When you think of history class, you probably picture dates, battles, and famous leaders. But the real storybook is packed with quirky, off‑the‑radar details that never made the textbook. Below are the top 10 facts that would have made any lecture hall buzz with curiosity. Grab a seat, because we’re about to uncover the hidden gems that shaped our world.

10 Saddam Hussein’s Key To Detroit

“He was [a] very kind person, very generous, very cooperative with the West,” recalled Reverend Jacob Yasso of Detroit’s Chaldean Sacred Heart. The Chaldean faith, a Catholic offshoot, is practiced by tens of thousands of Middle‑Eastern Americans, even though the broader Iraqi population is predominantly Muslim.

The figure in question? None other than Saddam Hussein.

In 1979, Yasso congratulated Hussein on his ascent to the presidency, and the Iraqi leader promptly contributed $250,000 to the church. The following year, Yasso traveled to Iraq as an honored guest. With Detroit’s mayor’s blessing, he presented Hussein with the ceremonial key to the city.

Hussein’s reply was swift: “I heard there was a debt on your church. How much is it?” He then donated an additional $200,000. Years later, Yasso’s view shifted dramatically, stating, “The job the United States trusted to him is done. Now he’s no good.”

9 Al Capone’s One Mistake

Al Capone ruled Chicago’s underworld during the roaring 1920s, controlling bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and virtually every illicit venture the city offered.

The FBI was aware of his empire, yet none of his activities fell under federal jurisdiction, leaving local police to fumble while the city’s criminal kingpin thrived.

Everything changed in 1929 when Capone was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury. He claimed illness prevented his appearance, but agents quickly located him enjoying a sunny day in Miami, perfectly healthy.

That false excuse earned him a contempt of court citation, and although he was briefly jailed, he was released on bond. The citation set the stage for the government’s next move.

When the case finally went to trial, a federal judge sentenced Capone to six months in prison for contempt. This window gave Treasury agents enough time to compile evidence that Capone had neglected to pay his income taxes, sealing his downfall.

8 The Longest War In History

The strangest protracted conflict began in 1651 when the Dutch, engaged with Royalist forces, pushed the enemy back to the Isles of Scilly. Seeking reparations, the Dutch dispatched warships to the islands.

The effort fell flat, prompting Admiral Maarten Tromp to formally declare war on the Scilly Isles—though it remains unclear whether he possessed the authority to do so.

After a swift three‑month campaign that forced the Royalists to surrender, the Dutch fleet returned home, entirely forgetting to sign a peace treaty with the islands.

The oversight lingered unnoticed for more than three centuries until 1985, when local historian Roy Duncan contacted the Dutch embassy about the lingering state of war.

Documentary evidence revealed that, technically, the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly had been at war for 335 years. In response, Dutch ambassador Rein Huydecoper signed a peace agreement on April 17, 1986, finally ending the bloodless, forgotten longest war in history.

7 The Shortest War In History

A mysterious death, a dubious succession, and a British colonial presence created the perfect recipe for a flash conflict in 1896.

Hamad bin Thuwaini, the British‑backed Sultan of Zanzibar, died suddenly on August 25. Rumors suggested his cousin Khalid bin Barghash poisoned him, and Barghash promptly seized the palace and declared himself sultan without British approval.

Basil Cave, the British consul, objected and summoned nearby warships for support. While awaiting permission to fire, Barghash mustered a surprisingly well‑armed force.

At 9:00 a.m. on August 27, Cave ordered the bombardment of the palace. By 9:02 a.m., Barghash’s troops were decimated and the palace began to crumble. By 9:40 a.m., the Sultan’s flag was lowered, and the British ceased fire. In just 38 minutes, the shortest war in recorded history concluded.

6 The Pope’s Erotic Novel

Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini, a celebrated Renaissance author, penned an erotic epistolary novel titled The Tale of Two Lovers. The work opens with a quotation from Virgil’s Aeneid and weaves a love story between Euryalus, an assistant to the Duke of Austria, and Lucretia, a married woman, filled with vivid, sensual imagery.

The novel’s explicit content contributed to its widespread popularity, making it a scandalous yet beloved read of its era.

Piccolomini later ascended to the papacy as Pope Pius II. As pontiff, he condemned slavery, supported crusades, and initiated one of Europe’s earliest city‑planning projects.

Despite his ecclesiastical duties, he never abandoned his literary passion. His autobiography, Commentaries, remains his most acclaimed work, and his erotic novel continued to circulate after his election, delighting readers with the novelty of a pope‑authored love story.

5 The Hatchet‑Wielding Prohibitionist

Born in Kentucky in 1846, Carrie A. Moore endured a tumultuous early life. Her first husband was an alcoholic who could not support their newborn, and he died six months after the child’s birth.

After marrying preacher David Nation, Carrie immersed herself in the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and began working with prisoners, where she concluded that alcohol was the root of many inmates’ woes.

She launched a crusade against illegal bars in Kansas, standing outside establishments while loudly singing hymns and praying to deter patrons.

One day, believing she received a divine message, Carrie resorted to violence: she hurled bricks at saloons, and a fellow activist handed her a hatchet, which she wielded to smash liquor supplies.

Standing six feet tall, Carrie Nation quickly captured national attention. The WCTU awarded her a medallion inscribed, “To the Bravest Woman in Kansas.” In 1903, she officially changed her name to “Carry A Nation,” declaring her mission to “Carry A Nation for Prohibition.” Though she never lived to see the Eighteenth Amendment enacted, her relentless activism paved the way for the ban on alcohol production and sale, as well as the Nineteenth Amendment granting women the right to vote.

4 The Oneida Society

Ever wonder where your stainless‑steel flatware comes from? The answer traces back to the Oneida Community, a 19th‑century religious commune founded in 1848 by John Humphrey Noyes after he left Vermont amid accusations of adultery.

Noyes, a Yale Divinity School student, established a communal society based on Perfectionism. He recruited about 300 members who lived under a system of complete communism, practicing “complex marriage,” where every man was married to every woman and children were raised collectively.

Monogamy was frowned upon, and younger members were introduced to the “holy pleasures of the flesh” by designated elders. Outsiders, dubbing the group “The World,” condemned the commune’s practices as immoral.

In 1881, the Oneida Community dissolved under external pressure. Its legacy survived in the form of Oneida Ltd., which grew into the nation’s largest stainless‑steel cutlery manufacturer, uniquely maintaining a U.S. factory for flatware production.

3 The Cat Telephone

In 1929, Princeton researchers Ernest Wever and Charles Bray turned a live cat into a functional telephone. They surgically implanted an electrode into the cat’s right auditory nerve and another into a different part of its body.

The electrodes were linked via cable to a vacuum‑tube amplifier, which amplified the neural signals and transmitted them to a telephone receiver located in a separate, sound‑proof room.

According to the scientists, “Speech was transmitted with great fidelity; simple commands, counting, and the like were easily received.” The setup even served as a communication link between operating and sound‑proof rooms under optimal conditions.

To verify that the system’s success wasn’t a fluke, Wever and Bray euthanized the cat. As the animal’s life ceased, the transmitted sound faded, confirming that the telephone’s functionality depended on the cat’s living neural activity.

2 The Dancing Plague Of Strasbourg

In July 1518, the streets of Strasbourg, France, witnessed an inexplicable phenomenon: Frau Troffea began dancing wildly without any music. Initially, onlookers laughed and cheered, but the spectacle turned eerie when she refused to stop, dancing day and night for six consecutive days.

The frenzy proved contagious. Within a week, 34 people joined her; by the end of the month, the crowd swelled to around 400 dancers. At the height of the outbreak, 15 participants died daily from heart attacks, strokes, or sheer exhaustion.

The municipal authorities attempted to manage the crisis by constructing a makeshift dance floor and hiring musicians, hoping the dancers would finally tire out. Instead, these measures only encouraged more people to join the mania.

After a month of relentless movement, the dancing abruptly ceased, and the afflicted returned home. Scholars remain divided over the cause, with many attributing the epidemic to social stressors of the era rather than a medical disorder.

1 The Great Emu War

In 1932, Australia declared war on an unlikely adversary: the emu. Western Australian wheat farmers, struggling through the Great Depression, found their crops ravaged by migrating emus during the birds’ breeding season.

The birds feasted on the wheat, spoiled what they didn’t eat, and tore holes in fences, threatening the farmers’ livelihoods. In response, the government dispatched the military.

Minister of Defense Sir George Pearce approved the operation, and Major G.P.W. Meredith of the Seventh Heavy Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery led a contingent armed with machine guns to hunt the birds.

However, the emus employed guerrilla tactics, scattering into small groups that rendered the soldiers’ firearms largely ineffective. After a series of futile engagements, the Australian forces admitted defeat, holstered their guns, and retreated.

Subsequent requests for military assistance in 1934, 1943, and 1948 were denied, leaving the farmers to devise alternative solutions. The episode remains a legendary example of a well‑intentioned but ultimately unsuccessful wildlife control effort.

If you’ve ever wanted to waste a few hours on a mind‑boggling challenge, try finding a single day in world history when no war was raging anywhere. It’s almost impossible, and most scholars agree that true global peace has never existed. So, while humanity has been embroiled in endless conflict, countless individuals—some of them wildly unexpected—have been formally enlisted into armed forces. Below are ten of the most astonishing formally enlisted soldiers you probably never imagined.

10 Formally Enlisted Oddities

10 Wojtek Was a Soldier in the Polish Army… and Also a Bear

Animals have been part of warfare since time immemorial—think of horses, war elephants, and modern‑day military dogs. Yet, most of these creatures never receive an actual service record. A few, however, climb the ranks and earn official titles.

A Syrian brown bear affectionately called Wojtek was granted the rank of private in the Polish army during the Second World War. The bear’s story began when a group of Polish POWs discovered the cub in Iran while trekking from Siberia toward Egypt. They adopted the bear, feeding and caring for it, and later escorted it to Italy where the unit fought alongside the Allies.

Wojtek grew up alongside the soldiers, picking up some decidedly human habits—he learned to puff on cigarettes and sip beer, though such vices are questionable for a bear. He also became adept at hauling ammunition boxes on the front lines, though later accounts suggest he was mostly moving spent shells rather than live rounds.

The bear mastered the basics of military life: he could salute, march in formation, and even joined in games of soccer and boxing matches. He unofficially served as the company’s morale officer, and the unit adopted a logo depicting a bear clutching an artillery shell. Wojtek’s dedication earned him a promotion to corporal.

After the war, the unit relocated to Scotland, and Wojtek settled onto a farm, continuing to frolic with his former comrades. He spent his remaining years in the Scottish countryside, enjoying the occasional cigarette and a pint of beer before passing away peacefully.

9 A Six‑Year‑Old Girl Was Enlisted in the Royal Navy in Australia

The armed forces of any nation are bound by an endless web of regulations, codes, and procedural red tape. Occasionally, the absurdity of these rules can be turned on its head.

In 1920, the Australian Navy enforced a strict policy barring women from setting foot on a warship. The regulations specified that “civilians” could not board, effectively excluding females. This rule was put to the test when six‑year‑old Nancy Bentley suffered a venomous snake bite.

Nancy’s father, desperate for medical help, rowed his daughter to the docked HMAS Sydney and pleaded for assistance. Captain Hayley recognized that while the regulations prohibited treating a civilian child on board, a sailor could receive medical aid.

To circumvent the rule, the captain formally enlisted Nancy into the Royal Navy, assigning her the rank of “mascot.” She received urgent first‑aid treatment and was soon transferred to a proper hospital in Hobart. After eight days of service, she was formally discharged, having survived the ordeal.

8 Just Nuisance Was an Official Sailor in the Royal Navy

Dogs have earned medals for bravery and saved countless lives during wartime, but few have been officially recognized as members of a navy.

Just Nuisance, a massive Great Dane from Simon’s Town, South Africa, spent his days lounging on the gangplank of HMS Neptune. Standing on his hind legs, he measured an impressive 6.6 feet, making him a literal nuisance to navigate around, which inspired his nickname.

The dog’s desire to accompany sailors on shore leave led to a conflict with railway officials who refused to transport him, even sending threatening letters to his owner. The sailors, unwilling to lose their beloved mascot, escalated the issue up the chain of command.

The Commander‑in‑Chief of the Royal Navy intervened, officially enlisting Just Nuisance. This clever move granted him free rail travel, sidestepping the fare dispute. His enlistment paperwork listed his first name as “Just” (since the field couldn’t be left blank), and he even signed his medical exam with a paw print. He entered service as an Ordinary Seaman and was later promoted to Able Seaman.

Tragically, at the age of seven, Nuisance suffered an accident that led the Navy to euthanize him. He received full military honors, including a firing party from the Royal Marines, cementing his place in naval history.

7 William Windsor Was a Goat in the British Army

While some animals climb the military ladder, not every four‑legged soldier enjoys a smooth promotion track.

William Windsor, affectionately known as Billy, served as a Lance Corporal with the First Battalion, Royal Welsh. During a 2006 parade honoring the Queen, Billy failed to keep step with the troops, a breach of ceremonial protocol.

As a result, the goat was demoted to the rank of Fusilier. Despite this setback, Billy remains part of a long tradition of regimental goats, a custom dating back to Queen Victoria’s era, when a goat allegedly led Welsh soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill. In 2022, a new goat named Lance Corporal Shenkin stood beside the proclamation of King Charles, continuing the storied lineage.

6 Donald Duck Was an Army Sergeant

Animals in the armed forces aren’t unheard of, but an animated character taking a formal commission is a whole new level of quirky.

Donald Duck, famously depicted in sailor attire since 1934, was officially drafted into the United States Army in 1941. By 1942, he starred in a series of military cartoons produced by Disney as part of the U.S. propaganda effort during World War II, helping fund the war effort and boost morale.

Beyond his cartoon appearances, Donald received honorary memberships in the Navy and Marine Corps, and his likeness even adorned the side of several aircraft. In 1984, fifty years after his initial enlistment, the Army’s director of staff presented him with formal discharge papers, officially releasing him from service after a final promotion to Sergeant.

5 Calvin Graham Joined the US Navy at Age Twelve

Calvin Graham holds the distinction of being the youngest veteran in United States history, enlisting in the Navy at just twelve years old.

After leaving home at eleven, Calvin survived on newspaper sales and became obsessed with wartime news. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he shaved his face, faked a deeper voice, and forged a set of documents—including a notarized signature from his mother—to appear old enough for enlistment.

He was assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota as an anti‑aircraft gunner, where he helped shoot down twenty‑six Japanese planes during the Guadalcanal campaign. The ship later sustained heavy damage, and Calvin suffered shrapnel injuries but survived and continued to aid his crewmates.

When his mother saw footage of the ship’s return, she contacted the Navy to inquire about her son’s service. The Navy responded by stripping Calvin of his medals, issuing a dishonorable discharge, and placing him in the brig. It wasn’t until 1977, after years of hardship and additional service, that President Jimmy Carter overturned the discharge and restored his honors.

4 Momcilo Gavric Was a Soldier at Age Eight

Child soldiers are a grim reality of many conflicts, but few stories are as astonishing as that of Momcilo Gavric, who joined the Serbian army at the tender age of eight.

When World War I erupted, Momcilo’s entire village was overrun, and his family was slaughtered. Orphaned and alone, he trekked to the nearest Serbian military unit. Moved by his tragic tale, the army officially accepted him into their ranks.

He was tasked with firing a cannon three times a day to avenge his family’s loss. Throughout the war, Momcilo endured numerous battles, sustained injuries, and rose to the rank of Corporal. At twelve, when hostilities ceased, his commanding officer instructed him to travel to London to complete his education.

3 Jean Thurel Was a French Soldier for Nearly a Century

Most people picture soldiers as young, vigorous individuals, but some defy that stereotype by serving well into their golden years.

Jean Thurel, a French infantryman, earned the Médallion des Deux Épées three times—a distinction awarded for twenty‑four years of exemplary service. He enlisted in 1716 at age eighteen and fought in four separate wars. Remarkably, he remained on active duty until 1804, when he was a spry 106 years old.

2 Monte Gould Was America’s Oldest Basic Training Graduate

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Boot camp is typically the domain of fresh‑out‑of‑high‑school recruits, but Monte Gould proved age is just a number.

A veteran of both the Marine Corps and Army Reserve, Monte finally tackled the modern Basic Combat Training (BCT) course in 2020 at the age of fifty‑nine. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class, demonstrating that experience and discipline can outshine youthful vigor. Gould noted that while he breezed through the training, attempting the same regimen today would be far beyond his capabilities.

1 The Mormon Battalion Was the Only Faith‑Based Regiment

Faith and military service have often intersected, but usually in a pragmatic, non‑sectarian fashion. The United States, however, fielded a uniquely religious unit during the mid‑nineteenth century.

In 1846, a group of migrating Mormons appealed directly to President James K. Polk, offering to assist in defending and fortifying the western frontier in exchange for governmental aid. Polk approved the proposal, authorizing the formation of a five‑hundred‑man battalion to fight in the Mexican–American War.

Although the Mormon Battalion never saw direct combat, its members endured one of the longest and most grueling forced marches in U.S. military history, covering roughly two thousand miles across harsh terrain. Their sole “battle” involved driving a herd of wild cattle, a fittingly unconventional climax to an extraordinary chapter of faith‑driven military service.

It takes work to make money on YouTube. It’s easy enough to start your own channel and takes just a few minutes to set up. You’re good to go as long as you are over eighteen and have a cellphone. Shoot your first video and wait for the money to start rolling in.

Well, it’s more complex than that because YouTube has a couple of milestones you must pass before your content can earn money. First, you need to have 1,000 subscribers, and second, your channel must have racked up 4,000 watch hours within the previous twelve months.

So you’ve bullied your relatives, friends, and friends of friends into subscribing and reached 4,000 hours. A rough rule of thumb is that you will make about $5 for every 1,000 views of your video. If you get 1 million views, you might make $5,000. And getting that amount of views is the problem.

Roughly 500 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube every minute. That’s a lot of competition, and it isn’t easy to deliver engaging content that will keep your viewers watching and boost your bank account. So let’s meet some YouTubers who achieved these milestones and more. Here are 10 YouTubers that are richer than you’d think.

10 Markiplier

Based in Los Angeles, Mark Edward Fischbach goes by the name of Markiplier on YouTube. Since his debut in 2012, Markiplier’s channels have reached 20 billion views and attracted 34 million subscribers.

He is best known for doing playthroughs of indie and horror games. Plenty of other channels cover more or less the same ground, but Matkiplier works hard to make his videos stand out. He is funny and engaging—personality is an important part of success. He involves his viewers in the charities that he supports. His live streams feature him playing a game while encouraging viewers to donate to a good cause.

His net worth is estimated to be around $35 million. He demonstrates that you can make money on YouTube with great content, an engaging personality, and involving your viewers.

9 Lilly Singh

Canadian Lilly Singh has been posting on YouTube since 2010. By February 2022, people had viewed her posts over three billion times, and she earns well over $10 million a year. She has used her popularity to branch out into TV, books, and films. Her first video reached 10,000 views in a single day—an astonishing number for a YouTube newbie.

Lilly has attracted and kept a dedicated following due to her open, honest, and endearing personality. The key to success in this cutthroat business is the ability to form a relationship with the viewers; Lilly manages this effortlessly. She comes across as someone you might know and certainly someone you would like to be friends with.

8 Dude Perfect

Dude Perfect’s website states:

“Five dudes, a camera, and a friendly bet. That’s how Dude Perfect was born. … There’s more to Dude Perfect than just having fun. We’re about giving back, spreading joy, and glorifying Jesus Christ. And we’re stoked you’re part of the crew. So pound it, noggin, and let’s get big!”

And they are big, with nearly 60 million subscribers and a revenue of around $20 million. They’ve extended their YouTube presence into live tours and books. Plenty of other channels feature “epic antics,” but few are as popular as Dude Perfect. Part of the key to their success must be that they manage to convince their viewers that they form “part of the crew.”

7 Jake Paul

Jake Paul has 2.4 million subscribers to his YouTube channel. Nowhere near as many as the others on this list. Jake is Logan’s younger brother, who also has a YouTube channel with similar content.

Jake started his social media career on the now-defunct Vine platform. Successful there, he moved on to YouTube via a stint on the Disney Channel show “Bizaardvark.” When the budding actor was just 20, Disney fired him from the show for unacceptable behavior. Controversy has always been a feature of Jake’s career. His YouTube channel, full of practical jokes and hip-hop, is often controversial.

YouTube has also served as the launch pad for Jake’s boxing career. He has made considerable money by marrying the two—a reported $38 million from boxing in 2021.

Speaking of marrying… Jake and fellow YouTuber Tana Mongeau got married in Las Vegas in 2019, or rather, they nearly got married. As they didn’t have a license, the marriage was invalid. Still, fans could watch the ceremony for $50 on pay-per-view. Don’t miss an opportunity to make some extra cash!

6 PewDiePie

Most gamers will know PewDiePie’s YouTube channel. Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, the man behind PewDiePie, registered his first YouTube account in 2006 and registered the successful PewDiePie channel in 2010. By 2016, he was so famous that Time magazine named him on their “World’s 100 Most Influential People” list. With 111 million subscribers and nearly 30 billion views, his channel is the most-subscribed individual channel on YouTube.

Let’s Play videos featuring PewDiePie’s humorous commentary formed the basis of his initial content, but Felix has expanded his content over the years. And subscriber numbers kept growing. He has branched out into video games of his own and a unisex clothing venture. His various activities have brought him an estimated net worth of around $56 million.

Considering the competition from other gaming channels on YouTube, this $56 million is truly astounding.

5 Nastya

Nastya was born in Russia in 2014. Her Like Nastya channel is the 5th most viewed channel on YouTube. Amazing in itself for one so young; it’s even more so when you consider that doctors diagnosed her with cerebral palsy and believed that she would never speak. But she can and does.

Carefully managed and guided by her parents and corporate management, Nastya has an annual income of around $18 million. Her content includes songs, stories, and adventures that her young audience can’t get enough of. Nastya has branched out into merchandise and sold her back catalog of videos for cash.

Her current success depends on successful marketing to children of her own age. It will be interesting to see if she can adapt her content as she grows up and retain her audience.

4 KSI

English YouTuber JJ Olatunji is worth an estimated $25 million. He started on YouTube in 2009 and has invested his earnings in property, a chain of restaurants, and a vodka brand. Better known as KSI, his channel focuses on music (he is a successful musician in his own right), gaming, and his boxing career.

His success comes from the fact that he is very talented and has an easy, relaxed style. Like many other YouTubers on this list, he supports a variety of charitable causes.

3 Emma Chamberlain

2019 was a good year for Emma Chamberlain. Time magazine listed her as one of the “25 Most Influential People On The Internet,” and Jonah Engel Bromwich of The New York Times wrote that she was “the funniest person on YouTube.” Some have said that she has redefined how videos are presented on YouTube.

Her net worth is estimated to be around $12 million, and some analysts suggest that she might earn up to $2 million a year from her videos alone. Add this to her income from other ventures—she has deals with luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Cartier—and she is obviously a very successful woman indeed.

Emma is a natural in front of the camera whose channel offers a variety of videos on different topics, with fashion being the underlying theme.

2 Unspeakable

Unspeakable is unstoppable on YouTube. His real name is Nathan Graham, and he illustrates an important point—to make money, you have to spend money. Unspeakable sold his back catalog to Spotter and used the proceeds to invest in his YouTube escapades. There’s no reason why you can’t make some cash from YouTube with just your cellphone, but to make big money, you have to invest.

Some people might find that his over-the-top personality would get a bit tiring after a while, but his 20 million subscribers would disagree.

Unspeakable’s net worth stands at between $20 and $30 million. He adds to his YouTube income through merchandising.

He started his career with a Minecraft Livestream in 2012 but is always looking for new ideas.

1 Mr. Beast

Jimmy Donaldson (Mr. Beast) started his first YouTube channel in 2012 when he was just 13. Our video neatly illustrates why he is so successful.

The idea behind the challenge is simple. But Mr.Beast keeps up the viewer’s interest by offering a high reward and breaking the flow with side challenges and prizes. He has a team of 100 people—a lot of them old friends—helping him with his videos.

His philosophy of investing large sums to ensure higher income pays off. His net worth is estimated to be $60 million, and he has over 100 million subscribers. The Insider website reported that a business had offered Mr. Beast $1 billion for his content, but he turned the offer down.

He keeps his videos manageable by making the challenges easy to explain and fun to watch. This takes a lot of preparation. Mr. Beast is a true YouTube phenomenon.