Parsons had no interest in sci-fi before joining The Big Bang Theory. Talk about great acting!

The theme song, that catchy tune by the Barenaked Ladies, almost didn’t happen. The band was asked to write the song after co-creator Bill Prady attended one of their concerts. They whipped up the theme in just a couple of days, and it became an iconic part of the show.

Kaley Cuoco (Penny) and Johnny Galecki (Leonard) secretly dated for two years while filming the show. They kept their relationship under wraps from the cast and crew, proving that real chemistry can indeed translate to on-screen magic.

Mayim Bialik, who played Amy Farrah Fowler, is not just playing a brainiac; she’s a real-life neuroscientist! Bialik earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience before joining the show, making her the perfect fit for her role.

Here's a fun one: The actors who played Howard’s mom (Carol Ann Susi) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) never actually met. Carol Ann Susi, who voiced Mrs. Wolowitz, passed away in 2014, and her character never appeared on-screen. Rauch's high-pitched voice for Bernadette was actually inspired by Mrs. Wolowitz's character.

Sheldon’s iconic “Soft Kitty” song is not just a random lullaby; it’s based on a real children’s song that co-creator Bill Prady heard from his daughter’s preschool teacher. Now, it's a beloved part of the show's culture.

The show’s popularity had a massive impact on the sales of science-related items. Sales of the Rubik’s Cube, periodic table shower curtains, and other geeky merchandise soared thanks to the show’s influence.

And lastly, The Big Bang Theory wasn’t an instant hit. The pilot was re-shot after the original wasn’t well-received. The second pilot introduced Kaley Cuoco as Penny, and the rest, as they say, is history. It’s a good reminder that sometimes, you need a second chance to get things right.

So, whether you’re a die-hard fan or just enjoy the occasional rerun, The Big Bang Theory has a lot more going on behind the scenes than you might have thought. Bazinga!