I’ve watched the Oversimplified Video and there was a bit about Wilmer McClean.

And the best part is, it was actually true!

Here let me copy and paste something from the internet

“The Battle of Bull Run, one of the first battles of the US Civil War, occurred on and around Wilmer McClean’s farm in Northern Virginia. Not wanting to live surrounded by war, McClean and his family moved to Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The Battle of Appomattox Courthouse was the last significant battle between Union and Confederate forces. The Confederates signed the surrender order in Wilmer’s sitting room. It is said that the Civil War started on Wilmer’s farm and ended in his sitting room.”

  • chaos rat
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    1 year ago

    For me it’s probably the murder of arch duke Ferdinand, that started the WWI. It’s so fucking dumb all along, so much shit went south and yet here we are. It truly shows history is very stupid sometimes even if events in question have cathastrophic consequences - especially since that particular event shaped the modern history a lot.

    • ivanafterall@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      The motorcade passed the first assassin before he could do anything. The second…also fucked up and didn’t do anything. The third threw a bomb at the cars, which bounced off the convertible top of the car, under the next car. The guy who threw the bomb at the motorcade then took a cyanide pill and jumped in the river. But he failed his suicide attempt. Only because the motorcade driver took a wrong turn did they succeed:

      After learning that the first assassination attempt had been unsuccessful, Princip thought about a position to assassinate the Archduke on his return journey, and decided to move to a position in front of a nearby food shop (Schiller’s delicatessen), near the Latin Bridge.[93] At this point, the first and second cars of the Archduke’s motorcade suddenly turned right into a side street, leaving the Appel Quay.[89] When the Archduke’s driver followed their route, Governor Potiorek, who was sharing the third vehicle with the Imperial couple, called out to the driver to stop as he was going the wrong way.[94] The driver applied the brakes, and when he attempted to put the car into reverse gear he accidentally stalled the engine close to where Princip was standing.[95] The assassin stepped up to the footboard of the car, and shot Franz Ferdinand and Sophie at point‐blank range[94] using a Belgian-made Fabrique Nationale model 1910 .380 caliber pistol.[96]

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand

      • chaos rat
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        1 year ago

        I dunno, man. It’s such a weird coincidence to happen. I think the driver just fucked up and wasn’t on. But perhaps he was.

        Either way, Franz is dead.

    • AdmiralShat@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      I’m convinced his driver was in on the assassination

      The whole “oh what a coincidence that your driver took a wrong turn down the same road we just happened to be sitting on!”

      • chaos rat
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        1 year ago

        The thing is, even the shooter didn’t know he’ll end up being there. And I’m talking about shooter.

        • AdmiralShat@programming.dev
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          1 year ago

          Again, this is just word after the fact. He fucking killed a guy and started the largest war in history at the time, but somehow his recounting of events of “oh lol yeah totally just a coincidence” should be taken at face value.