Failed Assassination Attempt that Sparked WWI

[fargoth]

okay, this thread should be fun, find something that went horribly wrong in the course of history (in a funny way).
i'll start:
the events that triggered WWI:
a group of terrorists wanted to assassinate Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne.
they agreed that after the deed is done they would not let themeselves be arrested, and suicide.

the archduke knew some people don't like him, and wore lots of protecting charms, and a bullet-proof jacket.
but he came all the same, with his wife - an expectant mother.

the assassins took places 500 hundred meters apart along the route of the archduke's car on the streets of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia.

the cars got past two of the terrorists, but the third one threw a granade, which hit the side of the car and bounced back, injuring some of the guards.
meanwhile, not waiting to see if he got it right, the thrower of the granade drank the cyanide and threw himself to the river so that the police won't have him. - unfortunately the river was only a feet deep or so, and the cyanide wasnt effective... so the police took him :rofl:

Francis Ferdinand's car got past the other terrorists who were too confused to do anything, and regrouped at a park to think of plan B, while the Archduke got to the town hall.

After the reception in the Town Hall General Potiorek, the Austrian Commander, pleaded with Francis Ferdinand to leave the city, as it was seething with rebellion. The Archduke was persuaded to drive the shortest way out of the city and to go quickly.

The road to the maneuvers was shaped like the letter V, making a sharp turn at the bridge over the River Milgacka. Francis Ferdinand's car could go fast enough until it reached this spot but here it was forced to slow down for the turn. Here another terrorist had taken his stand.

As the car came abreast he stepped forward from the curb, drew his automatic pistol from his coat and fired two shots. The first struck the wife of the Archduke, the Archduchess Sofia, in the abdomen (remember she wa pregnant? isn't that some real sick humor?) - she died instantly.

the second bullet struck the Archduke just above the (bullet-proof ) jacket, at the lower end of the neck.

the assassin then drank some Cyanide, but instead of dying he just puked alot, and the guards kicked him and tortured him, all but killed him.




okay, now i hope i didnt make it sound too horrible for it to be funny... (its not that i find people dying funny, but it just didnt go right for all of the people involved and it made it funny in a way).

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I remember reading that Princip had left the botched attack and went to a cafe to lay low. Then apparently the car of the Archduke after fleeing the scene of the attack wound up stopping in front of the cafe where Pricip had been sitting. Princip still in possession of his gun saw the opportunity and took it.
I could be wrong ofcourse, it's been a while since I read that.


Lets see.. I wish I had some of my books with me. I'll be back with a couple when I can think of them.

 

[fargoth]

heh, that's a part i didnt know - its even better now

i got lots of funny stories about the church, but i can't remember the exact facts, so i'll do it tomorrow... in the meantime, please post more messed-up historical events.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

President Harrison has the dual distinction among all the Presidents of giving the longest inaugural speech and of serving the shortest term of office. Known to the public as "Old Tippecanoe," the former general of the Indian campaigns delivered an hour-and-forty-five-minute speech in a snowstorm. The oath of office was administered on the East Portico of the Capitol by Chief Justice Roger Taney. The 68-year-old President stood outside for the entire proceeding, greeted crowds of well-wishers at the White House later that day, and attended several celebrations that evening. One month later he died of pneumonia. [continued]

http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/northamerican/UnitedStatesPresidentsInauguralSpeeches/chap14.html

 

[mattmns]

What was that thing in the US Civil War? Something like: Some troops went into a forrest to relieve themselves and they stumbled upon the other side's plans.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

If the story is true, Pope Joan pulled one of the all time greatest bloopers when as Pope, she gave birth during a public procession. Diane Sawyer [ABC] just did story on this and she did find what could be the legendary chair used to test the "maleness" of future popes.

You can watch the video primer here:
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1453197&page=1

 

[Mk]

Hear about the time the North Korean leader had an assassination attempt? The assassin got so nervous he shot himself in the leg, two body guards noticed and shot out a full clip each. One of the shots hit a kid crossing the street, he died. No shots hit the assassin but his own.

 

[Smurf]

I remember reading that Princip had left the botched attack and went to a cafe to lay low. Then apparently the car of the Archduke after fleeing the scene of the attack wound up stopping in front of the cafe where Pricip had been sitting. Princip still in possession of his gun saw the opportunity and took it.
I could be wrong ofcourse, it's been a while since I read that.
Lets see.. I wish I had some of my books with me. I'll be back with a couple when I can think of them.

It's true that the archduke was attacked once before. He was on his way to the hospital to see the victims (a grenade had gone off that hit some civilians) when princip saw and killed him. I never heard anything about a cafe though.

 

[fargoth]

Hear about the time the North Korean leader had an assassination attempt? The assassin got so nervous he shot himself in the leg, two body guards noticed and shot out a full clip each. One of the shots hit a kid crossing the street, he died. No shots hit the assassin but his own.

wow that's a good one :rofl: