On the 19th of the month, the Japanese unit attempted to make its way through 10 miles of swamp to link up with a larger unit. Dr. Sam Willis, an award-winning historian, archaeologist, and host of National Geographics Nazi Weird War Two, investigated some of World War IIs most bizarre stories, including Hitlers methheads and Himmlers haunted castle. How did crocodiles manage to kill so many armed men? Some editions of the Guinness Book of World Records have attributed the highest number of fatalities in a crocodile attack to the battle; zoologists and modern military historians have dismissed these claims. Crocodiles. It is located in Myanmar, and it is the most dangerous island in the world. The names give some indication of how the dinosaurs lived. The soldiers succumbed to the nightly menace, realizing that saltwater crocs were nocturnal and excelled at night hunting. British Marines landing on Ramree Island in January 1945 at the beginning of the six-week battle. The Japanese soldiers were soon faced with a decision: stay and die of disease or dehydration, venture further into the swamps, and risk being eaten alive. Photoshopped photo courtesy of opposingfronts.com. What happened next is a bit of a mystery; however, according to one version of the story the best-known version only 20 of the soldiers who entered the marshes made it out alive; the rest were eaten by crocodiles. In this official account there are references to the menace posed by saltwater crocodiles at Ramree Island. Since Ramree was strategically important, the Allies launched an attack in 1945 to retake the island and establish airbases to support the mainland campaign. When Crocodiles Attack: The Ramree Island Massacre. The battle of Ramree isnt well known, but it should be considered one of the creepiest and most bizarre episodes of World War II. In 2016, he decided to tackle the mystery of the Crocodile Massacre at Ramree Island after learning that the Guinness Book of World Records had relied on Wrights book for source material. [22] Interviewing other members of the S.R.U., Wright reported that two of the men abandoned their paddleboards during the battle and climbed up a mangrove tree to avoid a crocodile. Goran Blazeski is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News, Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, Built in the 19th Century, the U Bein Bridge is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world, Realistic wooden paintings depict the ancient faces of Egypt from 2000 years ago, Police arrest a 72-year-old suburban grandfather suspected of being the Golden State Killer, Im not dead yet: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The Walk of Shame in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gdel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, Little Ease: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. An estimate put naval gunfire support from 4 January to 13 March for the land operations at Akyab, Ramree and Cheduba at 23,000 shells. Wood, The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. Crocodiles are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat anything they can get their mouths on, making the Japanese soldiers the perfect prey. The navy and the 26th Indian Infantry Division then concentrated on blockading the chaungs (small streams) on the east coast, to prevent the Japanese from escaping to the mainland. The maneuver split the enemy group in two and isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers. [1], The two species with the most well-known and documented reputation for preying on humans are the Nile crocodile and saltwater crocodile, and these are the perpetrators of the vast majority of both fatal and non-fatal crocodilian attacks. The naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright described the scene unfolding in his 1962 book,Wildlife Sketches Near and Far: That night was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. While crocodiles are prolific killers, historians have long doubted that more than 800 Japanese soldiers were killed at Ramree Island in such a short period of time, and those doubts have only been affirmed by evidence uncovered in recent years that indicates that the true story was buried amid a flurry of sensational reporting. If you dont attempt the crossing, you must face the enemy troops closing in on you. [9], In 1965, the British official historian, Stanley Woodburn Kirby, wrote that the Japanese defence of the island and the escape of about 500 men against "fearful odds", had been courageous and determined. About 400 Japanese soldiers escaped those mangrove swamps, and 20 of them were eventually recaptured by the British forces who had set up a perimeter around the thick wilderness. Dangerous to Man; Wild Animals: A Definitive Study of Their Reputed Dangers to Man, Veterans' Voices: Coventry's Unsung Heroes of the Second World War, "BBC - WW2 People's War - Part 4: 1944 - August 1945", Crocodile massacre of troops debunked as wartime myth, "Man Eating by Estuarine Crocodiles: The Ramree Island Massacre Revisited", Bruce Stanley Wright, 17 September 1912 19 April 1975, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Ramree_Island&oldid=1126172749, This page was last edited on 7 December 2022, at 23:07. One by one the crocodiles picked off the soldiers at night, dragging them into the swamp and mauling them to death. "[12] In his 1962 collection Wildlife Sketches Near and Far, Canadian naturalist and veteran of the Burma campaign Bruce S. Wright described the events of the battle, focusing on predation of the Japanese soldiers by the saltwater crocodiles. I've recently learned about the Battle of Ramree Island and the "death march" through the mangroves that resulted in the battle earning the moniker of "worst crocodile disaster in the world." The rest were reportedly eaten alive by hordes of prehistoric-looking saltwater crocodiles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Moreover, even a medium-sized saltwater crocodile could easily kill a human. So the next time youre going through a swamp, just remember the story of the Ramree Island Massacre and be grateful that you werent one of the 500 Japanese soldiers who lost their lives to these crocodiles. On January 26, 1945, British troops made their way to Ramree Island so that they could establish a new airbase. [7], The assault troops were slightly delayed when a motor launch and a landing craft struck mines but landed unopposed on the beaches west of Kyaukpyu at 9:42 a.m., securing the beachhead by the afternoon. Saltwater crocodiles can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and have one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. Military officials decided to press on, and the Japanese continued their journey through the mangrove swamps. An army of 1000 Japanese soldiers was decimated by saltwater crocodiles during the Battle of Ramree Island of World War II. The Tragic Story Of Over 900 Japanese Soldiers Slaughtered By Crocodiles | by L. Small | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. But, of course, the British werent surprised as saltwater crocodiles are notoriously territorial and will attack any human they view as a threat or potential food source. [3] The experience in co-operation between the 26th Indian Division and the navy in the war of chaungs and small ports along the Arakan coast was intended to be exploited in the attack. It is difficult to counter any of the reasonable arguments put forward by McLynn as there is simply no evidence to the contrary. [1] These are the West African crocodile (often considered quite harmless,[4] but has been involved in several attacks, also fatal),[5] American crocodile (only a few documented fatalities),[3][6][7] the Morelet's crocodile (typically considered a relatively non-threatening species, but there have been several fatal attacks),[7][8] Orinoco crocodile (fatalities recorded in the 1930s and earlier when the species was more common, but today it is very rare),[9][10] Cuban crocodile (generally considered aggressive, but only one confirmed fatality),[3][11] black caiman (fatal attacks confirmed in Brazil, but possibly underreported because of its remote range),[3] American alligator (making up an estimated 6% of fatal crocodilian attacks),[2] and false gharial (only a few confirmed fatalities, all involving very large false gharials). [2], The most deaths in a single crocodile attack incident may have occurred during the Battle of Ramree Island, on February 19, 1945, in what is now Myanmar. Galante elaborated that the crocodiles were hungry because the soldiers had already. These crocs are the largest reptiles in the world and are capable of bringing down water buffalo. February 1945, Japanese forces on Ramree island attempt to withdraw from the British and link up with a larger force. In all, some 500 Japanese fled Ramree despite the blockade created to stop them. At dawn the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left.. The swamps were infested with mosquitoes, leeches, and snakes. [3] Crocodilians will defend not only themselves, but also their nest and young from anything they perceive as a threat. However there were around 500 more of the escaping men who never left the swamp. This disease seriously hindered both sides attempt to gain control of the island. The Ramree Island crocodile attack in January 1945, the deadliest attack of its kind recorded thus far, came just as World War II ended. Of course, the threat posed by saltwater crocodiles was an ever-present one in the Far Eastern theatre of World War Two. It is mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: Near and Far. 14 (4): 391405. The defeated Japanese soldiers ignored all appeals by the British for their surrender, and instead abandoned their base and entered the swamp. A SCIENTIST was eaten alive by a 17ft long crocodile after being dragged into its enclosure while she fed it last week. The Island had been captured by the Imperial Japanese Army in early 1942, during the invasion of Burma. 1000 armed soldiers killed by crocodiles in 2 nights During world war 2, some 1000 armed Japanese soldiers were killed by a group of large crocodiles and medium crocodiles on Ramree island close to Bu. It is estimated that each year hundreds of people die from crocodile attacks in Africa many of these attacks are never reported in the media. It had been vital to complete the occupation of Ramree Island quickly, as Operation Dracula against Rangoon needed to commence in the first week of May at the latest, to have a chance of finishing before the monsoon. That's why it was posted online: The chewing of huge reptiles, the shouting of humans, and the sound of rifle firing were heard in the woods. The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. How 1000 Japanese Soldiers Where EATEN by Crocodiles.. - YouTube How 1000 Japanese Soldiers Where EATEN by Crocodiles.. @Joe_Juice Subscribe 6 Dislike 0 Share Dont mess with. Although most attacks are not reported, the Nile crocodile is estimated to kill hundreds (possibly thousands) of people each year, which is more than all other crocodilian species combined. ----------------Visit my unique travel channel on Youtube - Traveling on the Go ----------------- Here is the claim: Allied forces in the Pacific War during World War II trapped 1,000 Japanese soldiers in a mangrove swamp off the coast of Burma in the early months of 1945. Without an accurate reporting system in place, crocodile attacks in Africa are difficult to track and very few are reproduced here. After a bloody campaign, British troops managed to drive nearly 1,000 enemy combatants off the island into the dense mangrove swamp that covered some 10 miles of Ramree. In the memoir, Wright described how he arrived on Ramree after the main battle concluded. The battle was bloody and grueling, leaving the Japanese soldiers exhausted yet full of defiance. Another additional problem for the Japanese troops was the lack of drinking water and constant threat of starvation. They faced an enemy as old as the dinosaurs and just as fierce.Help support my channel - see below for details:https://www.paypal.me/markfeltonproductionhttps://www.patreon.com/markfeltonproductionsDisclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. Despite these numerous hazards, one danger stood out as the greatest. Last updated on July 22nd, 2022 at 09:57 pm. Troops of Japanese Fifteenth Army on the border of Burma. But rather than accept surrender, the Japanese chose to make an eight-mile journey through a mangrove swamp. Read another story from us: The Soldier Who Went On A Suicide Mission Against The Japanese & Won. Not a single one did. The soldiers were viciously and mercilessly attacked by the crocodiles. See. The ecosystem of a mangrove swamp, with an exiguous mammal life, simply would not have permitted the existence of so many saurians before the coming of the Japanese (animals are not exempt from the laws of overpopulation and starvation). "[14] Subsequently, the story was incorporated into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst animal attack ever recorded, due to Wright's statement that "[o]f about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive."[2]. This story has gained increasing credence in recent years. In both species, the mean size of crocodiles involved in nonfatal attacks was about 3m (10ft) as opposed to a reported range of 2.55m (816ft) or larger for crocodiles responsible for fatal attacks. In April 2010, a 25-year-old woman from New Jersey was killed by a saltwater crocodile while snorkeling in India's Andaman Islands. As I am writing this police are still searching for the girl. It was this fortunate blow that killed the Giant Crocodile. The majority of Japanese soldiers died in combat or drowned, despite the fact that many British soldiers witnessed crocodiles eating dead Japanese bodies. However, the veracity of the crocodile aggression has gradually grown throughout the years, despite there being no other references to it within historical writings relating to the Far Eastern theatre in WWII. The two sides were stuck in a standoff until the British Royal Marines along with the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade outflanked a Japanese position. Darragh O Herlihy is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE. In 1945 during the Battle of Ramree Island an estimated 500 Japanese soldiers entered the swamps of Ramree island, Burma, according to the stories less than 20 of them emerged. [20], In 2000, herpetologist Steven G. Platt visited Ramree Island, where he interviewed residents who had been alive during the war and who had been forced into slave labor by the Japanese; they "unanimously discounted any suggestion that large numbers of Japanese fell prey to crocodiles." During World War II, The Japanese Imperial Army captured Ramree Island in 1942. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above the water, watchfully alert for their next meal. Why Did Ancient Egyptian Men Wear Makeup? Her boyfriend caught the attack on film; the camera was recovered two days later along with her remains. Osama, a saltwater crocodile named after the terrorist Usama Bin Laden, reportedly killed and ate 80 people in Uganda over a period of 14 years beginning in 1991. The British didnt pursue the fleeing troops closely because the Allies knew what awaited the enemy inside this natural death trap: crocodiles. The short version is that a large number of Japanese soldiers (between 400 to 1000 depending on the "source") were eaten by saltwater crocodiles during the night of Feb 19th 1945 during the battle of Ramree island as part of the Burma campaign. Many historians debunk the tale of the massacre, but some facts do point to some veracity of the incident. What animal has the strongest armor? Unfortunately for the fleeing men, the mangrove jungle on Ramree Island is home to an unknown number of the largest reptilian predator in the world the saltwater crocodile. They faced an enemy as old. However, the. Do you risk your life in the swamp or put your life in the hands of the enemy? Fair winds and following seas to Marine Corps 1st Lt. Nicholas Manganiello. The Japanese soldiers retreated, and some went into the mangrove swamps. After all, these were soldiers who had offered upstubborn resistance to the British Fourteenth Army under the leadership of Lieutenant General William Slim. The incident appears in the Guinness records: Ramree Island was the scene of an alleged massacre of Japanese . According to one Allied commander: They were both Enhancers. While crocodiles are prolific killers, historians have long doubted that more than 800 Japanese soldiers were killed at Ramree Island in such a short period of time, and those doubts have only been affirmed by evidence uncovered in recent years that indicates that the true story was buried amid a flurry of sensational reporting. Soon after entering the slimy mudhole, Japanese soldiers began to succumb to diseases, dehydration, and starvation. [10], In the 1965 edition of the British official history, Stanley Woodburn-Kirby wrote that the Japanese force suffered about 500 men killed and twenty men taken prisoner; British losses were "trifling".[11]. And in an incident not unlike the infamous U.S.S Indianapolis shark attack that befell American troops later that year, many of these troops didnt survive. In the end, the Japanese soldiers never stood a chance. Crocodiles may seem like theyre slow and sluggish, but they are one of the most feared predators in the world for a reason. It has been estimated that about 1,000 people are killed by crocodilians each year. The story originated with news articles published around the time of the incident, but certain plot holes identified in the years since have raised questions about the veracity of those early reports. This is the terrible sound Wright heard in the night. As the boat moved away from the shore and headed out to sea the intense heat and humidity of mid-summer began to fade as we sailed into an ocean climate. This was particularly so in the mangrove swamps where such reptiles thrive, like on Ramree Island. [2] Contents (2012). Royal Flying Doctor Service/Reuters. Some editions of the Guinness Book of World Records have attributed the highest number of fatalities in an animal attack to the battle; zoologists and modern military historians have dismissed these claims. Crocodiles In One Night Slaughtered Over 900 Japanese Soldiers | by L. Small | THE CURIOSITY | Medium Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. 1.7K views, 54 likes, 0 loves, 2 comments, 9 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Coffee or Die Magazine: Did crocodiles really eat hundreds of Japanese soldiers in World War II? Crocodiles of Guadalcanal. Several British soldiers said that the crocodiles preyed on the Japanese soldiers in the swamp. The saltwater crocodile Cassius measures 17 feet three inches . 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Frank McLynn, a prominent British historian on the Burma campaign, effectively denounces the crocodile aggression account in his thorough analysis of the Allied effort to retake Burma from the Japanese, The Burma Campaign: Disaster into Triumph 1942-1945 (2011). The quest for a bird that continues to defy international sanctions. Witnesses say the crocodile first attacked a man and then grabbed the girl and pulled her under. These prehistoric holdovers can grow to over 20 feet in length and over 2,000 pounds in some cases, and although examples that size are rare, even a mid-sized crocodile of the species could easily kill a full grown adult human. An accurate count of annual crocodile attacks on humans is difficult to obtain. An army of 1000 Japanese soldiers was decimated by saltwater crocodiles during the Battle of Ramree Island of World War II. The most prominent firsthand retelling of what happened comes from naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the Battle of Ramree Island and gave this written account: That night [of February 19, 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. One night the British soldiers reported hearing panicked screams and gunfire emanating from within the darkness of the swamp. The new discoveries have been given the names Riparovenator milnerae and Ceratosuchops inferodios, translating respectively to "Milner's riverbank hunter," in honor of paleontologist Angela Milner, and the more colorful "hell-heron horned crocodile-face.". It's the noise of hell. Ultimately, he stated, "[t]he only crocodile-related deaths occurred when 10 to 15 soldiers were killed trying to ford Min Chaung, a tidal creek", and he therefore concluded that although the deaths of nearly 1000 Japanese soldiers during the Battle of Ramree Island are "well documented and undisputed", there is "little need to invoke crocodile predation. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. It was after this that one of the oddest incidents in the history of warfare occurred. The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on earth Of about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive.. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. On all fronts, they were attacked by the Allied forces in full strength, leaving them to either surrender or Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. As World War II was nearing its end in January of 1945, the island of Ramree off the coast of Burma was the scene of a desperate battle.. The following day, the 4th Indian Infantry Brigade (Brigadier J. F. R. Forman) landed, took over the beachhead and occupied Kyaukpyu. Attacks by saltwater crocodiles often occur in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Mosquitoes, spiders, poisonous snakes, and scorpions hid in the thick forest and picked off some troops one by one. Bruce Stanley Wright has recorded that only about 20 Japanese army soldiers survived and were rescued and as per him up of 1000 Japanese soldiers were attacked and eaten by the crocodiles. Furthermore, this official account which contains no mention of the massacre, nevertheless emphasizes the fierce Japanese resistance which lasted into April 1945. [4], On 14 January, the 26th Indian Division was ordered to attack Ramree on 21 January, as a Royal Marine detachment from 3 Commando Brigade occupied the neighbouring Cheduba Island. Upon completing his investigation, Willis brought his findings to Guinness Book of World Records editor-in-chief Crag Glenday, who agreed to add a note to the Ramree Island entry stating that new research by the National Geographic Channel, however, has cast doubt on the story, or at least on the extent of deaths. Thus, the legend was put to rest. Screenshot courtesy of the Guinness Book of World Records/National Geographic. How to use in-sentence of "trap": + Cilia and mucus along the inside wall of the nasal cavity trap and remove dust and germs from the air as it flows through the nasal cavity. Men of the Wiltshire Regiment from the 26th Indian Infantry Division prepare a meal beside a temple on Ramree Island. Some British soldiers, including naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the expedition, claimed that crocodiles attacked and ate numerous Japanese soldiers. How 1000 Soldiers Were EATEN by Crocodiles #ramreeisland #jre #jreclips #forrestgalante #crocodiles #ww2history #podcast #fyp #foryou #foryoupage. However, there is no specific mention of the crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese. However, those with a more investigative eye cannot help but be skeptical of this bizarre tale from history. After weeks of bitter fighting, the Allies managed to drive the last surviving Japanese soldiers into mangrove swamps surrounding the island swamps populated by thousands of saltwater crocodiles. + A sting operation is a more sophisticated way to trap criminals. Many of the Japanese troops succumbed to tropical diseases carried by swarms of mosquitoes, as well as the various poisonous spiders, snakes and scorpions found in the marsh. Then, read up on Desmond Doss, the Hacksaw Ridge medic who saved dozens of soldiers lives during World War II. Wikimedia Commons photo. British troops monitored the situation from afar at the edge of the swamp. An active skill, requires 5 Spirit and 5 Stamina to activate. The unit was trapped and had no way to reach the safety of the larger battalion. There were 2 experts from the small Japanese village, one was Kyoko, the other was Kaori. Historydefined.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Copyright 2023 History Defined | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. The story goes that during World War II, 1,000 Japanese soldiers were eaten by crocodiles on the island. The reptiles can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds, but even a midsize saltwater crocodile could easily kill a full-grown adult human, with many being known toeat animals as vast as Indian water buffalo. Where did Japanese soldiers get eaten by crocodiles? Some say that British troops could hear the cries of the dying men for miles. The crocodiles would silently stalk their prey before attacking with lightning speed; humans are no match for the saltwater crocodile when considering their power, size, and weight. Often occur in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and some went the! British soldiers said that the crocodiles had left saved dozens of soldiers lives during World War.... The scene of an alleged massacre of Japanese soldiers were viciously and mercilessly attacked by the were... 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