I’m excited to present my first Friday Fact! This fabulous idea was proposed by June in the comment section of a post by Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl. You can read more about it in my previous post.
If you’d like to join in the fun, please do! Drop a comment if you post your own Friday Fact.
Here is mine:
Suicidal Dogs
During World War II, some countries used tear gas. Others used grenades. Others used machine guns.
The Soviets used suicidal dogs.
During the Blitzkrieg campaign, German tanks were too fast and powerful for Russian military. So these dogs, called “anti-tank” dogs, were trained to seek food under the tanks after being starved. They wore a pouched overcoat filled with explosives. When they ducked under the enemy’s tanks, something called a Tilt Fuse, which detonated when bent, would set off the explosives and destroy the enemy’s tank.
It sounds like a crazy idea, but it worked, disabling over 300 German tanks. The Germans were instructed to shoot all dogs on sight for this reason.
But even a good idea can go bad. The dogs were trained under Soviet tanks, which were quieter than their German diesel counterparts. As a result, the dogs were often unable to distinguish allied from enemy tanks, and therefore blew up a fair number of both. And they would often, quite literally, turn tail and run away from battle.
The project was eventually abandoned. For good reasons.
October 5, 2007 at 3:02 pm |
Wow, I had never heard of this. How awful for those poor dogs. I’m glad to know that this particular battle strategy was eventually abandoned. But a very interesting fact, Lucky Pennies! Thanks for that Friday Fact. If you want to read mine, it’s up.
October 5, 2007 at 8:03 pm |
Ariel, I was just reading about this in a book called “Panzer Commander” by Colonel Hans von Luck, a German tank commander. It’s a shame that our U.S. Navy trained porpoises to carry mines to blow up ships. Thank God that was never actually used in combat, but it often seems that the best and brightest things are used for the worst purposes. You must have been around me too much to have come up with such a fact! Good writing, keep writing. Love, Daddy
October 5, 2007 at 8:25 pm |
I’m adding my “wow”. The poor pooches. I had heard about the porpoises, but never about these dogs. This is a very interesting Friday Fact. This learning stuff is fun! Hmmm, I wonder how much of it I’ll retain for use in conversation…
October 19, 2007 at 6:39 pm |
I really don’t know what to think here…I mean, it contributed to some extent to the defeat of the evil German empire, but those dogs can’t know what that is on their back! Quirky, to be sure. But I, as a bunnyhugger, instinctively say, that’s so wrong! Also they’re treating those dogs merely as commodities, as “means” instead of “ends.” Oh, dang it. That’s the philosophical part of me coming out! But keep it up!
January 10, 2008 at 12:37 am |
I have read about this before and find it totally disgusting. Why should the animals suffer in the mans war? Cowardly russians not being able to stand up and be a man and meet the destiny.