Wars you were unaware of

[Zartan]

Interestingly enough, the Canadians involved in the (Kiska) campaign were armed and equipped with American gear. Also, the HMCS Uganda was involved in fighting against the Japanese in 1945 with the British Pacific Fleet.

Personally, the conflicts which have taken me most by surprise were the Boxer Rebellion and the Spanish Civil War. Not that I was unaware of them (having seen movies on both when I was much younger), but rather due to the variety of forces involved. When I read about them in detail (or not), I was amazed. The Foreign Brigades, the Nazis, Soviets, Anarchists, Communists, Nationalists, and god only knows what else involved in the Spanish Civil War just blew me away - all the various organizations, for example, and the multi-national army that fought the Boxers.

However, of all wars, this one "takes the cake": http://www.conchrepublic.com/history.htm

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Nothing too odd, other than it was one of the few times Canadian land forces saw action in the Pacific theatre - Hong Kong being the other noteable one.

MM

Grand Allied strategy was "Germany First".  *shrugs*  We went along with that knowing the US had the situation well in hand - lucky for us.  The Aleutians were a bust as far as "action" went, there were no Japanese to oppose them.  I'm not aware of any other Pacific theatre combat actions involving Canadian ground forces aside from Hong Kong, though some men did serve in Signals units in the South Pacific, and the Canadian Army Pacific Force went into training in the US before the A-Bombings.  Large numbers of troops did serve full time in Atlantic Command in British Columbia, on garrison duty, coastal defence duty, and training to combat any potential Japanese landings on the North American continent.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Interestingly enough, the Canadians involved in the (Kiska) campaign were armed and equipped with American gear. Also, the HMCS Uganda was involved in fighting against the Japanese in 1945 with the British Pacific Fleet.

Equipped yes, armed no.  They wore mostly US equipment, including helmets and webbing, but weapons were still Canadian.  Respirators and uniforms were Canadian, most everything else was US.  Training on foreign weapons would have been a liability to the force - finding 3000 M-1 Garands, carbines and BARs to use in Canada during their work-up training would have been problematic, I suppose (?)  Not sure how much notice the Brigade had to move, either.

 

[medicineman]

Again, that goes back to a number of the Canadians involved being with the 1SSF.  Being from Vancouver Island, I am also very aware of the troops that were in BC for coastal defense - a number of the coast arty defences are still in and around Victoria as national historic sites or city parks.  The Island was also the victim (albeit minor) of the only delberate Japanese attack on Canadian soil - the shelling of Estevan Lighthouse by a Japanese submarine in 1942.  There was of course the odd balloon bomb that made it over as well...

MM

 

[big_johnson1]

Grand Allied strategy was "Germany First".   *shrugs*   We went along with that knowing the US had the situation well in hand - lucky for us.   The Aleutians were a bust as far as "action" went, there were no Japanese to oppose them.   I'm not aware of any other Pacific theatre combat actions

Actually, Kiska was the last island to be invaded, and yes, it was a *bust*, as the 5200 Japanese had retreated days before by submarine. 35000 Allied troops invaded Kiska expecting action, with 5300 Canadians as part of the invasion force: members of the Rocky Mountain Rangers, Winnipeg Grenadiers, Canadian Fusiliers, and Le Regiment de Hull. Canadian warships and fighter squadrons supported the action.

Attu on the other hand, was not a *bust*. Landing Force Attu was the 1st amphibious island assault in history, that ended with 28 Japanese survivors from an initial force of 2600 troops. The allied forces suffered 3800 casualties out of somewhere around 12000 to 13000 invading troops.

A Japanese Zero shot down over one of the Aleutians was recovered almost completely intact, leading the US to develop the F6F Hellcat. The plane was fully functional save for a single bullet hole that severed the engine oil pressure gauge indicator line, convincing the pilot that his engine was going to go and forcing him to attempt a landing on the island tundra. The Alcan highway was also built to supply the war, and the battle of Midway was made that much easier with a Japanese carrier group in the North Pacific instead of in the battle.

 

[Jungle]

...with 5300 Canadians as part of the invasion force: members of the Rocky Mountain Rangers, Winnipeg Grenadiers, Canadian Fusiliers, and Le Regiment de Hull.

That is correct; I used to know a man who was in the Régiment de Hull (which was an Infantry unit at the time) who participated in the landing on Kiska. They were expecting a big fight...

 

[Michael Dorosh]

That is correct; I used to know a man who was in the Régiment de Hull (which was an Infantry unit at the time) who participated in the landing on Kiska. They were expecting a big fight...

Which is why so many draftees deserted before the brigade sailed. *L*

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Actually, Kiska was the last island to be invaded, and yes, it was a *bust*, as the 5200 Japanese had retreated days before by submarine. 35000 Allied troops invaded Kiska expecting action, with 5300 Canadians as part of the invasion force: members of the Rocky Mountain Rangers, Winnipeg Grenadiers, Canadian Fusiliers, and Le Regiment de Hull. Canadian warships and fighter squadrons supported the action.

Attu on the other hand, was not a *bust*. Landing Force Attu was the 1st amphibious island assault in history,

Huh?  What about Wake Island?

that ended with 28 Japanese survivors from an initial force of 2600 troops. The allied forces suffered 3800 casualties out of somewhere around 12000 to 13000 invading troops.

But no Canadians - interesting point though.

A Japanese Zero shot down over one of the Aleutians was recovered almost completely intact, leading the US to develop the F6F Hellcat. The plane was fully functional save for a single bullet hole that severed the engine oil pressure gauge indicator line, convincing the pilot that his engine was going to go and forcing him to attempt a landing on the island tundra. The Alcan highway was also built to supply the war, and the battle of Midway was made that much easier with a Japanese carrier group in the North Pacific instead of in the battle.

No - this was during the Japanese invasion in June 1942 - a diversion to draw US forces away from Midway.  The Hellcat was not developed until well after Midway.  The main Japanese carrier force at Midway still had four first line carriers, I believe two smaller carriers were used in the invasion of June 1942.  It sounds like you're confusing the landing there by the Japanese with the counter landings in 1943 by the Allies?

 

[Roger]

There was also the War of 1870 between France and Germany, never heard of it till I visited grave sights in Luxemburg, in the German cemetery they had German graves form the war of 1870, WW1 and WW2.

 

[George Wallace]

Michael

How did you get from the war in the Aleutians to Wake Island and the South Pacific?  ???

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Michael

How did you get from the war in the Aleutians to Wake Island and the South Pacific?   ???

Trying to follow the jumbled list of the original poster. There were two seperate landings in the Aleutians - the Japanese in June 1942, which he claims was the first amphibious assault of an island in history, and the second landings in 1943 by the Allies.

The first amphibious assault on an island couldn't be the Aleutians, because Wake Island happened several weeks if not months earlier.

The crash landing of the Zero occured in 1942, I thought, during the Japanese invasion.  He is correct that the captured Zero was used to develop the Hellcat (F6F).

The Allies landed in 1943 to reclaim the islands.  Canadian forces in the invasion saw no combat, though as correctly mentioned, US forces did see combat.  The Aleutian fighting was conducted on several islands, which is why the US got the luck of the draw as far as finding the Japanese, while Canadian forces did not.

 

[Jungle]

And don't forget the "Christmas" war between Mali and Burkina Faso in 1985. These 2 countries were very good at small unit tactics... 'cause that's all they had: a few Platoons each !!!  :blotto:
They were fighting for a strip of land that was thought to contain substantial natural resources... Gee, I wonder how come the US didn't get involved, kick everyone's ass, steal everything then run away ??  ;D

 

[nowhere_man]

One war that i have just recently been informed about (because i visited the US this summer) is the Barbary wars. which were between the USA and basically a bunch of pirates over trade routes in the Med or something like that.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

One war that i have just recently been informed about (because i visited the US this summer) is the Barbary wars. which were between the USA and basically a bunch of pirates over trade routes in the Med or something like that.

Where the line in the Marine Corp Hymn came from "to the shores of Tripoli".

 

[Jungle]

Just to add some details about the dispute between Upper Volta (renamed Burkina Faso in 1985) and Mali: there was a "first" war about the Agacher strip in 1974. Here's a description of the conflagration:

The dispute erupted into armed conflict for the first time on 25 November 1974. The conflict was characterized by a lack of military operations or any significant fighting.

;D
I said it earlier, they were specialists in small unit tactics: they were so good they couldn't find each other in 1974 !!! :blotto:

 

[larry Strong]

I have always been fasinated by the Battle of Camerone, in Mexico in 1863.

"It was in Mexico on 30 April 1863 that the Legion earned its legendary status. The small infantry patrol unit led by Capitaine Danjou numbering 62 soldiers and 3 officers was attacked and besieged by Mexican infantry and cavalry units numbering 3 battalions, and was forced to make a defense in Hacienda Camarón. The battle went on for over 10 hours, and despite the hopelessness of the situation they fought nearly to the last man. Danjou was mortally wounded in the defense of the hacienda, and the last of his men mounted a desperate bayonet attack. When the last three survivors were asked to surrender, they insisted that the Mexican soldiers allow them safe passage back home, to keep their flag, and to escort the body of the fallen Danjou. Upon seeing this, the Mexican commander commented, "these are not men, they are devils," and out of respect agreed to these terms.

Today the "Camerone Day" is an important day of celebration for the Legionnaires, when the wooden prosthetic hand of Capitane Danjou is brought on display"

 

[Armymedic]

The Anglo-Afghan wars.

What surprised me the most is that in 1919, a British-Indian Army was able to invade into Afghanistan the yr after WW1, gaining victory in May of 1919.

 

[Zartan]

The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in World War 2.

The Paraguayan War (War of the Triple Alliance) - Paraguay's population dropped 60% during the six years the war was fought.

 

[Mojo Magnum]

I didn't know about the "Boer" war until the History channel filled me in.

I was out jogging the other day and it turns out that Sir Samuel Steele grew up right behind my house. 

Oro Medonte guy does good, hope some of that down home spirit rubs off on me.

 

[Danjanou]

The 1969 Football War between El Salvador and Honduras

http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/sierra/soccer1969.htm

Been down there, there are still disputed areas on the border, depending on what map you look at. Also pretty mountainous terrain to have to fight in.