"8 Military Blunders That Were So Bad They Became Legendary " Topic

"The internet is packed with YouTube videos, news stories, and Facebook pages dedicated to bizarre military blunders. Just a few months ago, Task & Purpose even reported about a British helicopter that created a literal storm by blowing down a row of porta-potties.

In most cases, if a military makes a mistake, people, cities, or multi-million dollar vessels become heart-wrenching examples of collateral damage. However, in these eight cases, while there are a few casualties, we are mostly left with embarrassing, funny, or just plain ridiculous stories…"
See here
link

How many of them do you know?

Amicalement
Armand

Well the Emu one is wrong in several places – the WW1 veterans did not get to keep their rifles and machine guns as implied in the article. In fact most were too poor to afford ammunition so the local member called in a few 'favours' to get the Army to get rid of the pests. Yes, it was a failure, as was machine gunning rabbits elsewhere.

I don't know how many of the other incidents are Internet legends.

Bazaine's failure to realize that he had actually won the battle of Gravelotte-St. Privat and all he had to do to cement the victory was SOMETHING other than sitting there. A literal case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. No wonder they tried him for treason following the war…

The Dardanelles,Dunkirk,Retreat from Moscow,Barbarossa,Charge of the Light Brigade,Picketts Charge,for example too many to list.

According to the blog… instant truth! If you can't trust the internet, what can you trust?

(smile)

Good choises boys!.

Amicalement
Armand

Premature withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan?

No tattoos below the elbow or knee?

If Ned Pakenham had realized that his attack on the incomplete Line Jackson on Dec 28, 1814 had turned the American left and had pressed his advantage, he would have captured New Orleans, the British would have controlled the mouth of the Mississippi and thus a huge chunk of American commerce, and (just icing on the cake) the myth of the eagle-eyed American riflemen routing the stupid British would have been laid to rest for good. And, of course, there's a chance I wouldn't be living in Louisiana, cultural and intellectual cesspit that it is.

LT

Brass1,
Actually the battle of New Orleans happened after the peace treaty was signed in France. Pakenham would have had to return the Mississippi control back soon after getting it. I don't think it would have had that big an impact considering both sides were at "peace" when the battle occurred.

One of the myths about the Battle of New Orleans is that it happened after the war was over. Although a treaty had been negotiated and signed, one of its stipulations was that it would not take effect until ratified by both governments, which did not happen until February, so a state of war formally existed for several more weeks. There were also several more military actions after New Orleans.

Brass1,
Actually the battle of New Orleans happened after the peace treaty was signed in France. Pakenham would have had to return the Mississippi control back soon after getting it. I don't think it would have had that big an impact considering both sides were at "peace" when the battle occurred.

What attila said. The Treaty of Ghent was signed on Dec 24, 1814 but did not become law until it was ratified by both governments, which did not happen until Feb 16, 1815, when it was ratified unanimously by the US Senate. Since the Battle of New Orleans was fought on Jan 8, 1815, it took place before the treaty went into effect and thus before the war was over. As to having to give New Orleans back, there is a sizable body of evidence to support the idea that if the Louisiana campaign had been successful, the English intended to keep New Orleans, treaty or no.

LT

Oh, if you include music and food in "cultural" I think you might need to change it to intellectual and something else.

Well, guess I could add political, since the legislature is deep in the pocket of the petroleum industry and every level of government from state to the local runs on a bribe economy. Still and all, you can hear good jazz anywhere, without cover charges and drunk tourists to deal with and, unless you're willing to part with a month's rent to dine at one of the first tier restaurants, you can expect the famous Creole and Cajun cuisines (they're not the same thing) to be reduced to the lowest common denominator of taste; I'm not much of a cook but it's been a good long time since I had jambalaya in a restaurant that was as good as I make at home.

However, Louisiana's problems are societal blunders, not military ones.

LT

I do enjoy our trips to NOLA, however, and stops in Lafayette and Breaux Bridge for our cajun vittles and music, and we have hopes to explore more in Terrebonne parish.

It's a shame about those other things.