The Strangest Wars in History

History is full of wars—most of them long, bloody, and depressingly predictable. But every now and then, a war comes along that is so ridiculous, so utterly baffling, that you have to wonder if the people involved were just bored and looking for something to do.

From battles against birds to wars that lasted less time than your average lunch break, here are some of the strangest wars in history that you’ve (probably) never heard of.

1. The Emu War (1932) – Australia vs. Large Flightless Birds

Most wars involve humans fighting other humans. Australia, however, decided to mix things up by declaring war on... emus. Yes, the large, fast, feathery creatures that look like ostriches on a mission.

In 1932, thousands of emus started invading farmland in Western Australia, ruining crops and causing chaos. The government, clearly overestimating their own capabilities, sent soldiers with machine guns to deal with the problem. What followed was an embarrassing disaster. The emus, proving far more tactical than expected, outran the bullets, scattered in unpredictable directions, and generally made the soldiers look like fools. After several failed attempts to control the birds, the government admitted defeat.

Final score? Emus: 1, Humans: 0.

2. The War of the Stray Dog (1925) – Greece vs. Bulgaria

It’s one thing to fight over land, politics, or resources. It’s another thing entirely to go to war because of a dog.

In 1925, a Greek soldier’s dog ran across the border into Bulgaria. Like any devoted pet owner, the soldier chased after it—except he was shot and killed by a Bulgarian border guard. Greece, understandably furious, invaded Bulgaria in retaliation. What followed was an 11-day conflict that resulted in around 50 casualties before the League of Nations stepped in and told everyone to calm down.

The final result? Greece had to pay a fine, and the dog (we assume) lived happily ever after.

3. The Football War (1969) – El Salvador vs. Honduras

Yes, you read that correctly. A war that was, at least partially, sparked by a soccer match.

Tensions between El Salvador and Honduras were already high due to economic issues and immigration disputes, but things escalated in 1969 when the two countries faced off in a World Cup qualifier. The games were intense, emotions ran high, and after El Salvador won, riots broke out.

Diplomatic relations collapsed, and soon after, the two countries went to war for four days, leading to thousands of casualties. A ceasefire was eventually brokered, proving that while soccer may be called “the beautiful game,” it can also be the deadly one.

4. The Pig War (1859) – America vs. Britain

Few things are more American than getting into a dispute over land. But in 1859, that dispute was over a pig.

On San Juan Island (between present-day Washington State and Canada), an American farmer shot a British-owned pig for eating his potatoes. Naturally, this led to a full-blown military standoff between the U.S. and Britain, with both sides sending warships and troops to the area.

Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, and after a few months of staring each other down, everyone agreed that fighting a war over one pig was, in fact, ridiculous. The pig, however, was not so lucky.

5. The War of Jenkins’ Ear (1739–1748) – Britain vs. Spain

A war over a single severed ear? You better believe it.

In 1731, British captain Robert Jenkins had his ear sliced off by Spanish coast guards, who accused him of smuggling. Years later, in 1739, Jenkins presented his preserved ear to the British Parliament as proof of Spain’s hostility. Britain, never one to back down from a fight (especially when honor was on the line), promptly declared war on Spain.

Thus began nine years of fighting, all because one guy lost an ear. Talk about an overreaction.

Conclusion: History is Weird

Wars are usually grim, tragic, and completely avoidable. But sometimes, they’re so absurd that they make you wonder if the people involved were just having an off day. Whether it’s a battle against emus, a conflict sparked by soccer, or a full-scale military standoff over a pig, history proves that humans will go to great lengths to prove a point—no matter how ridiculous it may be.