Ask Lemmy

Myth: "The Polish military committed suicidal cavalry charges against German tanks in WW2."

The myth was originally spread by Germany as propaganda to emphasize how Germany was technologically superior. The myth has largely stayed alive because it has become romanticized into a heroic act.

The truth is that Polish cavalry charged German infantry, successfully taking ground against them. German tanks counter-attacked and Polish cavalry sensibly retreated but some were killed. Images of the aftermath were used to start the myth.

I remember hearing about it back in the 70’s. Mentioned to my dad and he said he heard about the invasion part (most people did not hear the warning part at beginning of the show as they tuned in late). My dad and his 2 brothers took off for a week to the bush (they lived in northern Ontario) saying let’s see what’s happening after that week. Take the story as you wish, could have been true or they liked spinning stories. Was easy to believe as when they were younger they did go to the bush fairly often.

I like the story of guy in medival Münster who founded a classless christian society. When the army of his local loard came knocking, knew God was in his side, so he charged them alone. The army then cut him into pieces and nailed his balls to to towns gate.

Today there are 3 cages on the church of münster, containing the bones of the co-conspirtors

I probably got some details wrong, here are some sources:

https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-48-prophets-of-doom/

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2020/03/the-hanging-cages-of-st-lamberts-church.html

That the four good emperors of Rome, namely Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pious and Marcus Aurelius had a good thing going until Marcus by deciding to pass the empire to their adopted sons. Nerva was also there with his excellent decision to adapt Trajan out of everyone.

This is portrayed as an altruistic non-nepotism move when in reality they were all childless. Nerva and Antoninus specifically selected because they were old and childless and Hadrian was just straight up gay. They probably would have passed on the empire to their sons if they had them.

I've seen people, including pop history channels with lots of views, talk about the Gulf of Tonkin Incident without any disclaimer acknowledging that it didn't happen. It was just a straight up lie to get the US into Vietnam and idk how many people out there still believe it, it's crazy.

The idea that eating carrots helps your eyesight came from WW2 Britain. It was an intentionally spread lie to cover up for the fact that they had radar.

Some poor young girl got knocked up and she didn't want to say who the father was so she made up a story about how a spirit had impregnated her.

I think that one got way out of hand

That one story about NASA supposedly spending millions developing a pen that would work in space, while the Soviets just used a pencil.

What actually happened IIRC is NASA bought the pens from a private company that had already developed them. And they didn't pay millions. Pencils were a hazard in space, so NASA adopted this new pen soon afterwards, with the Soviet Space Program following suit soon after.

The Confederacy didn't actually fight for the states' right to continue slavery.
They fought against the states' right to abolish it, even if a state wanted to.
The distinction is subtle, but they actually wanted more power for the federal government to tell states what to do.
In this case, to tell them they aren't allowed to ban slavery.

So many apocryphal stories are just the best...

At a dinner party, someone accused Winston Churchill of being drunk.

"That may be, madam, but you're ugly, and I'll be sober in the morning."

Likely never happened.

But the one that breaks my heart is that there is no evidence Carthage was salted after being destroyed.

There was a gap in [some military capability] during the Cold War, and the USA was losing it. Almost anything you stick in there, Russia was behind. They sometimes implied otherwise, but it's rare that they ever were. Occasionally, they used everything they had to just about match.

By the 1960s, their navy was pretty good, though. Don't let anyone tell you they were just a bunch of vodka drunk idiots. Not at that time, anyway.

At the opposite end of what this thread is about, Dr Strangelove is far more correct than it should be.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

NASA spending millions to develop a zero-gravity pen while the USSR used a pencil. It's funny, believable, and false.