86 Rare Facts About the Most Brutal Wars The World Has Seen

When the battle of Stalingrad seemed lost for the Germans, Hitler expected his General, F. Paulus, to commit suicide. His response was: "I have no intention of shooting myself for this Bohemian corporal". Paulus surrendered on Feb 2, 1943.

77. In 1795 French Hussars captured the Dutch fleet in a cavalry charge. A frozen bay immobilized the Dutch ships and allowed horsemen to ride out and force a surrender. The Battle of Texel is the only documented occurrence of a “naval” skirmish between warships and cavalry.

78. As a war correspondent during WWII, Ernest Hemingway took off his non-combatant insignia and posed as a colonel in order to lead a group of french militia into battle against the Nazis

79. A war dog during WWI was promoted to sergeant through combat, participated in 17 battles on the Western Front, saved his regiment from surprise mustard gas attacks, and once caught a German soldier by the seat of his pants, holding him there until American soldiers found him.

80. Pope Julius was a military man who led the papal armies to battle frequently. When he saw Michelangelo carving his statue with a bible in hand he exclaimed "What do I know of Bibles? I am a warlord, give me a sword instead"

Henry Paget, Cavalry commander at the Battle of Waterloo had his leg blown off by a cannonball. When it happened he shouted to the Duke of Wellington "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" — to which Wellington replied, "By God, sir, so you have!"

82. During the first battle of the American Civil War, hundreds of civilians from Washington DC brought picnic baskets and came to watch the battle, sure the Union would easily win. The Union lost, and the civilians were caught in the retreat of the Northern army.

83. The Battle of San Jacinto, the defining moment in the Texas Revolution that led to the Mexican surrender, lasted just 18 minutes

84. Polish exiles were not only the best-performing RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain but also very successful with women; "they always have a girl on each arm. They say the girls cannot resist the Poles, nor the Poles the girls".

85. A Marine horse named "Reckless" carried 9000lbs of ammo on her own during one battle in Korea, received 2 purple hearts, and was promoted to Staff Sergeant with a 19 gun salute.

In Edward "Blackbeard" Teach's final battle, the notorious pirate captain was shot 5 times and cut or stabbed by a cutlass over 20 times before being killed.