History from Africa & Middle East
3 verified stories set in Africa & Middle East.
Two Lions Stopped a Railway by Eating the Workers Building It.
two lions in Kenya killed dozens of railway workers over nine months, halting construction entirely until they were finally hunted down. Their bodies are still on display today.
The Navy Named Two Warships Meow and Bow-Wow. They Won a War. 🐱
the British Admiralty approved an audacious plan to transport two tiny motorboats three thousand miles through the African bush to challenge German naval dominance on Lake Tanganyika. The eccentric commander who led the mission suggested naming them Cat and Dog—rejected by the Admiralty—so he tried the French equivalents, Mimi and Toutou, meaning Meow and Bow-Wow. The Admiralty approved them without knowing the translation. After months of hauling the boats by train, river barge, and ox team through jungle and over mountains, they launched on Christmas Day 1915 and immediately began attacking. Within weeks they had captured one German steamer and sunk another, breaking Germany's grip on the lake.
A New Sultan Moved In. Britain Opened Fire.
a sultan died suddenly in Zanzibar and his nephew moved into the palace without British permission. When he refused to leave, three warships opened fire. It was over in 38 minutes - the shortest war ever recorded - and the losing side was billed for the shells that destroyed their own palace.