Weird Ways to Start a War Trivia Quiz

Answer: Postage stamps

Paraguay and Bolivia fell into dispute over the area of land known as the Gran Chaco. Paraguay wanted it to replace land area lost in the much earlier War of the Triple Alliance, while Bolivia wanted the access to the sea that its acquisition would grant. In 1928, Paraguay declared implicit ownership by issuing postage stamps illustrated with a map of the country with the Gran Chaco appended; in 1931 Bolivia replied in kind with the issue of similar stamps declaring its ownership of the area.

This brought tensions to boiling point. Bolivia backed up its claim with a full military assault on a Paraguayan border garrison, heralding the start of a bloody conflict that saw the American continent's first use of tanks and aircraft in warfare.

Answer: Pastries

The so-called 'Pastry War' was caused by France's support of one of its nationals in his pursuit of compensation for the destruction of his pastry shop during the Mexican Revolution. In 1838, Chef Remontel claimed damages of 600,000 pesos, some ten years after the damage caused to his premises in Mexico City. Since, perhaps understandably, the Mexican government ignored his claim, Remontel appealed to King Louis Philippe of France. The latter was only too happy to help, since France had been pursuing outstanding loan payments from the Mexican government and now it had an excuse to exert a more direct method of persuading the Mexicans to pay up!

Not so much a war as a series of threats and skirmishes, it reached a climax when a French expeditionary force captured the town of Vera Cruz and most of the Mexican fleet. A settlement was brokered through British intervention. The Mexicans paid Monsieur Remontel his 600,000 pesos, and the French kept the captured ships as payment for its overdue loans.

Answer: a bucket

In 1313, it was claimed that a detachment of Modenese cavalry had stolen the wooden bucket that serviced the public fountain in Bologna. This sparked a twelve-year conflict between the two city states that was ended with Modena's victory at the Battle of Zappolino in 1325.

Some 2,000 men died in the battle, but it did give the Modenese the right to keep the bucket, which has been kept as a source of civic pride in Modena's Chamber of the Confirmed for some 700 years. Alessandro Tassoni, Modena's most famous poet, wrote 'The Rape of the Bucket' in 1615, in which he mocks his civic ancestors for warring over such a modest object.

Answer: his ear

The War of Jenkins' Ear lasted from 1739 to 1748, although from 1742 it merged with the War of the Austrian Succession.

The incident of 'Jenkins' Ear' had its roots in the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, which had granted access for British traders into the heavily protected markets of Spanish America.

Britain had agreed to Spanish demands to stop and search British merchant shipping in its waters, in order to check that quotas were not being exceeded, Unfortunately, an over-zealous Spanish patrol boat captain cut off the ear of Robert Jenkins, whom he had accused of smuggling. Jenkins' ear was displayed before an indignant British Parliament, as the latest example of "Spanish Depradations upon British Subjects".

Maritime reprisals were demanded, and a British task force started the ball rolling with the capture of Porto Bello (Portobelo, Panama).

Answer: An invasion of the USA by Mexico

In January 1917, Artur Zimmermann, the German foreign secretary, came up with a proposal to enter a military alliance with Mexico should the USA enter World War One against Germany. In his infamous telegram, which was sent in code through neutral diplomatic channels, he advised the Mexican government that unrestricted submarine warfare would commence in February and, should this incite the US government to declare war on Germany, the Mexican government would receive financial assistance and military supplies from Germany that would enable it to invade the USA to recover Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. As impractical as it was ludicrous, Zimmermann's motive was to distract the Americans with a local conflict, and restrict their capacity to fully participate in the war in Europe.

The British, who had intercepted and decoded the telegram, lost no time in advertising it to the US government as further proof of German aggression towards the United States. By April, the USA had declared war on Germany.

Answer: True

After World War One, traditionally hostile relations between Greece and Bulgaria were even more volatile. Tensions were perpetually high over questions about wartime atrocities that had not been answered, and land claims that had not been resolved.

Matters boiled over on 23 October, 1925, when a Greek soldier crossed the border after his dog that had strayed. He was shot by a Bulgarian border guard and this provoked an invasion of the area by Greek forces. The League of Nations intervened and the Greeks pulled out after ten days, agreeing to pay the Bulgarian government £45,000 in reparations. 52 people died; I am not sure what happened to the dog.

Answer: Firewood

After the War of 1812, the terms of the Treaty of Ghent had supported Britain's claim to eastern Maine. In the winter of 1838, American woodcutters entered the disputed area and chopped down much needed wood for fires. British troops moved in to eject the woodcutters and this was answered by an incursion by American troops to protect their compatriots. A year-long stand-off was resolved when the British agreed to give up its claim to eastern Maine and the Americans withdrew its troops from the volatile border.

Due to a logistical mix-up, US troops had been over-supplied with food, leading to its unofficial title as 'The War of Pork and Beans'. Although there was little fighting, 550 men died from disease and accidents.

Answer: The Pig War

In June 1859, an American farmer shot dead a pig that was the property of a British farmer on San Juan Island, which was subject to unresolved territorial claims by their respective governments. The British sent a small squad of soldiers in response to the aggrieved party's insistence that an arrest was made. Local US militia responded in kind and the situation escalated into a tense stand-off with some 1200 troops involved. This volatile situation lasted for four months until common sense prevailed: apologies were made and the farmer was recompensed for his loss. The pig was the only casualty in what became known as 'The Pig War'.

The US commander was none other than George Pickett, who would earn fame as a Confederate general during the Civil War, particularly for his doomed 'Charge' at Gettysburg.

Answer: El Salvador and Honduras

In 1969, El Salvador felt pretty sore about losing an important international soccer game against its local rivals, Honduras. Tensions mounted until the El Salvadorean army launched an attack on Honduras on 14 June. Four days and 3,000 deaths later, a ceasefire was negotiated through the Organization of American States.

Answer: The Paraguayan War

Also known as The War of the Triple Alliance, the Paraguayan War (1864-70) began essentially to satisfy the ego of President Solano Lopez of Paraguay. He modelled himself on Napoleon Bonaparte, and fancied himself to share the latter's abilities as a political leader and military tactician. Lacking a war to fight and thus prove himself, in 1864 Lopez began an aggressive campaign against Brazil, a country with which Paraguay had enjoyed amicable relations for decades, demanding control over the Platine River Basin. Paraguay invaded the area, sparking war. Argentina and Uruguay formed an alliance with Brazil, and Paraguay found itself in an impossible situation, fighting three powerful neighbours. Six years later, with 400,000 dead on both sides, Paraguay had lost 70% of its male population and was forced to cede huge tracts of its territory to Brazil and Argentina.