In 1932, Australia declared war on emus. And, by most accounts, the emus won. It’s one of the Internet’s favorite stories, one that’s been spread on every website that deals in shocking facts – including this one.

But the story, which played out over months, is usually told in a single sentence. Every detail that led up to the Great Emu War is cut out, and we never hear the answers to those questions that immediately spring to mind: What could have made Australia think going to war with emus was a good idea? And how in the world did they lose?

It’s a shame, because the full story is incredible—and a little less absurd than it seems.

[Read the full article at Listverse.com]