Rome annihilated Carthage to ensure it would never again rise as a major threat. The Ottomans forever ended Byzantium’s glory. The vast armies of Persia were repeatedly beaten back by the Greeks, subjugated by the might of Alexander, and destroyed by the rise of Islam. The fates of once great and proud nations fill the pages of history books—and then there are those forgotten powers even the history books seldom mention.

10 Forgotten Nations Overview

In this article we dive into 10 forgotten nations that once ruled the land, uncovering their spectacular histories and why they faded from memory.

10 Burgundy

France’s greatest historical rivals are often considered to be England or Germany. Yet, for a time, Burgundy was arguably its greatest opponent.

We’ve previously mentioned how Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, divided the Carolingian Empire among his sons. His eldest, Lothair, received a vast swath of land that included what would become Burgundy. Over time, a powerful duchy evolved, controlling Burgundy proper, Alsace, Lorraine, Flanders, and Holland. At its height during the 15th century, it was one of the richest and most powerful states in Europe. The Burgundian’s rivalry with France knew no bounds—from betraying Joan of Arc to the English, to fighting on foreign soil during the War of the Roses.

For a time, it seemed that fortune favored Burgundy. Indeed, had history turned out differently, proper French might have been a mere dialect and Bourgignon the norm. The sudden death of Duke Charles the Bold on January 5, 1477 changed things entirely, raising the question of the Burgundian Inheritance. Charles’s only heir was his daughter, who was supposed to marry into the French royal house. Instead, she married Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor and head of the House of Habsburg. In the subsequent race to claim the Burgundian lands, France merely traded one great rival for two more—Austria and Spain.

9 Novgorod

The city of Novgorod, whose residents sometimes called it “Lord Novgorod the Great,” truly lived up to its name. Under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky, the Novgorodians vigorously defended their beloved city against invasions from Sweden and the Teutonic Knights. Though they were subjugated by the Mongols, they managed to retain a degree of independent rule and even rose to prosperity.

By the 14th century, Novgorod had become one of the busiest trading ports in Europe—an estimated 400,000 people lived in the city. The Novgorod Republic stretched from the Arctic Circle to the Ural Mountains. The people of Novgorod cherished their independence, beyond the grasp of autocratic kings.

Sadly, this state of affairs wouldn’t last forever. The Principality of Muscovy had long been jealous of Novgorod’s riches. Furthermore, Novgorod’s ties with Catholic Lithuania were anathema to the stern Orthodox doctrine followed by the Muscovites.

Ivan III, also known as “Ivan the Great,” invaded the city in 1471, subsequently annexing it in 1478. Nearly 100 years later, another Ivan, known to history as “Ivan the Terrible,” would lead his armies to massacre and exile many of Novgorod’s citizens, burning much of the city, and destroying priceless historical records. The glory of Novgorod was no more. It would be Muscovy (Moscow) that would become the center of Russian politics and society.

8 Khitai

During the 12th century A.D., the Khitan people, led by Yelu Dashi, fled west to escape the onslaught of the Jurchen tribes. Their Liao Dynasty empire in Northern China was no more, and they faced a grueling journey across the arid steppes to find a new place in the world.

By A.D. 1134, Yelu Dashi and his people had arrived in Balasagun, in modern-day Kyrgyzstan. Further conquests soon established a new empire—the Western Liao. Thanks to their Chinese heritage, the Khitan practiced Buddhism mixed with Animist beliefs, while the majority of their new subjects were Muslim. Despite this, there was only harmony. In fact, some Muslims believed that their Khitan overlords were the “wall” between the Islamic world and the barbarous hordes beyond.

Decades of prosperity passed until the arrival of Kuchlug, a prince of the Naiman tribe of Mongolia, who fled after his father was killed by Genghis Khan. Kuchlug, a Nestorian Christian, sought refuge among the Khitan and was even allowed to marry a Khitan princess. In A.D. 1211, Kuchlug usurped the throne, then began campaigns against neighboring Muslim kingdoms, forcibly converting captives to the Nestorian faith.

Seeing his chance, Genghis Khan sent his best lieutenants, Jebe Noyan and Subotai, to capture Kuchlug. Angered at the usurper’s actions, the Khitans readily welcomed the invaders. Kuchlug was defeated in battle and eventually beheaded in 1218. After the relatively peaceful conquest, the Mongols found that the formerly nomadic Khitan had become experts in statecraft and administration. They were assimilated into the Mongol Empire, not as soldiers, but as some of its finest civil officials.

The short-lived empire of the Khitan may have contributed to the legend of Prester John, a mythical Christian figure whom Crusaders believed would assault Muslim lands from the rear. Some historians claim that the Khitan’s earlier conquests helped fuel the legend, while others suggest that Kuchlug, as a Nestorian Christian, added to the stories.

The Khitan also had one more contribution to history. The old European name for China, “Cathay,” is derived from “Khitan.” Indeed, they were known in Europe as the “Qara-Khitai,” the “Black Cathays.”

7 Vijayanagar

The Vijayanagar Empire ruled southern India for over 300 years, from 1336 to 1646. Domingo Paes, a Portuguese chronicler, marveled at how its capital was “as large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight; the palace of the king is larger than the castle at Lisbon.” Another Portuguese traveler, Duarte Barbosa, was astonished at how tolerant its rulers were of people of other faiths. Barbosa explained that Vijayanagar “allowed such religious freedom that every man may come and go, and live according to his own creed—whether Christian, Jew, Moor, or Hindu.”

Life was good in the empire, most notably during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, when the empire reached its greatest extent, defeating numerous Muslim invasions. Unfortunately, his successors were unable to fill the void he left behind. His son‑in‑law, Ramaraja, usurped the throne and plotted to have the neighboring Deccan Sultanates fight among themselves, allowing him to attack when they were weakened. Unfortunately, his plan backfired—the Deccan Sultanates ended their rivalries and allied to crush Vijayanagar. On January 23, 1565, Vijayanagar’s armies were destroyed and Ramaraja himself was soon executed.

Murder and pillaging followed nonstop for almost six months. When a Venetian traveler arrived at the old capital three years later “it had degenerated into a den of brigands, a pile of carbonized ruins invaded by creepers and tigers.” Some of Vijayanagar’s princes and administrators escaped to rebuild, though their works were a faded shadow of what the empire had once been. The city’s ruins are now a major tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

6 Majapahit

Those lucky enough to visit the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia might wonder why a predominantly Islamic nation has such an abundance of Hindu temples. The answer can be traced back to 1293, when the Mongols were turned back from capturing Java by Raden Wijaya, the founder of the Majapahit Empire. With the Mongols defeated, Raden Wijaya and his successors set about expanding their domain. The Majapahit controlled the sea lanes, bringing untold riches to their domain. Their fleets sailed throughout modern‑day Indonesia, obtaining submission or tribute.

The empire would reach its peak under Gajah Mada, a commoner who rose through the ranks to help restore King Jayanagara to power and subsequently became the commander of the king’s bodyguards. The king was later murdered by his physician—although many historians suggest the plot had been hatched by Gajah Mada himself after the king took his wife for his own. Gajah Mada became the most powerful man in Majapahit politics. He even made good on an oath, the “sumpah palapa,” that he would not eat spices until he conquered the entire archipelago (another interpretation would be that he would not enjoy special privileges or revenues from his subjects until he could subjugate the empire’s rivals).

Although the empire’s rulers were Hindu, Buddhism was also prevalent, with no evidence of conflict. In fact, Hindu and Buddhist ministers held equal status in court. Islam, which had been practiced by neighboring kingdoms, would later become the dominant religion as Majapahit trade and influence declined. Despite this turn of events, the people of Bali, with their many temples and gardens, still consider themselves descendants of the Majapahit.

5 The Hyskos

We’ve previously mentioned the Hurrians, a forgotten civilization which flourished in the Middle East during the second millennium B.C. They would later be subjugated by the Assyrians under King Shalmaneser I, who captured and blinded 14,400 Hurrians.

According to some historians, another group of Hurrian origins were the better‑known Hyksos, herdsmen and horsemen who migrated into Egypt around the 17th century B.C. The Hyksos eventually broke the power of the old Egyptian dynasties and would rule the Nile Delta for 108 years.

The Hyksos revered an unnamed Asiatic storm god, whom historians have compared to the Egyptian god Seth. Archaeological work has revealed that the Hyksos had unique Canaanite temples, Palestinian‑type burials (including those of horses), as well as frescoes that had some similarities with the Minoans.

The Hyksos introduced new weaponry to the Egyptians, including the composite bow, sickle‑sword, improved battleaxes, and mail armor. The Hyksos expertise with horses led many historians to believe that they were the ones who brought war chariots to Egypt. All of these innovations would later be used against them—the Egyptians drove them out completely around 1521 B.C.

4 Cahokia

In 1982, the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest pre‑Columbian settlement north of Mexico, the site contains approximately 120 mounds of various sizes. The best‑known is Monk’s Mound, the largest prehistoric earthwork in the Americas.

During the Woodland Period from A.D. 700–900, the emergent people of the Mississippi gradually settled in Cahokia. There was a dramatic increase in the population around 200 years later—it was around this time that Monk’s Mound was constructed. After A.D. 1100, the population in Cahokia began to steadily decline.

Although some early European settlers might have stumbled upon the old city and its mysterious mounds, no detailed accounts have survived. In fact, the oldest written description of Cahokia was compiled by Henry Brackenridge, a lawyer, amateur historian, and friend of Thomas Jefferson. Brackenridge claimed that he was “struck with a degree of astonishment, not unlike that which is experienced in contemplating the pyramids” upon seeing the great mounds. Newspapers took little note of his work—leading him to complain to Jefferson himself. It didn’t help.

By the turn of the 20th century, horseradish farmers had turned Cahokia’s second‑biggest mound into a landfill. Subsequently, a subdivision was built on another part of the site and other mounds were destroyed for gambling sites and a pornographic drive‑in. Ignorance led humanity’s quest for knowledge astray and there is much we now may never know about this amazing civilization.

3 Caral And The Norte Chico Civilization

For centuries, historians and archaeologists have combed the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, Egypt, China’s Yellow River, and the Americas in search of a “Mother Civilization”—one of the sites where complex, city‑dwelling societies independently developed.

In 1994, Peruvian archaeologist Ruth Shady Solis and her team began excavating and studying the Caral site in the Supe Valley near Peru’s western coast. What they found was astonishing.

Six large pyramids once stood in its vast central zone; several smaller pyramids, plazas, temples, amphitheaters, and residential districts were also part of the area. The oldest artifact found at the site was from 2627 B.C., predating the Great Pyramid of Giza by around 50 years. The Olmecs, long believed to have been the first great civilization of the Americas, emerged around 1,400 years after Caral. Solis and her team also discovered that, unlike many civilizations, the people of Caral banded together and prospered not for mutual defense or warfare, but for trade. Indeed, no weapons, battlements, or mutilated bodies have been found at the site. However, Solis has noted that Caral might have simply been the center or capital of the actual civilization, which could have spanned over much of the Norte Chico region of Peru.

Other experts still argue about whether Caral was truly a “Mother Civilization,” as Solis suggested that it might be. Indeed, new discoveries in light of her findings have revealed even more ancient sites being discovered in Norte Chico. One, Huaricanga, has been dated to at least 3500 B.C., which would make it the oldest city in the Americas.

2 Ghana, Mali, And Songhai

Today, West Africa is home to some of the poorest nations in the world. But from the 8th century to the 16th, things were very much different. The kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were dazzling pinnacles of wealth and culture.

The Empire of Ghana flourished in what is now Mali and Mauritania (far to the north of modern Ghana) and was primarily composed of the Mande people. The sub‑Saharan region known as the Sahel, now mostly arid plains, was once a fertile savannah suitable for farming and raising livestock, allowing Ghana to prosper.

As Ghana eventually went into decline, the Empire of Mali rose to take its place. Of note is arguably its greatest ruler, the famously wealthy Mansa (Emperor) Musa I, who completed a pilgrimage to Mecca in A.D. 1325. While passing through Egypt, it was said that he gave away so much gold that its value substantially decreased in Cairo.

Sonni Ali of Songhai was an able commander known for his expert horsemen and amphibious assaults via canoes. His aggressive policies led to a period of expansion, most notably the capture of Timbuktu, West Africa’s foremost intellectual city. His successor Askia Mohammad Toure brought Songhai to its zenith. Toure, a devout Muslim, would also complete the Hajj and even be declared Caliph of all of the Sudan.

Expeditions from Morocco would eventually arrive in pursuit of lands and riches. The once proud halls of the Mande and Soninku peoples were destroyed, the gallant warriors no match against the tide of imperialism. Monuments such as the Mosque of Djenne and the libraries of Timbuktu now serve as reminders of West Africa’s faded glory. Indeed, centuries of civil strife, slavery, and war have led the region to become what it is today. It is a humbling thought that when Europe was experiencing some of its darkest years, it was in West Africa where light shone brightest.

1 Khazaria

For 200 years, from the seventh to ninth centuries, there was an empire of Turkic Jews which spanned the entire Crimean Peninsula, the Caucasus region, and most of modern‑day Ukraine and Georgia. It was called Khazaria, and it dominated trade in the region despite many external threats.

The Khazars were originally nomads who practiced Tengriism. Over time, many converted to monotheistic religions, primarily Judaism. There were also thousands of Christians and Muslims in the empire—religious freedom and tolerance was a key factor to its stability.

Indeed, one essay characterized the Khazars as “an unusual phenomenon.” They were surrounded by pagan nomads, yet they had a structured government, a prosperous trade system, and an organized army. At a point in history when “great fanaticism and deep ignorance” raged throughout Western Europe, Khazaria was famed for its justice and tolerance. One historian put it quite succinctly: “Khazaria was the one place in the medieval world where the Jews were their own masters.”

Numerous wars between the Khazars and Arabs marked the seventh and eighth centuries, with neither side able to conquer the other. The Khazars proved to be a valuable ally to the Byzantine Empire, becoming a buffer against Islamic invasion from one side.

Ultimately, Khazaria would meet its demise when the Russian Prince Sviatoslav began his relentless conquest of Eastern Europe. The prince of the Kievan Rus believed Constantinople was his ultimate prize, but to get there he had to take out Byzantium’s allies one by one. Sviatoslav subjugated the Bolghars then turned his eyes toward Khazaria in 965. The major fortress of Sarkel was destroyed, and the capital of Itil was razed to the ground. Later visitors would remark that in Itil “no grape or raisin remained; no leaf on a branch.” Such was the destruction wrought by the prince.

Khazaria’s light was all but extinguished—a once mighty empire reduced to a rump state. “The glistening star on the gloomy horizon of Europe faded without leaving traces of its existence.”

When you think of space, you probably picture vast deserts or rolling plains, but some countries cram an astonishing number of people into surprisingly tiny footprints. Our top 10 densely populated nations showcase exactly how many humans can share a limited area, and each entry brings its own quirky story.

Why These Nations Make the Top 10 Densely Populated List

From glittering city‑states to island clusters, the countries below have turned scarcity of land into a showcase of efficient living, booming economies, and, in a few cases, historic charm that draws crowds from around the globe.

1 Monaco

Monaco reigns supreme as the planet’s most densely packed sovereign, boasting just 32,410 residents squeezed onto a mere 1.96 sq km (485 acres). Despite its diminutive size, this French‑speaking enclave dazzles with luxury, a world‑renowned casino, and a coastline that feels far more crowded than its land area suggests.

2 Singapore

Singapore, the island nation perched at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, packs over 6,300 souls per square kilometre, securing the second spot globally. A magnet for tourists and multinational corporations alike, its sky‑high skyscrapers house a thriving economy, while a steady stream of expatriates and foreign workers keep the city‑state humming.

3 Vatican City

Enclosed within Rome, Vatican City covers just 44 hectares (108.7 acres) yet houses roughly 821 citizens, earning it the third‑most crowded ranking. As the epicenter of Catholicism, this minuscule sovereign packs religious significance into every stone of its compact streets.

4 The Maldives

The Maldives, a glittering chain of atolls in the Indian Ocean, spreads across 298 sq km yet shelters 298,842 inhabitants. With 1,192 islets—about 200 of which are inhabited—this island nation balances breathtaking turquoise waters with a surprisingly tight population density.

5 Bahrain

Bahrain, the oil‑rich island tucked into the Persian Gulf, claims the title of the smallest Arab nation. Its rapid economic expansion has attracted a wave of expatriates, driving the population up to roughly 987 residents per square kilometre on this compact land.

6 Bangladesh

Bangladesh, a South Asian nation almost entirely encircled by India, packs a staggering number of people onto 144,000 sq km (55,600 sq mi). Its density rivals that of entire countries, making it one of the most crowded places on Earth—its total population even surpasses that of Russia.

7 Nauru

Nauru, the tiniest island nation in Micronesia, measures just 21 sq km, earning it the distinction of the world’s smallest island country and the only republic without an official capital. About 13,048 people call this speck of land home.

8 Taiwan

Taiwan, perched off mainland China’s coast, became the refuge for roughly 1.3 million Chinese who fled during the 1949 civil war. Today, its bustling cities, especially Taipei, showcase a prosperous, industrialized economy that ranks among Asia’s most densely populated territories.

9 Barbados

Barbados, an independent island in the western Atlantic, spans about 430 sq km. Though famed for its sun‑kissed beaches and tourism, it also enjoys a high standard of living and literacy rates, supporting a population of roughly 279,000 residents.

10 Malta

Malta, a Mediterranean archipelago of seven islands, covers a modest area yet boasts a population density of 1,282 per square kilometre—the highest in the EU and among the world’s most crowded. Since joining the EU in 2004, its economy has flourished, supporting over 404,000 inhabitants.

From glittering micro‑states to bustling island nations, these ten locales prove that size isn’t everything. Their high densities reflect a blend of historical quirks, economic opportunity, and clever land‑use strategies that keep people thriving in compact spaces.

When we picture the world’s most formidable armies, many small nations never make the cut. Still, it’s precisely these overlooked countries that have delivered some of the biggest surprise blows on the battlefield.

10 Greece Held Back The Italian Invasion

When Mussolini thought Italy could simply swat Greece aside, he was met with a fierce Greek counter‑offensive. The Italians issued an ultimatum, expecting a quick surrender, but instead the Greeks pushed back, delivering the first Allied victory over Axis forces. Metaxas, the Greek dictator, famously replied with the line “Alors, c’est la guerre,” meaning “So it’s war.”

Initially friendly with Hitler for trade reasons, Greece’s resolve hardened after the Italian threat. The invasion began on October 28, 1940, and within two weeks the Greeks forced the Italians back into Albania. The Italians then endured a five‑month siege while the Greeks seized extra territory, eventually having to call in Hitler for assistance.

Although Greece ultimately fell, the Axis aura of invincibility was shattered. Hitler had to divert troops to the Balkans, delaying his Russian campaign and giving the Allies a morale boost.

9 The Albanians Fought Off The Superior Ottoman Army

In the 15th century the Ottoman Empire was a juggernaut, sweeping across Europe with a massive, battle‑hardened army. Skanderbeg, an Albanian raised in Ottoman service, defected to defend his homeland. When the Sultan sent 100,000 troops to crush the citadel of Kruja, Skanderbeg’s rag‑tag force was vastly outgunned.

Despite being outnumbered five to one and armed with primitive weapons, the Albanians held the fortress for five months. Ottoman casualties topped 20,000—far exceeding the entire Albanian fighting strength—forcing the invaders to retreat as morale waned and winter loomed.

Skanderbeg’s successes earned Albania a reputation for fierce resistance, though without external aid the kingdom eventually fell in 1478, a decade after his death. Still, his legacy cemented Albanian defiance against one of history’s most powerful armies.

8 Indochina Showed The French What Real Warfare Is

The Vietnam conflict is often blamed on Cold‑War superpowers, yet the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu showcases the grit of the Vietnamese. After France re‑established a puppet regime in 1946, the Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap, launched a guerrilla war demanding independence.

Even though the French boasted superior artillery and air power, the Vietnamese leveraged mobility and guerrilla tactics to erode French control. By 1953 they had entrenched in the Dien Bien Phu valley, turning the area into a lethal trap.

When the French finally fortified their camp, the Viet Minh hauled heavy artillery up surrounding hills and laid siege for eight weeks. The French, counting on aerial resupply, were outmaneuvered, leading to a decisive defeat that ended French colonial rule in Indochina.

7 The Turks Couldn’t Defeat A Small Hungarian Castle

In 1552 the Ottoman Empire, boasting a force of about 80,000, set its sights on the Hungarian town of Eger. The defenders, a mix of civilians and a handful of soldiers—roughly 2,000—relied on the stout castle walls for protection.

Ottoman cannons battered the fortress, reducing sections of wall to rubble. Yet the Hungarians, buoyed by high morale and inventive leadership, repelled every assault for a month, even crafting new weapons to counter the Ottoman onslaught.

After suffering casualties four times greater than the defenders, the Ottoman army abandoned the siege, recognizing the castle as more trouble than it was worth. Though Hungary later endured periods of Ottoman rule, the defense of Eger remains a celebrated symbol of Hungarian resilience.

6 The Polish Contribution To The Allies In World War II

Poland’s role in World War II is often eclipsed by the German war machine, yet its contributions were pivotal. After holding out against a massive German invasion for 35 days—outlasting even France—Polish forces continued to fight from exile across multiple theaters.

The most celebrated Polish effort came during the Battle of Britain. Squadron 303, composed of Polish pilots, achieved a kill ratio three times higher than the RAF average while sustaining only a third of the losses of other units.

Winston Churchill lauded their bravery, noting that “Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” Without the Polish squadrons, the Luftwaffe’s chances of gaining air superiority over England would have risen dramatically.

5 The Yugoslav Partisans Fiercely Resisted The Nazis

When Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia in 1941, the regular army collapsed quickly, leaving the country in chaos. The Yugoslav Partisans, a guerrilla movement, rose to become the most successful resistance group in occupied Europe.

They avoided direct confrontations at first, striking German positions and forcing the Nazis to divert up to 500,000 troops to the Balkans. Their hit‑and‑run tactics kept the occupiers constantly on the back foot.

During the fifth Axis offensive, fewer than 20,000 Partisans were surrounded by 120,000 enemy soldiers. Despite heavy losses, they held their ground, saved their leadership, and soon launched a counter‑offensive that reclaimed large swaths of their homeland.

4 Ethiopia Has Resisted All Invaders

Ethiopia may seem like an obscure footnote, but its warriors have a storied reputation for battlefield excellence. The nation is one of the few to have never been fully conquered in its 3,000‑year history—aside from a brief Italian occupation.

In 1951, Ethiopia dispatched the Kagnew Battalion, roughly 6,000 elite troops, to aid United Nations forces in the Korean War. Their tenacity earned them a mythic status; they never surrendered, and many of their bodies were never recovered, leading opponents to view them as almost superhuman.

Statistically, out of about 3,000 soldiers deployed, only 120 fell, while roughly 5,000 were wounded. Remarkably, they emerged victorious in all 235 engagements they fought, underscoring Ethiopia’s enduring martial prowess.

3 Dacia Forced The Romans To Pay Taxes To Them

The Roman Empire, famed for its disciplined legions, faced a surprising challenger in Dacia, a modest kingdom situated in what is now Romania. The Romans, dismissing the Dacians as “barbarians,” launched a campaign under the emperor himself.

The Dacians, adept at forest warfare, gave the Romans a tough fight, prompting the emperor to negotiate peace. The resulting treaty required Rome to pay an annual tribute to Dacian king Decabolus, effectively turning the empire into a taxpayer.This arrangement persisted until AD 102, when hostilities resumed. Nonetheless, Dacia’s ability to compel the mighty Romans to pay tribute marked it as one of Rome’s most formidable adversaries.

2 Canadians Used Urine‑Soaked Socks Against The Germans

Canada, renowned for its polite apologies, proved anything but meek on the battlefield. During World War I, Canadian troops were deployed near Ypres just as chlorine gas made its lethal debut.

When the gas rolled in, French units fled or fell. The Canadians, however, soaked their socks in urine and fashioned makeshift gas masks, holding the line against German attacks. Their gritty resolve earned them a reputation for bravery that has endured through countless elite missions ever since.

1 Switzerland Does Whatever They Want

Switzerland’s long‑standing neutrality isn’t due to scenic charm alone; it’s the result of a fierce willingness to defend its autonomy. In 1315, the cantons broke away from Habsburg rule, prompting Duke Leopold to march 15,000 heavily armored troops into the region.

The Swiss, vastly outnumbered, funneled the Imperial army into a narrow mountain pass, then unleashed a torrent of boulders and ambushes. Their pikes and clubs proved more effective than the Habsburgs’ heavy armor, inflicting around 2,000 casualties and forcing Leopold’s forces to retreat.

Subsequent Habsburg campaigns failed to subdue the confederation, and by 1446 the Swiss secured full independence and self‑governance, a status they proudly maintain to this day.

When we talk about 10 military gambles, we’re diving into moments when commanders rolled the dice on the battlefield, betting everything on daring tactics that could either crown them with glory or doom them to oblivion. Below, we break down ten of these high‑stakes moves, each a turning point that redirected the fate of entire nations.

10. Marathon

The Persian Empire, at that point the most formidable power the ancient world had ever witnessed, had already subjugated Media and Lydia. King Cyrus had tried to impose a heavy‑handed rule over the Greek cities of Asia Minor, but his death left the task to his son, Darius. Furious over Athenian support for the revolt, Darius launched an invasion in 490 BC, aiming directly at Athens. The Athenians, isolated and heavily outnumbered, stood alone against the Persian onslaught on the plain of Marathon.

Miltiades, the Athenian commander, recognized that a frontal clash would be suicidal given the one‑to‑three odds. He ordered a surprise dawn charge across the 1.6‑kilometre gap separating the forces. The Greeks sprinted toward the Persian lines without cavalry or archers, a move that seemed reckless. The Persians, bewildered by the sheer audacity, broke formation, pursued, and then were hit by the Athenian flanks, which collapsed their overextended ranks and forced a chaotic retreat. Athens survived.

While the triumph of democracy over despotism can be overstated, the victory at Marathon ensured that Western ideals of liberty, philosophy, and culture could flourish. Had Athens fallen, the trajectory of European civilization would have been dramatically altered.

9. Gaugamela

When Alexander the Great ascended the Macedonian throne, he vowed to avenge Greece against Persia, whose empire had once razed his homeland. By 334 BC, Alexander’s campaign had already pushed deep into Persian lands. King Darius III, seeking to confront Alexander on his terms, chose the flat expanse of Gaugamela (modern‑day Irbil, Iraq) to maximize his cavalry’s effectiveness. He amassed a force estimated between 90,000 and 250,000 men, confident of crushing Alexander’s 50,000 troops.

General Parmenion, nervous about the disparity, suggested a night attack, but Alexander dismissed it, insisting on an open battle to preserve honor. He devised a plan to strike directly at the Persian centre, betting that breaking it would cause the whole army to crumble. Relying on his phalanx armed with 4‑metre sarissas, Alexander’s troops were virtually impervious to cavalry charges. As the battle commenced, Alexander’s right wing feigned an outflank, prompting Darius to adjust his lines and inadvertently create a gap. Alexander executed a swift about‑face, thrusting his forces through the opening, causing panic and a rout of the Persian centre.

The decisive Greek victory dismantled the Persian Empire, allowing Hellenistic culture to permeate the known world—a legacy still evident in politics, art, science, and literature today.

8. Caesar Crosses The Rubicon

The Rubicon, a modest stream marking Rome’s northern frontier, was guarded by a law prohibiting any general from crossing it with an army—a breach was deemed treason. In 59 BC, Julius Caesar, alongside Pompey and Crassus, formed the First Triumvirate. After a brilliant tenure in Gaul, Caesar’s rising fame alarmed the Senate and Pompey, who feared his dominance. The Senate demanded he relinquish his command and disband his legions.

Faced with a choice—return peacefully or seize power—Caesar chose rebellion, famously declaring, “The die is cast!” and marched his legions across the Rubicon into Italy, directly challenging the Senate and Pompey. The odds were stacked: Pompey withdrew to Greece, mobilising eastern resources, while also controlling Spain. Caesar lacked a navy to chase the Second Consul, and Pompey could absorb setbacks without losing prestige, whereas a single defeat could topple Caesar’s precarious position. Caesar’s gamble hinged on rapid, decisive action to catch his enemies off‑guard.

After a series of hard‑fought campaigns, Caesar’s strategic brilliance secured victory at Pharsalus, forcing Pompey to flee to Egypt, where he was assassinated. Caesar’s triumph paved the way for the Roman Empire, establishing a political framework that would influence European governance for centuries.

7. Julian’s Invasion Of Persia

Julian, raised Christian but later renouncing the faith to champion paganism, earned the moniker “the Apostate.” A gifted administrator, he sought to strengthen the Roman Empire while restoring paganism to parity with Christianity, curbing clerical privileges. In AD 363, driven by personal glory, Julian led a massive force of 90,000 men into Persia.

Despite warnings from an Etruscan priest about the precarious odds, Julian pressed on. Supplying such a vast army across desert terrain demanded a fleet of 1,000 ships navigating the Euphrates, ensuring logistical support. Deep in enemy lands near Ctesiphon, a Persian spy persuaded Julian that a northward retreat would extricate his army. Trusting the deceit, Julian ordered the destruction of his supply fleet, effectively cutting off his lifeline. The move backfired; Julian fell in battle shortly thereafter.

Had Julian survived, his reign might have bolstered paganism, potentially curbing the Church’s ascendancy. His death marked the end of the last pagan emperor, accelerating Christianity’s dominance and sealing the fate of paganism in the Roman world.

6. Blenheim

Louis XIV, the Sun King, had long vied with the Habsburgs for supremacy in Europe. When Charles II of Spain named the Bourbon Duke of Anjou as his heir in 1700, the balance of power shifted dramatically, prompting a coalition to contain French ambition. Britain’s John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, assembled a German‑Austrian alliance to halt the French advance. The French, confident in their reputation, chose to make a stand at the Bavarian village of Blenheim.

By the early 18th century, warfare had evolved: commanders preferred sieges over open battles to minimise casualties. Yet Marlborough, having already taken a bold risk by moving forces far from home, launched a surprise assault on the French positions. Coordinating flawlessly with Prince Eugene of Savoy, he employed diversionary tactics that confused the French, broke their centre, and inflicted roughly 40,000 casualties.

The crushing defeat at Blenheim shattered Louis XIV’s dreams of European domination. Winston Churchill later noted that the battle “changed the political axis of the world,” ushering in Britain’s rise as a global power.

5. Poltava

At the dawn of the 18th century, Sweden’s King Charles XII and Russia’s Peter the Great clashed over Baltic dominance. Charles, ruling a formidable empire encompassing Finland, Estonia, and Livonia, faced Peter, who sought seaports on both the Baltic and Black Seas. Their rivalry ignited the Great Northern War in 1700.

Sweden’s early triumph at Narva showcased its military prowess, yet Charles failed to capitalize, diverting his focus toward Saxony and Poland. This lull gave Peter time to rebuild his forces. After consolidating his western and eastern fronts, Peter offered to return conquered territories in exchange for retaining St. Petersburg. Charles dismissed the proposal and pressed on with an ill‑fated invasion of Russia.

Campaigning across Russia’s vast expanse was perilous—both Napoleon and Hitler would later learn that harsh winters and scorched‑earth tactics spell disaster. Charles’s gamble culminated in a siege of Poltava, where his attempt to storm Russian redoubts failed miserably. The defeat ended Sweden’s status as a Baltic power and cemented Russia’s ascendancy in northeastern Europe.

4. Frederick The Great Invades Silesia

Frederick II ascended the Prussian throne as Maria Theresa took the Austrian crown. Seizing the moment, Frederick launched a bold invasion of the wealthy province of Silesia in 1741, catching the young queen off‑guard. Maria Theresa responded by forming a coalition with France, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia, while Frederick secured Britain’s support to avoid isolation.

By 1756, the Seven Years’ War erupted, pitting Frederick against a multi‑front alliance. Despite being outnumbered, he won several engagements, though his forces were stretched thin. In August 1759, the Austrians and Russians linked up, delivering a crushing blow at the Battle of Kunersdorf, where Prussia lost 18,000 men in six hours. Berlin fell, and Frederick contemplated suicide.

Fortune, however, intervened. The allies failed to exploit their victory, and the sudden death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia ushered in Peter III, an admirer of Frederick who withdrew Russia from the war. This “Miracle of the House of Brandenburg” allowed Prussia to retain Silesia and emerge as a major European power, laying groundwork for later German unification. Britain, meanwhile, secured colonial dominance in North America and India, shaping the future United States.

3. U‑Boat Warfare

During World War I, Britain relied heavily on supplies from Canada and the neutral United States. Germany’s submarine fleet began targeting merchant vessels in February 1915, aiming to choke Britain’s Atlantic lifeline. This unrestricted submarine warfare risked neutral lives, especially after the sinking of the Lusitania, which claimed 128 American lives. Under pressure, Germany halted the campaign in September 1915.

By 1917, trench stalemate persisted, and German high command decided to gamble again, resuming U‑boat attacks in February. The expanded fleet could now threaten all Allied shipping, ignoring neutral status. German leaders knew this might provoke the United States, but calculated that Britain would starve before American forces could intervene.

The gamble nearly succeeded: by April, over 1,030 merchant ships had been sunk, and Britain’s food reserves were projected to last only six weeks. Yet the Royal Navy introduced convoy systems and anti‑submarine tactics, turning the tide by September. Britain endured, and the war ended with the Allies victorious. Germany’s defeat sowed the seeds for the rise of Nazism and the punitive Treaty of Versailles, which later fueled World War II.

2. Dien Bien Phu

Ho Chi Minh and his Viet Minh forces began fighting for Vietnamese independence from France in December 1946. By the early 1950s, French forces were confined to a defensive ring around the Red River Delta. U.S. military aid began bolstering the French, while Geneva peace talks stalled. To gain leverage at the negotiations, French commander Henri Navarre devised a plan to lure the Viet Minh into open battle.

Navarre positioned a garrison in the remote valley of Dien Bien Phu, believing the French could force a decisive fight. He underestimated the Viet Minh’s ability to transport artillery through jungle terrain using human porters. The communists erected artillery on surrounding hills, bombarding the French positions. Air supply became the only lifeline, but the valley lay at the edge of Allied air corridors, and Viet Minh anti‑aircraft fire made resupply perilous.

One by one, French positions fell. The final stronghold fell on 7 May 1954, leaving 2,000 dead, over 10,000 captured, and a mere 73 escaping into the jungle. France’s humiliating defeat forced its exit from Indochina, paving the way for an independent, communist North Vietnam. The United States, misreading the conflict as a Cold‑War struggle, would later become embroiled in Vietnam, a war that would polarise American society for decades.

1. The Falklands War

By the late 1970s, Britain faced economic lag, high unemployment, and a waning post‑imperial identity. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, after three years in office, had achieved little beyond tax cuts for the wealthy and austerity measures for the poor. On 2 April 1982, Argentine commandos seized the British‑held Falkland Islands, threatening Thatcher’s political standing.

Admiral Sir Henry Leach urged Thatcher to assemble a task force to retake the islands, despite the daunting logistics: the Falklands lay 13,000 km away, with a sub‑Antarctic winter looming, and the Royal Navy lacked modern expeditionary equipment, including airborne radar. The United States, Britain’s chief ally, opposed the operation.

Public anxiety grew as British warships—including the Sheffield, Coventry, Ardent, and Antelope—were sunk, and an Argentine air raid claimed 56 lives. Analysts later argued Argentina could have won by fortifying the islands and waiting for storms. Nonetheless, Britain prevailed, and Argentine forces surrendered on 14 June 1982.

The victory rescued Thatcher’s reputation, transformed her into the iconic “Iron Lady,” and restored Britain’s confidence as a global power. In Argentina, the defeat hastened the end of the military dictatorship and a return to democratic governance.

10. Military Gambles That Shaped Nations

From daring charges across open fields to high‑risk naval operations thousands of kilometres from home, these ten military gambles illustrate how bold decisions can rewrite history. Each gamble carried massive risk, but the outcomes—whether triumph or tragedy—proved decisive in shaping the world we live in today.

When we think of colonialism we usually picture armies, treaties, and governments marching in lockstep. Yet history also holds a handful of audacious individuals—much like Kipling’s fictional Dravot and Carnehan—who leapt into uncharted lands and tried, with varying degrees of success, to fashion their own sovereign realms. These ten private adventurers, driven by ambition, idealism, or perhaps a touch of madness, each left a curious imprint on the map.

10. Joseph William Torrey North Borneo

Born in Maine, Joseph Torrey was a restless soul who bounced between roles—clerk in Melbourne, journalist for the Boston Times, a Hong Kong shipping broker, and even vice‑consul in Siam. In 1864 he launched the American Trading Company of Borneo, securing a lease over a sizable tract of North Borneo and earning the title “Raja of Ambong and Maradu” from the Sultan of Brunei. He dispatched a handful of Americans and Chinese to found the settlement of Ellena, though he stayed behind, hunting for investors in Hong Kong.

Ellena quickly turned into a disaster. The overseer died of fever, the settlement ran out of cash to pay its Chinese laborers, and backers lost confidence. Within a year the colony was abandoned. Torrey returned in 1875 hoping to extend his lease, but eventually sold his rights to Baron Gustav von Overbeck, the Austro‑Hungarian consul. Overbeck’s lobbying failed, and the territory later slipped into British hands.

9. Walter Reinhardt Sombre The Principality Of Sardhana

Walter Reinhardt Sombre’s early life is a tangled web of nationalities—French, Swiss, German— and shifting allegiances. Some say he sailed to India in British service and defected to the French; others claim the reverse. Ultimately he entered the service of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, and in 1763 performed a grisly feat that cemented his notoriety.

During a war with the British, Mir Qasim ordered Sombre to eliminate a group of captives in Patna. Sombre invited 40 British officers to dinner, then slit their throats before slaughtering the rest, killing roughly 150 Europeans. He spent the next years evading British retaliation, eventually receiving control of the 620‑square‑kilometer Principality of Sardhana. There he and his partner, the Begum Sumru, ran a hybrid court of Indian nobles and European adventurers. After his 1778 death, the Begum ruled alone for 58 years until the British seized the land, prompting a later‑generation great‑grandson to launch a bizarre 37‑year legal saga.

8. Jeremiah Heaton The Kingdom Of North Sudan

Seven‑year‑old Emily Heaton wanted to be a princess, and her dad, Jeremiah—once a failed congressional hopeful—decided to make that dream a reality. After ruling out Antarctica due to international treaties, he set his sights on Bir Tawil, a 2,100‑square‑kilometer desert strip disputed between Sudan and Egypt. In June 2014 he trekked from Egypt across the harsh desert, planting a flag designed by his children and proclaiming the area the Kingdom of North Sudan.

Many dismissed the stunt as a whimsical family escapade, while critics called it a stark example of white privilege. Still, Heaton persists, outlining plans for desert agriculture, a Red‑Sea desalination pipeline, and an internet server farm to champion digital liberty. The story caught the eye of Disney and Morgan Spurlock, who considered turning it into a documentary or feature film.

7. Jules Gros Counani

In 1886 a cluster of French settlers in the demilitarised zone between Brazil and French Guiana declared an independent republic called Counani. They installed Parisian journalist Jules Gros as president. Gros, a former secretary of a geographic society and contributor to several magazines, was well‑known among the expatriate community, which comprised criminals, deserters, fugitive slaves, and a few traders.

Gros learned of his appointment via telegraph, only to be ousted shortly thereafter when a Counani official was caught trafficking contraband. Accusations of alcoholism flew, and the fledgling government revoked all of Gros’s authority. He tried repeatedly to reach his “nation” but died in 1891. Counani lingered, later attracting gold seekers in 1895 and a Swiss arbitration that awarded the area to Brazil.

6. John Baker The Republic Of Madawaska

Madawaska sat at the crossroads of Quebec, New Brunswick, and Maine—a lawless buffer where French Acadians fled British persecution after the French‑Indian War and American loyalists escaped the Revolution. The area’s borders were a mess, thanks to the vague Treaty of Paris and the chaotic aftermath of the War of 1812.

In 1827, American settler John Baker hoisted a flag reminiscent of the United States on July 4th and declared the Republic of Madawaska an independent American state. New Brunswick authorities promptly arrested and fined him, sparking a diplomatic flare‑up. Subsequent years saw a flood of land agents and census takers from both sides, many of whom were detained. The Treaty of Ghent’s negotiators failed to settle the dispute, allegedly because surveyors got drunk and navigated the wrong river. The Aroostook War of 1838—a lumberjack showdown—ended without bloodshed, and the 1842 Webster‑Ashburton Treaty finally fixed the border.

5. Jean‑Baptiste Dutrou‑Bornier The Kingdom Of Easter Island

Jean‑Baptiste Dutrou‑Bornier, a French artillery officer from the Crimean War, abandoned his family in the 1860s to wander the globe. After a brief arrest in Peru for gun‑smuggling, he spent years “recruiting” (likely slave‑trading) Pacific islanders for Tahitian plantations, which brought him into contact with Easter Island.

Burdened by gambling debts, Bornier settled permanently on the island in 1868 with a wild scheme: turn Rapa Nui into a massive sheep ranch. He bought land from the dwindling native population, deported many Rapa Nui people, and even kidnapped young women for his pleasure, provoking missionaries. He burned down the mission station, forced the clergy off the island, and crowned himself “King Onesime.” He married Princess Koreta—perhaps forcibly—claimed descent from the last Rapa Nui king, planted a vineyard, and lobbied France to make the island a protectorate, all to no avail.

Bornier’s reign ended abruptly in 1876 under mysterious circumstances: some say a horse‑fall injury, others claim murder by the remaining Rapa Nui. By the time he died, the island’s population had shrunk to a mere 111 souls.

4. William Augustus Bowles The State Of Muskogee

William Augustus Bowles enlisted as a Loyalist at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War at the tender age of 13, only to be expelled for insubordination in 1779. He then spent two years living among the Muskogee (Upper Creek) tribe, where a minor chief adopted him. After a fallout with chief Alexander McGillivray, Bowles fled, only to return a decade later when McGillivray lay on his deathbed.

Bowles seized the moment, striking at Spanish Florida, but was captured and shuffled through Cuban, Philippine, and Spanish prisons. He escaped, made his way to England, and secured royal backing for the Native cause. In 1799 he returned to Florida via the West Indies, where his native attire earned him minor celebrity. Declaring himself “Director‑General of the Creek and Cherokee Nations,” he later renamed the coalition Muskogee.

The Muskogee, resentful of American encroachment, rallied behind Bowles. He waged guerrilla warfare against Spain, fielding a ragtag force of Seminoles, Creeks, Black Seminoles, escaped slaves, and a few European outlaws. Armed by the British, they burned plantations, raided slave holdings, and even maintained a modest navy. However, U.S. agent Benjamin Hawkins, combined with the loss of British support after the 1802 Treaty of Amiens, weakened Bowles’s position. He tried a bold confrontation with Hawkins and tribal leaders, only to be handed over to the Spanish for a bounty.

3. Charles‑Marie David De Mayrena The Kingdom Of Sedang

Charles David, later styling himself Charles‑Marie David De Mayrena, was a career French soldier who fought in the conquest of Cochinchina and later in the Franco‑Prussian War. After a scandalous 1883 embezzlement charge, he fled, abandoning his wife and children, and initially aimed to fight in the Dutch‑Aceh War. Instead, he set up a plantation in central Vietnam, where accusations of gun‑running followed.

Venturing into the highlands, Mayrena, aided by two French missionaries, united several tribes into the “Kingdom of Sedang,” proclaiming himself King Marie I. He issued royal stationery, flags, postage stamps, and uniforms, granted interviews to bemused journalists, and wrote letters to foreign leaders, including the French president.

His kingdom was financially fragile. When funds dried up, Mayrena attempted to blackmail the French government by threatening to sell his realm to Britain, Siam, or Germany—an effort that backfired. After a brief stint in power, he returned to Europe to raise money, briefly re‑entered Asia in 1890 with weapons, but the French refused him re‑entry. He died under mysterious circumstances—rumors ranging from suicide to a duel to a venomous snakebite.

2. The Clunies‑Ross Kings The Cocos Islands

In the 1820s Scottish adventurer John Clunies‑Ross claimed the uninhabited Cocos Islands, a remote Indian Ocean archipelago about 3,000 km northwest of Perth. He imported a Malay workforce to plant coconuts and harvest copra, turning the islands into a thriving coconut‑oil enterprise. In 1886 Queen Victoria officially recognised the Ross family, granting them perpetual rights within the British Empire.

The Ross regime was relatively benign; many Malay workers settled permanently and raised families. However, the world eventually intruded. During World War I a telegraph station was built, attracting the German raider SMS Emden, whose distress call led to the Royal Australian Navy’s first victory when HMAS Sydney engaged and forced Emden ashore on North Keeling. World War II saw a brief Japanese bombardment, but the islands survived.

Post‑war, Australia assumed sovereignty, and in 1974 the UN condemned the Ross family’s feudal rule. Australia purchased the islands for $6.25 million in 1978, but legal battles over the Ross mansion drained the funds. The last king, Ross V, lives anonymously in suburban Perth, while his son remains on the islands, farming giant clams from a modest bungalow.

1. James Harden‑Hickey The Principality Of Trinidad

James Harden‑Hickey was born in San Francisco in 1854 and whisked to Paris by his French mother to escape the Gold Rush frenzy. Entranced by the opulence of Napoleon III’s court, he entered Saint‑Cyr military academy, graduating as a master swordsman, and later married a countess.

A fervent Bourbon monarchist, Harden‑Hickey penned novels, a treatise on suicide, and the incendiary magazine Triboulet, which landed him in dozens of lawsuits and a 300,000‑franc fine. After the death of his patron, the pretender Count Henri of Chambord, he fled France, married the heiress of American oil magnate John Flagler, and set sail worldwide.

During his travels he stumbled upon an uninhabited South Atlantic island named Trinidad (not to be confused with its Caribbean namesake). In 1891 he declared himself Prince of Trinidad, created a chivalric order, commissioned a crown, and claimed monopolies over guano, turtles, and rumored buried treasure. He sent a schooner of 300 coolies and began construction, but in 1895 British telegraph‑cable ships seized the island as a relay station, sparking a standoff with Brazil. Mocked by the press and denied further funding, Harden‑Hickey fell into despair and took his own life in an El Paso hotel in 1898, leaving behind his crown, flag, and a letter from filibuster Ralston Markowe offering him the Hawaiian throne.

10 Private Adventurers Overview

The saga of these ten private adventurers proves that the lure of nation‑building has always captivated bold, sometimes reckless, individuals. From the jungles of Borneo to the windswept cliffs of the Cocos Islands, each story blends ambition, intrigue, and the occasional tragedy—reminding us that the line between visionary and delusion is often as thin as a flag‑pole.

In this roundup of 10 quirky armies, the phrase “national army” usually brings to mind a massive, imposing, professional fighting force. If you’re familiar with modern militaries, you probably think of the big players—China, Germany, the United States, and so on. Yet several miniature nations maintain forces that don’t fit that conventional picture.

10 quirky armies: Tiny Forces Unveiled

10 Sized Finery

When Italy completed its unification in the 19th century, the process resembled a child’s Easter‑egg hunt—collecting every province and principality in sight. Yet one little gem slipped through the net: San Marino, the last surviving Italian city‑state, perched on a tiny Adriatic enclave surrounded on three sides by Italy. International accords left Italy responsible for defending its diminutive neighbour, but the Sammarinese still run a modest home‑grown force, as delicate and splendid as a painted egg.

Each branch of this micro‑army sports a distinct uniform. The Guard of the Rock, which doubles as border patrol and detective unit, dons a flamboyant double‑breasted green coat paired with bright red trousers. The Company of Uniformed Militia, the nation’s defensive corps, marches in dark‑blue garb trimmed with white sashes, epaulettes, and carries ceremonial muskets and swords. Meanwhile, the Grand and General Council’s personal guard—the Guard of the Council—wears dark‑blue tailcoats edged in gold, white gloves, and cocked hats topped with elaborate blue‑and‑white feather plumes, a look that frequently graces San Marino postcards.

The Crossbow Corps harkens back to the 1300s, when the crossbow was the cutting‑edge weapon of choice. Today, a volunteer troupe of roughly 70 men keeps the tradition alive, wearing medieval‑style tunics and puffed felt hats. Though the world has long outgrown crossbows, the corps still trains rigorously, and its members are surprisingly accurate marksmen, proving that old‑world skills can still shine.

9 Seychelles—The Afterthought Army

With a modest population of just 94,000 spread across 115 islands, Seychelles could easily be assumed to have a tiny army—and that’s correct. What might surprise you is that the nation’s entire defence effort is concentrated almost exclusively in its navy, because an archipelago simply can’t afford a conventional land force that would need to hitch rides on boats every time it wanted to move.

The officially‑named Coast Guard makes up the bulk of Seychelles’ 650‑strong defence personnel. It operates three patrol boats and four gunboats, providing sufficient coverage for the nation’s extensive coastline. This maritime agility even saw the Coast Guard safeguarding the privacy of Prince William and Princess Kate during their 2011 honeymoon.

Other branches receive far less attention. The air component consists of a mere four aircraft, none of which are combat‑capable, while the ground troops largely serve as presidential bodyguards. Nonetheless, the army has had moments of glory: in 1981 a handful of sailors repelled a band of mercenaries who had masqueraded as a beer‑club and briefly seized the main airport, turning a potential coup into a morale‑boosting triumph.

8 Again, Off-Again

Running a small army is an expensive proposition, and for cash‑strapped island nations the decision to maintain one can become a political seesaw. In the Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis have seen their defence force flicker in and out of existence like a faulty light bulb, depending on which party holds power.

After gaining independence from the United Kingdom in the late 20th century, the nation created a professional defence force in 1967. A change of government in 1981 led to its dissolution, leaving only a modest reserve component. When the original party returned to power in 1997, the army was resurrected. Today, the 350‑person Defence Force comprises a five‑vessel Coast Guard that intercepts drug traffickers and an infantry regiment consisting of just three rifle platoons, bolstered by reserves and a 150‑strong cadet corps.

In times of crisis, these reserves can be mobilised, but they risk finding the army disbanded again if political tides shift. The constant back‑and‑forth makes the force a fascinating case study in how democracy can shape military policy in miniature nations.

7 Cape Verde—The Drug‑Busters

When a tiny Atlantic island nation takes on a powerful drug cartel, the story reads like a Hollywood thriller. Cape Verde, an off‑shore republic west of Africa, has a National Guard of about 1,200 soldiers that once spearheaded a four‑year campaign—Operation Flying Launch—against cocaine traffickers.

Because the central Atlantic serves as a convenient stop‑over for South‑American cocaine en route to Europe, Cape Verde’s forces went undercover for two years, gathering intelligence and building a joint police‑military task force. In 2011 the operation culminated in a massive seizure that dismantled a major cartel, showcasing how a small nation can punch above its weight in the fight against illicit trade.

However, the victory came at a cost. In the years that followed, disgruntled traffickers launched retaliation attempts, and in 2016 a rogue National Guard soldier went on a shooting spree in a barracks, killing eight comrades—an incident that eliminated 0.6 % of the force in mere minutes.

6 Malta—Playing Armaments Bingo

Malta, an island home to fewer than 450,000 people, fields just under 2,000 military personnel. While the soldiers are largely home‑grown, the nation lacks a domestic arms industry, forcing it to rely on foreign donors for equipment—a situation that resembles a game of armaments bingo.

European Union allies, the United States, China, and other nations have supplied a motley collection of weapons, many of which are donated. The problem? The assorted gear rarely matches, creating logistical nightmares for ordnance officers who must juggle incompatible ammunition, spare parts, and electronic systems.

Beyond the procurement puzzle, the Armed Forces of Malta perform a kaleidoscopic mix of duties: combat readiness, border patrol, anti‑terrorism, medical evacuations, monetary transport, airport security, and even postal protection. Despite limited resources, Malta maintains a Quick Reaction Force ready for United Nations missions worldwide, proving that versatility can outweigh sheer firepower.

5 Monaco—We Few, We Overworked Few

The Principality of Monaco, the globe’s second‑smallest state, is famed for its glittering Monte Carlo casino and a resident wealth that dwarfs its size. Yet its military budget is modest, supporting a microscopic force that could easily be missed amid the casino crowds.

Monaco’s armed contingent splits into two units: the Prince’s Carabiniers, about 116 strong, protect the sovereign and his palace; and the Corps des Sapeurs‑Pompiers, a 135‑person fire‑and‑rescue service that also performs military duties. Together they total roughly 251 personnel across 15 possible ranks—no higher than colonel—making it a rare example of a force where the number of generals could arguably outnumber privates.

The Carabiniers and firemen wear multiple hats: the former run motorcycle escorts, ambulance services, scuba teams, a brass ensemble, trumpeters, a marching band, and even a full orchestra. Meanwhile, the firemen double as paramedics, hazardous‑material responders, and search‑and‑rescue specialists. Whether they ever get a full night’s sleep remains a mystery.

4 The Vatican—A Smattering Of Swiss

When the Pope ruled over the sprawling Papal States, he commanded a sizable army. After Italy’s unification reduced the Vatican to a 110‑acre enclave, its military contracted to the iconic Pontifical Swiss Guard, a 100‑man unit tasked with protecting the Holy See.

The Guard’s lineage is among the oldest continuously operating military formations. Its storied past includes participation in the 1571 Battle of Lepanto and a heroic stand in 1527 that saved the Pope from marauding troops. By the 19th century, however, the Guard had slipped into a largely ceremonial role.

A 20th‑century commander revitalised the corps, redesigning its flamboyant Renaissance‑style uniform—blue, red, and yellow shirts, plumed helmets, and ornate armor—and updating its armament to include pistols, rifles, and sub‑machine guns for modern contingencies. Admission remains strict: single male Swiss citizens, aged 19‑30, at least 174 cm tall, with completed Swiss Army basic training and a clean record, all of whom must be Catholic.

3 The Comoros—Outnumbered By The Police

The Union of the Comoros, a trio of islands between Madagascar and mainland Africa, houses nearly 800,000 citizens. Despite that population, its standing army is tiny, eclipsed by a police force of about 500 officers.

Political instability fuels the army’s modest size. Each island enjoys semi‑autonomous status with its own constitution and president, and the rotating presidency of the union often leads to coups, attempted coups, and assassinations. Since independence from France in 1975, the nation only achieved a peaceful transfer of power in 2006. To prevent any single faction from amassing too much military strength, the army is split among several reporting lines.

The Comoros also fields a modest air security force with just four aircraft, while the police operate six. In 2007, when the president of Anjouan refused to step down, the national force launched an amphibious landing, supported by African Union troops, to restore order. The private army of the dissenting president, though numbering several hundred, largely deserted, allowing the tiny Comorian military to quell the crisis without a single casualty.

2 Ins

Grenada, a seven‑island Caribbean nation, entered the global stage in the early 1980s when a Communist‑backed coup prompted a brief U.S. invasion in 1983. After the conflict, the island dismantled its traditional army, leaving a modest defence structure.

Today, Grenada fields a 30‑person Coast Guard and an 800‑strong police service. The real paramilitary capability rests with the Special Services Unit (SSU), an 80‑member elite squad within the police. If spread across the islands, these troops could only field about ten personnel per island.

Grenada relies heavily on regional partners for defence and receives training assistance from the United States. The SSU now focuses more on weapons disposal than combat; in 2013 it publicly destroyed over 140 obsolete firearms that had languished in armories for decades.

1 Andorra—The Dependable Dozen

Andorra, a speck of a mountain nation nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, boasts a population just shy of 80,000. By law, every native male aged 21 to 60 must be ready to serve, and households are even instructed to keep a rifle at home, creating a theoretical mobilisation potential in the thousands.

In reality, the permanent standing army numbers a mere twelve soldiers, all officers or non‑commissioned officers. The rank‑and‑file would be drafted from the civilian populace only in a crisis that has never arisen in modern times. Consequently, the cadre’s day‑to‑day duties are almost entirely ceremonial, appearing at official events to present the national flag.

The force lives on voluntary donations, and its modest budget has even led to amusing oversights—Andorra accidentally remained at war with Germany from 1914 until 1958 because nobody filed a peace treaty. With such a lean structure, the entire army could comfortably fit on an airport shuttle, though a traffic jam would leave the nation defenseless.

Everyone has done at least one thing they regret or wish everyone would forget. The same applies to nations. Nations that have existed for centuries or millenniums are bound to have a few skeletons in the closet that they wish everyone would just ignore. But unfortunately, some things are easier to forget than others.

Here are 10 historic events that nations would rather you forget.

10 Afghan Withdrawal

One of the most recent historical events that various nations wish you would forget is the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. While multiple countries were involved in the withdrawal, the United States has shouldered the highest burden for what’s been deemed a complete and utter failure.

The decision had been in 2020 to withdraw troops from the Middle Eastern country. However, things were complicated when administrations changed, reneging on the 2020 deal to give them more time to do it correctly. But, as we know, things didn’t go as planned. Intelligence had always predicted the Taliban would manage to win back power in the country; they just didn’t realize it would take a matter of days. 

As soon as troops began withdrawing, the situation deteriorated instantaneously. The Taliban made tremendous ground in rural regions and began attacking key cities. While trained by the US military, Afghan forces could not stop the assault due to low morale, loss of US airstrikes, and internal distrust. When Kabul was attacked, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani fled the country. We’d soon see thousands of Afghan citizens trying to escape and taking drastic measures to achieve freedom. Some attempts were fatal, and who could forget the images of people hanging onto aircraft carriers as they departed the country? 

The 20-year war was over, but it left behind a country in dire shape and on the verge of collapse. The US was severely bruised by a largely unsuccessful war and messy retreat.

9 Italy’s Involvement In World War II

When we think of World War II, it’s hard not to immediately focus on Germany for obvious reasons. However, we rarely talk about Italy’s involvement in the war, which lands on the wrong side of history. 

In June 1940, Italy officially joined the war, but they were on Germany’s side. The prime minister, Benito Mussolini, sided with who was winning, hoping he’d get a slice of the conquered lands?. They immediately began fighting in Germany’s war, but the Franco-German armistice ended their efforts in the French Alps almost immediately. By October, Mussolini would invade Greece, which ended poorly after Germany had to bail out the Italian forces and take Greece by force themselves. 

Italy’s involvement in World War II was abysmal. Mussolini’s war efforts were hampered by unfit generals, low morale, scarce supplies, lack of weapons, and the fury of the allies. Moreover, by aligning Italy with Adolf Hitler, Mussolini created the pretext for his own downfall. By 1943, Italy was in a dire position. They were being bombed constantly, morale had plummeted, and confidence in the regime was non-existent. The allies eventually invaded Sicily in July 1943, Mussolini was ousted on July 25, and Pietro Badoglio took over. 

Citizens took to the streets, tearing down statues of Mussolini and other fascist symbols. Eventually, Badoglio joined the allies. However, Germany continued fighting, now taking Italy by force, resulting in a two-year-long campaign for power in Italy. The war ended in 1945, and while Germany bears the mark of war and will continue to bear it, Italy’s role in the early years of WWII hasn’t been forgotten. 

8 Japan’s Attack on Pearl Harbor

Japan was another victim of choosing the wrong side of history during World War 2. Japan and the United States hadn’t been allies well before the war, and in some aspects, they were veering into war themselves. Japan was a belligerent nation at the time, unlike the Japan we know today. They sought to expand the empire, so they declared war on China in 1937. The US responded aggressively with economic sanctions, trade embargos, and other diplomatic measures. The thinking was that these efforts would force the Japanese to a ceasefire and give up their expansion ambitions; it had the opposite effect. It made the Japanese more determined to win. 

The relationship between the two countries was ugly going into the war. Now it was at a breaking point. An early assumption was made that the likelihood of a Japanese attack was imminent, but where it might happen was debated. One location almost never considered was far from the US mainland in Hawaii: the Pearl Harbor naval base. The lack of consideration of Pearl Harbors’ potential attack meant the base was completely unprepared. 

On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese at 7:55 a.m. It took the entire area by surprise. There had been concerns about a fleet of planes heading toward Pearl Harbor. Still, those concerns were quelled when commanders believed it was likely just US B-17 bombers flying in the area, making it nothing to be concerned about. 

The attack on Pearl Harbor only lasted an hour and fifteen minutes. Nevertheless, it was enough time for 353 Japanese aircrafts to kill 2,403 US personnel and some civilians, wound an additional 1,178, damage or destroy 19 US Navy ships (with three being completely destroyed), and shake the nation to its core. The flagrant attack prompted retaliation from the US. While things are far different today, December 7 remains a day that lives in infamy. 

7 Chernobyl

In 1986, former soviet state Ukraine experienced the worst nuclear power disaster in history. It was on April 25 when technicians attempted a safety test to validate the plant’s emergency water cooling systems. The test aimed to determine if the emergency water cooling systems would work in the event of a power outage. Unfortunately, the situation deteriorated rapidly. 

Preparations for the safety test began in the early hours of April 25. At 2:00 p.m., they disabled reactor 4’s emergency core cooling system. Due to delays, they were eventually granted permission to continue the safety test. However, this delay meant it left the safety test in the hands of an inexperienced night shift. 

Once they started the test, they further reduced power creating unstable conditions. The hour later, this resulted in reactor 4’s core exploding. The fire caused by the explosion resulted in uranium fuel overheating and melting through protective barriers. The operators of the safety test ignored automatic safety systems assuming the system didn’t understand the safety test.

The disaster began at 1:23 a.m. Immediately officials misled or downplayed the disaster. The fires were extinguished by 6:35, except for the reactor core blaze, which continued for days following the disaster. Soviet officials began evacuating Pripyat on April 27. It was eventually internationally recognized that 31 people died. This does not include the estimated 125,000 who died due to the effects of Chornobyl radiation.

Chornobyl was a disaster caused by flawed reactor designs and inadequately trained personnel. At a time when the USSR was in dire shape, this was a financial blow to the regime and what Gorbachev credits as the catalyst to the USSR’s collapse. 

6 The Fall of Saigon

When the Afghanistan Withdrawal in 2021 was unfolding, many began drawing comparisons to another hasty exit from a failed war: Saigon. The Vietnam War had a long history in the US and was ongoing for decades over the course of four separate presidents. However, a fifth president laid the foundation for US involvement. Harry Truman wasn’t the president to send an entire infantry into war during the fall of French colonial control, but he was heavily funding their efforts. However, the fall of colonial rule and the rise of communism in Asia prompted  Eisenhower to throw his full support on South Vietnam, even if their leaders ambitions would eventually contradict America’s values.

For decades the US sent troops, military aid, intelligence, and training capabilities to Vietnam. President Kennedy had increased these measures to ensure Vietnam wouldn’t fall, fearing the domino effect of countries falling to communism. In the 1950s, troop presence was less than 800 troops; by 1962, that number shot up to 9000.

President after president would deal with the Vietnam war more out of fear of failure than a belief that they’d win. Nobody wanted the blame, and so it kept going. When Nixon was president, he oversaw some of the most devastating aspects of the war. While he was reducing troops, he was dropping an unprecedented amount of bombs all over Northern Vietnam and Cambodia. 

As Nixon’s presidency was crumbling under the weight of Watergate, the US would negotiate and sign a peace treaty for all sides of the war. However, after US troops left in March 1973, the communist broke the treaty seeing cracks in the United State’s ability to respond. As a result, they took over the country. The US left the world with a harrowing and infamous image of US personnel making a hasty retreat as a country fell to communism after decades of war.

5 Weapons of Mass Destruction In Iraq

It was March 19, 2003 when the US and a smattering of allies entered into war with Iraq. Then-President George W. Bush had made his intentions in the Middle Eastern country public for months. On February 5 of the same year, Secretary of State Colin Powell was at the UN giving a speech that outlined the US objectives and reasoning for invading Iraq. There was only one problem, a lot of what he was saying was either misleading or just an outright lie. 

The Bush administration had an internal effort led by Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to remove Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. Granted, the international community didn’t view Hussein fondly, but that didn’t necessarily justify the invasion efforts. Instead, Bush was using the 9/11 attacks to embark on the ‘War on Terror.’ In the case of Iraq, he was also using incomplete or inconsistent evidence or poorly backed-up assumptions of a ‘ massive stockpile of biological weapons’ to justify the forthcoming invasion. With this lie, many more would be piled on over the next half a decade. 

While the war in Iraq ended in 2011, less than a decade after it began, questions and criticism linger. In 2016, The UK government released The Chilcot Report. This was a report seven years in the making and examined the decision, necessity, and consequences of the invasion. The evidence all pointed to an obvious truth, it was not only a complete disaster, but if anything, it potentially made the region more unstable. At the end of the day, the evidence is hard to deny; the war wasn’t necessary, and the end results were disastrous. In many cases, the last two decades of foreign policy decisions made by the US have been some of their worst.

4 USSR Failed Afghanistan Invasion

While we focus squarely on the more recent attempts to invade Afghanistan, we often don’t talk much about how it’s been attempted several times before by both the British and the USSR. All attempts to invade and conquer Afghanistan have ultimately failed. 

In 1979, under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty, the USSR invaded Afghanistan. They invaded in the dead of night, arriving in Kabul at midnight via a military airlift. They brought an estimated three divisions of 8,500 men each and 280 transport aircraft. Initially, the Soviets had some early success when they secured Kabul, ridding the country of its government and installing a puppet leader. However, over the course of a near-decade invasion, they’d ultimately fail spectacularly in the middle eastern country.  

The Afghan people, particularly resistance fighters known as mujahideen, were not interested in Soviet rule and saw it as a defilement of Islam. The mujahideen used guerilla tactics against the Soviets by attacking quickly before disappearing into the mountains. This made the conflict far more complicated and drawn out for the Soviets, who’d hoped it would be a swift takeover.

The war would continue into the late 80s with the United States arming the resistance, which aligned with their anti-soviet position. Finally, when Mikhail Gorbachev was announced as the new Soviet leader, he pulled out of the conflict realizing its futile nature. By 1988 they began withdrawing, with the last Soviet soldier leaving on February 15 1989. This failed war’s results were catastrophic for the USSR’s public relations and finances. In large part, it was the pretext for the USSR’s collapse. Still, worst of all, it was the catalyst for the breeding ground of terrorism that Afghanistan became with the Rise of Osama bin Laden.

3 The US Drops Nuclear Bombs on Japan

In modern times, the United States and Japan are allies, but during World War 2, their relationship wasn’t nearly as friendly. Obviously, this was made obvious by Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. So, of course, we could view the dropping of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as retaliation for Pearl Harbor. Still, it was more complicated than just revenge.

The US had been working on nuclear weapons long before the attack on Pearl Harbor due to Ally’s concerns about Nazi Germany’s research in the field. When the Allied powers defeated Nazi Germany, Japan vowed to fight until the bitter end. While Japan had been confronted with demands to end the war, they rejected the notion of surrender. President Harry Truman decided that in the face of stiff opposition from the Japanese, he chose to use a nuclear bomb in hopes it might end the war once and for all. His secretary of war, General Eisenhower, and scientists of the infamous Manhattan Project opposed this idea.

On August 6, 1945, Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima. It was the first city to ever be hit with a nuclear bomb. It took 45 seconds to descend and caused widespread devastation to the industrial city. 70,000 citizens were killed instantly, while more succumbed to radiation poisoning. 

A few days later, on August 9 1945, another bomb was dropped, titled ‘Fat Man.’ It was dropped in Nagasaki, an urban area divided into two coastal valleys. 40,000 people died instantly, while an additional 30,000 more were estimated to succumb to injuries and radiation poisoning. 

On August 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered soon after Nagasaki was hit. However, the US was left with a controversial scar of using the first iterations of this weapon of mass destruction on what is now an ally.

2 Armenian Genocide of 1915

In 2021, US President Joe Biden called the 1915 slaughter of about 600,000 Armenians a genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire, which is now Turkey. No president had ever called it a genocide. Doing so was unexpected, considering Turkey’s NATO status and the already fractured relationship between the two allies. Turkey was quick to respond, rejecting the US President’s proclamation. Still, this story got a lot of attention. It brought attention to a horrific aspect of the waning days of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. 

In 1915, about 2.5 million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire. They were concentrated around six provinces in Eastern Anatolia. The Armenians were no strangers to ill-treatment by their Muslim neighbors and countrymen. They were often subjected to violence and land, property, or livestock seizure. 

This imbalance in the Ottoman Empire between Muslims and Armenians eventually resulted in separate factions calling for different solutions. Young Armenian activists sought an independent state, while a coalition of reform groups known as the Young Turks led a revolution against the Ottoman authoritarian regime. They ended up taking power, and while looking to change the Ottoman Empire for the better, they soon slipped into authoritarianism. 

In March 1914, the Young Turks sided with Germany in the war and attacked to the east in what would be a brutal failed attack against the Russian forces in Caucuses. The blame was shifted to the Armenians, which started a campaign against them, resulting in genocide. The death toll is still debated to this day. Some estimates are in the 600,000s, some as high as 1.2 million. The Ottoman Empire fell in 1922, but this stain has stuck with an independent Turkey for over a century.

1 The Collapse of the USSR

The Fall of the USSR is considered an embarrassment by many Russians, including its current president, Vladimir Putin. The Soviet Union began in the 1920s with Marxist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin. It was born out of revolution against the Romanov monarchy and, in the coming decades, would become a powerful Marxist-communist state occupying nearly a sixth of the globe’s land surface. 

When Lenin died in 1924, a new leader took his place: Joseph Stalin. He’d control the USSR for just shy of three decades before his death in 1953. His time in power saw the USSR becoming a military and industrial superpower. However, it also saw the consolidation of critical industries, leading to food shortages and widespread famine and death. This was all happening against the backdrop of an international feud.

At the end of WW2, the USSR denigrated its alliance with the US and Great Britain. With the formation of NATO in 1949, tensions only intensified. Democracies feared the spread of communism, and the threat of nuclear disaster was ever-present. When the USSR consolidated power amongst the eastern bloc countries, it set off the Cold War and decades of tensions between the superpowers.   

Come 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the figurehead of the USSR. He sought to reform a flailing nation that had lost its way. Many of Gorbachev’s policy changes took the USSR away from its deep communist roots and undid much of Stalin’s legacy. 

It was becoming clear that the Soviet Union was falling apart, and Gorbachev knew rejoining the international community was the only way to save it. But this admission led to an attempted military coup against Gorbachev in 1991. During this period, the parliament leader, Boris Yeltsin, was instrumental in preventing a coup. He eventually allowed Ukraine and Belarus to seek independence from the Soviet Union. Not long after, the nine remaining republics also declared independence. On Christmas Day 1991, Gorbachev resigned, and the Soviet Union had officially fallen.