In a bizarre twist of history, the world is reminded of the strangest conflicts ever fought over the most trivial matters. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Iceland waged a series of “Cod Wars” against the UK, not for territory, but for fish. As British trawlers invaded Iceland’s waters, the tiny nation flexed its newfound independence by extending its fishing zone from 4 to 12 nautical miles. The Royal Navy’s response? A maritime showdown that saw Icelandic Coast Guards engaging in high-seas bumper cars with British ships.

The stakes escalated in 1972 when Iceland boldly expanded its zone to 50 miles, employing net-cutting tactics that left British fishermen fuming and financially crippled. By the third Cod War in 1975, Iceland claimed a staggering 200-mile zone, forcing the UK to back down after NATO’s strategic interests in Iceland became apparent.

Meanwhile, other peculiar conflicts unfolded globally. In the 1960s, France and Brazil clashed over lobsters, with French vessels sneaking in under the guise of research, leading to naval standoffs that ended without a single shot fired. The “Great Emu War” of 1932 saw Australian soldiers outsmarted by 20,000 emus, while the “Whiskey War” between Canada and Denmark turned into a light-hearted flag-and-booze exchange over a barren rock in the Arctic.

Even the “Pig War” of 1859 erupted over a single pig shot on disputed land, leading to a 12-year standoff between American and British forces. And who could forget the “Football War” of 1969, ignited by a soccer match between El Salvador and Honduras, which escalated into a full-scale invasion?

These bizarre wars remind us that sometimes, the most absurd conflicts arise from the most trivial disputes, proving that history is often stranger than fiction.