japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles

Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. (2012). The swamps were full of saltwater crocodiles. In addition, the references made to crocodiles are minimal compared to the passages detailing the dangers of malaria. Did crocodiles eat Japanese soldiers? The debacle was so bad that the Japanese troops were forced to retreat and flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. A depiction of a saltwater crocodile emerging from the water alongside British soldiers at Ramree Island during World War II. Japanese soldiers hid in the swamp, not knowing of the danger that lies ahead - saltwater crocodiles! On 23 January, the 71st Infantry Brigade advanced southwards, down the west coast. 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.. If 'thousands of crocodiles' were involved in the massacre, as in the urban (jungle) myth, how had these ravening monsters survived before and how were they to survive later? They decided to take their chances in the swamp rather than surrender. Wikimedia Commons photo. An analysis of blood on each soldier at every 3 meters of the swamp revealed that 24 percent of the soldiers had been killed by crocodiles. 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. 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. As a result, saltwater crocodiles are the largest crocodile species in the world and the largest reptile. Walking through the thick, sticky mud was slow and agonizing. 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.". A Cultural Herpetology of Nile Crocodiles in Africa. 14 (4): 391405. [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). Despite these numerous hazards, one danger stood out as the greatest. The nights were said to have been filled with dire screams, gunfire, and the sounds of animal attacks. As part of his research, he visited the marshes of Ramree Island and interviewed locals. This disease seriously hindered both sides attempt to gain control of the island. One of Platt's subjects claims that crocodiles accounted for some Japanese casualties: "10 to 15 soldiers were killed attempting to ford Min Chaung, a tidal creek near Ramree Town." Field Marshall Slim, in his memoirs, further recounts that a number of Japanese fell victim to sharks prowling in the channel between the island and the . At the time, British forces needed an airbase in the area of Ramree Island in order to launch more attacks against the Japanese. In January 1945, two. The Japanese didnt realize that these mangrove swamps were a death trap in disguise, but they wouldnt figure that out until later. [5] The Japanese garrison of Ramree consisted of the II Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment (Colonel Kanichi Nagazawa), part of the 54th Division, with artillery and engineer detachments to act as an independent force. It was after this that one of the oddest incidents in the history of warfare occurred. Rachmawan, D., and Brend, S. (2009). 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. Their only escape was through the swamp. How Roman Military Tactics Won Them Their Empire. 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. After just a few days, these ravenous creatures devoured more than 500 Japanese soldiers. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 33(2): 29-30. 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 majority of Japanese soldiers died in combat or drowned, despite the fact that many British soldiers witnessed crocodiles eating dead Japanese bodies. Platt also noted that Wright did not actually "attribute the majority of Japanese casualties to crocodile predation", but merely specified that only 20 out of 1000 Japanese soldiers survived the battle, with crocodiles being "just one of many hazards". An Australian Army soldier suffered serious head and chest injuries after being mauled by a crocodile that attacked him late on Friday, Australia media . On Feb. 25, 1945, the British newspaper The Guardian reported that Japanese stragglers who are trying to escape from Ramree Island off the west coast of Burma, are being forced by hunger out of mangrove swamps and many have been killed by crocodiles. From there, the story took on a life of its own. If you dont attempt the crossing, you must face the enemy troops closing in on you. 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. 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. This post will reveal the historical account of the Ramree Island Massacre. [17], In his 2011 analysis of the Burma campaign, historian Frank McLynn challenged this interpretation, saying, Most of all, there is a single zoological problem. He writes for his micro-blog. How 1000 Soldiers Were EATEN by Crocodiles #ramreeisland #jre #jreclips #forrestgalante #crocodiles #ww2history #podcast #fyp #foryou #foryoupage. 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. No evidence, that is, unless one believes a solitary account by a mysterious character. The presence of crocodiles in the Ramree swamps led other servicemen stationed on the island to believe they were a significant factor in the battle's outcome, with one British soldier writing in his diary that "[w]hen the Army landed they drove the Japanese into the swamps and the crocodiles killed hundreds of them. The battleship, named for five brothers killed in the Pacific, was the first American warship designated in honor of more than one person. They didnt know what exactly caused the shouts of terror they heard, but only that the Japanese troops were being ravaged by some evil menace. As I am writing this police are still searching for the girl. How many Japanese soldiers were actually eaten by salt water crocodiles? Japanese Soldiers Burma Crocodiles? Your email address will not be published. + A sting operation is a more sophisticated way to trap criminals. While the Ramree Island Massacre story may seem far-fetched, it is a true story. The 4th Indian Infantry Brigade had advanced to Ledaung Chaung and then moved east to reinforce the attack; the town fell on 9 February. It wasnt long until they realized that a predator lurked in the water around them. The Japanese soldiers retreated, and some went into the mangrove swamps. Finally, the British soldiers realized the Japaneses situation and urged them to surrender to avoid further bloodshed. "Level 3 Skill: Water Flow Manipulation. The unit was trapped and had no way to reach the safety of the larger battalion. It's the noise of hell. While this may have seemed a fine opportunity to slip into the wilderness and regroup, most of the Japanese soldiers would never be heard from again. It took the lives of hundreds of Japanese soldiers. After two centuries of binomial nomenclature, scientists are nowhere close to running out of things to document. Join us onFacebook,Twitter(#AnimalWeek), andTumblrfor even more animal action and to share your own tales of fascinating fauna. What the British do know for sure is that 20 men came out of the swamp alive and were captured. 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. 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. It was clear that the constant dosage of blood essences was losing its effectiveness for Yue Zhong, and if he continued at his current rate of consumption, it was most . Wikimedia CommonsBritish Marines landing on Ramree Island in January 1945 at the beginning of the six-week battle. [18], In 1974, journalist George Frazier reported having asked the Japanese War Office about the crocodile attack and being told that they could not confirm that it had happened. 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. And helped launch a corporation now worth more than $40 billion. [1][3][13] Four of them, the Siamese crocodile, broad-snouted caiman, spectacled caiman and yacare caiman, each are suspected to have been the perpetrator of a single fatal attack on a child (smaller and therefore a more likely target than an adult), although for each of these cases the identity of the species is not completely certain.[14][15][16][17]. Tehran remains unusually mum while Neon Defender warships ply Persian Gulf. 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. Kaori had been a kendo practitioner before the apocalypse, while Kyoko was a successor of the Tenshin-style sword arts. 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. Gas prices have fallen since mid-June. An army of 1000 Japanese soldiers was decimated by saltwater crocodiles during the Battle of Ramree Island of World War II. Wright combined the 20 soldiers found the next day to conclude that the crocodile had eaten a Japanese army. It was just that their levels were low. The largest one ever officially measured was Lolong, who was a saltwater crocodile who measured 20 feet three inches long and weighed 2,370 pounds. [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. 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. Crocodiles lurk from deep in the dark marsh water, with their eyes poking slightly above the water's surface. Swamps are their natural habitat, and humans are no match for their speed, size, agility, and raw power. Required fields are marked *. Gustave, a Nile crocodile once described as a serial killer by National Geographic, is believed to have killed as many as 300 people in the east African nation of Burundi in the 1980s and 1990s. Of the 1,000 troops who entered the swamp on Ramree Island, only a reported 480 survived. Wood, The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. Unfortunately for the Japanese troops, the swamps of Ramree were infested by countless, very large saltwater crocodiles, which can grow upwards of 20 feet long and over a ton in weight. The rest were according to legend, eaten by crocodiles. 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. If you do attempt it, you face the crocodiles. "[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. These crocs are the largest reptiles in the world and are capable of bringing down water buffalo. 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. 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. This story has gained increasing credence in recent years. Advanced southwards, down the west coast have been filled with dire screams,,. Trapped and had no way to trap criminals, unless one believes a solitary account by mysterious! Only a reported 480 survived water around them and flee into the mangrove swamps of Island! So bad that the Japanese soldiers hid in the world 's hidden wonders, these ravenous creatures more... 71St Infantry Brigade advanced southwards, down the west coast quot ; Level 3:. 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