The BIGGEST Accidents In War

War is hazardous by its very nature, with life and limb constantly at risk due to enemy action. Sometimes, however, it is not the enemy that is the danger. Occasionally, whether through circumstance, incompetence, or just plain bad luck, some soldiers find themselves in life-threatening situations purely by accident.
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Credit:
Show Created by Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Script Writer: Robert de Graaf
Narrator: Chris Kane
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[@jokodihaynes419]

"Friendly fire will not be tolerated"-call of duty

[@azimisyauqieabdulwahab9401]

Try Again

[@jjsaarinen]

It also has a message for shooting civillians

[@makhayla4715]

[@Some_random_account4636]

@@makhayla4715 1:35

[@fanBladeOne]

@@Some_random_account4636 huh?

[@Vladpryde]

I couldn't even imagine what that maintenance worker must have felt when he dropped that wrench. It probably still haunts him to this day.

[@wilsonweiseng6485]

if there is a more literal case of "throwing a wrench in one's plans" i have yet to find it

[@thedarkfaegaming]

"... oops"

[@hucecnv7746]

I watched a documentary on this and he wasn’t even supposed to use that wrench he was supposed to use a different tool that was safer

[@Vladpryde]

@@hucecnv7746 I mean, unless the tool was made of dove feathers, then I don't think it's going to really matter when you drop it from that height.

[@handles_are_dumb]

@@Vladpryde the difference was the lock holding the socket to the wrench

[@talonvillacres4730]

Imagine how that one dude who dropped the socket that led to that disaster felt and still feels to this day if he's still alive. 😓

[@Stellaknot]

Watch command and control they interview him as well as many others. Great doc but also sad. That guy def thinks about it everyday of his life

[@budwhite9591]

That’s why everyone looses a 10mm to this day

[@nir7090]

My guy doing some laps to calm down 🏃 3:01

[@johnrushee8440]

Bro was trying to escape

[@jackkatz8604]

He was trying to get one last workout in

[@johnrushee8440]

@@jackkatz8604 bros getting ready to serve eternaly

[@builderofman7057]

Bro tried bro'ing into the comment section. 🤓/😎 Bro bro'd successfully... 🤔👍 Bro. 😅/😆

[@johnrushee8440]

@@builderofman7057 wha

[@phantomofsociety19]

Should have included the crash of the USS Akron as a dishonorable mention. Happened during interwar years but it was a Naval failure (fully avoidable) and the airship crash with the highest fatalities, surpassing even the Hindenburg and R101

[@michaelhowell2326]

If the Navy lists a lost submarine as "on eternal patrol" the families of those submariners should get a paycheck until the family line ends.

[@simmons5328]

The amount of people that would try to abuse that.. scary

[@user-pr2rr9sf8j]

That’s fucking sad… even in death they serve their family and country…

[@vapormissile]

Amen. Carlin: soft language

[@philpants44]

​@@simmons5328how's it abuse.

[@chrisferrell1037]

​@@philpants44 what he is saying is some people would claim they are related to collect a check when they really arent.

[@corymorimacori1059]

Master Oogway: Accidents don’t exist. Theodore Roosevelt: You should be ashamed of your military honor!

[@RJ_academix]

The deep level of YouTUbe meme references

[@charlessaint7926]

Former Vice-President Thomas Marshall about Teddy's passing. "Death had to take him sleeping. For if Roosevelt had been awake, there would have been a fight."

[@RJ_academix]

@@charlessaint7926 I heard Winston Churchill also had something real dirty to say about Roosevelt.. something about the guy playing bass? idk

[@OneWithStars]

I smell an ERB reference

[@theBakinNoob]

@@OneWithStarswhat does erb stand for?

[@MrMisterDerp]

I feel like the Trojan horse was the biggest accident in war, imagine taking in what you think is a victory trophy only for it to let out an army.

[@southeastgamiing4228]

3:56 Who would win? A 42 ton war machine *H E D G E*

[@brentlloyd7908]

Here in North America we call them line fences, think 10 foot across of 100 yr old trees with 6 feet high of rock.

[@kimberlyporter9555]

Any sea vessel with 'Titan' in it's name is doomed to sink.

[@night-x6793]

Guessing they never read the stories about how the Titans were doomed fighting the Greek gods which feels like Titan is a curse name to anyone who uses it.

[@OathTaker3]

Even "Titangiggle"? 🤔😁😆😅😂🤣

[@byewhobayou8868]

@@OathTaker3especially titangiggle but in a limited full time capacity almost all the time not really ever. Carry on.

[@skussy69]

Just like Titaniboa​@@byewhobayou8868

[@jaymie855]

Even the submarine. Lol.

[@micahistory]

last time I was this early, we had no war

[@stealthynaxo]

So... Never then.

[@Based_Gigachad_001]

That's a fancy way of saying never.

[@huh-cb1rk]

So like 200 years ago....USA sucks

[@Vetus.past_]

Are you KZbinr ?

[@MtnMaiden]

Free Free Palestine🇵🇸

[@crazymulatto8981]

War itself is the biggest accident of all.....

[@B-26354]

War isn't an accident by its very definition it is a deliberate act.

[@crazymulatto8981]

@@B-26354 you know what I mean 🙄

[@AussiePom]

War is politics by more forceful means.

[@Aqueox]

"I'm 14, and this is a deep thought." - You

[@jonmandelbaum5395]

@@AussiePomI say it’s the other way around

[@krixpop]

Not a mention of the Deadliest Fart accident of 1985. Varshaw Pact. Occured after the consumption of dubious cans of beef and beans by an entire company . The horor still lingers since the entire compound is still abandoned ...

[@guyledouche7939]

That's sounds like a load of hot air...

[@ADcommenter]

Sounds like a load of fart to me.

[@KittyGamerCool-jj1xi]

bryh

[@ferretyluv]

Explain. I can’t find anything on Google.

[@krixpop]

@@ferretyluv Commie'censorship ...

[@GoogIe-in1gu]

You should put "American" in the title

[@Tactical_sledge21]

América Is not the world.😂😂

[@GoogIe-in1gu]

@@Tactical_sledge21 that's why i said that

[@happilyenraged713]

Agreed

[@garrettbrown5526]

It should have “US” in the title. Not to be ignorant but America (assuming that’s what you mean) insinuates the entire N.A., US, Canada and Mexico. Should he talk about your country next?

[@sanb3586]

Only Americans can do war after breakfast lunch dinner or for beacon greece

[@MM22966]

Battle of Karansebes. Only recorded instance of an army defeating itself in battle.

[@aleksandarvil5718]

**FRIENDLY FIRE UP TO 11**

[@Cowboysnake-mb9qf]

lmao

[@underworldguardian704]

Your honor, my client pleads Oppies Daisy.

[@Chillforev-dd9wr]

Russian badger reference

[@user-kr7yh8vw9m]

Thanks Simple History for this interesting video. It really pains me how these incidents can take place in multiple ways like the Sultana, Operation Cobra, Operation Eagle Claw, the sinking of the USS Thresher and many more. It pains me especially for all the lives that were lost😔.

[@ProfessorDreamer]

Simple History can you do a Simple History video on The Most Disloyal and Treacherous Double Agents.

[@leighz1962]

That's anti-semitic

[@Pooscentedcowdungindian]

@leignz1962 bro just admitted that only Jews do that 💀

[@ferretyluv]

Benedict Arnold?

[@sciathoir]

@@leighz1962hmmm I think that says more about you than your realize

[@murdochscharnhorst]

I'd like a video on the 1996 Black Hawke helicopter collision just outside of Townsville Australia

[@Superjohndoe8060]

Thank you for more history videos!

[@luisemoralesfalcon4716]

The: "It wasn't me and those doesn't qualify for VA until 20 years passed and this act was signed."

[@samuelfoote9135]

Loved this episode, especially the animations.

[@ItBurnsOwStopHelpMeItBurns]

I love these videos!

[@dallinlutz3657]

Geez that Tehran mission was a dumpster fire

[@vichyfrance5575]

3:09 you all know where this, is going, the titan sub got destroyed by a catastrophic implosion and the thresher sank due to some balast tanks or flooding that led it to the crush depth

[@danlawson7665]

The goldeneye inflated phonebox at the start is a beautiful little touch 👌

[@rtyrsson]

I've got to say: I'm very much enjoying the new format of the cartoon-rendered narrator in these videos. Well... new to me if I've not been very observant.

[@Dr_Larken]

15:03 I don’t know if they still do it but when I was a kid, they had a steamboat race sometime in the two weeks leading up to the first Saturday in May for the Kentucky Derby. I think one of them was called the Bell of Louisville. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to America, at the moment, I currently have no desire to return! Go where your best treated!

[@Rattrap007]

:06 nice James Bond Q branch joke with the phone booth. I remember that gag.

[@manicmechanic448]

Keep it stupid simple.

[@ThomasBriard]

This was really well made! This is just height quality.

[@scotts918]

13:13 - I know I shouldn't laugh, but those little animated people going 🙂🙃🙂🙃🙂🙃 into the water was hilarious

[@Zbd40]

My favorite KZbinr

[@RJ_academix]

Came here expecting to see the Halifax explosion as number one... idk how they missed that...

[@MM22966]

If we listed every titanically destructive UXO accident, we'd be here all day. Texas City, Black Tom, etc.

[@RJ_academix]

@@MM22966 They missed the largest explosion created in human history until the atomic bomb?

[@ferretyluv]

It wasn’t in wartime.

[@RJ_academix]

@@ferretyluv It was a mass shipment of WW1 munitions destined for France

[@Jump-Shack]

Think they went with the stuff that less known rather than the stuff that is well known, like the Halifax explosion

[@thegermansturmmann1797]

Chechen war Russian friendly fire from artillery forgot that

[@Ddorkly]

friendlyfire was never friendly

[@501st-Lego-motion]

Can you do an episode on the importance of the Anzac forces because the kind of just were forgotten about and they did a lot and fought a lot and they don’t get a lot of attention

[@samxyx]

I like how there's an attempt to teach us something from each of these mistakes

[@Benjimac379]

Any mentions on the Black Hawk down incident along with the USS Forrestal fire?

[@scooterprint]

My dad lived about 10 minutes up the road from the Titan 2 missile when the incident occurred, and my grandmother was an english teacher at the high school about a mile up the road from the entrance to the missile site. She used to tell me about the warhead laying in the ditch.

[@BakkuIa]

I remember my first choice when joining the USAF was nuclear maintenance. Read the story of the wrench incident shortly after I chose that job. Failed the background check anyway, and that's probably best. I drop tools all the time.

[@jaysoncote7237]

I worked for a company that builds the submarines for the Navy. During orientation we had to listen to the USS Thresher implode. Very scary sound

[@blakegoulds8313]

Hedge rows are not "planted by farmers". They grow naturally in an ares not plowed every year.

[@gchampi2]

Depends on the farming style, and where you are. In arable (crop) farming, yup, hedgerows just happen at the edge of fields as you say. In pastoral (animal) farming, farmers definitely plant hedgerows, as a means to keep their animals on the farm. In Normandy, you're talking Bocage hedges, ancient, gnarled things, reinforced by centuries of rocks dragged from the fields by farmers. Nasty stuff to attack, perfect to defend...

[@CanYouHearTheWhistling]

The worst accident ive ever heard of was on the queen Mary they have a plaque to those who died on the ship and one was a sailer who was killed by being crushed in half in an airlock door

[@Gilmore-Devoss]

I'm kinda surprised he didn't talk about the crew of the Willy D. Porter the ship that almost sank the Iowa and killed the president

[@mcb187]

Scariest part about thresher is that those guys were still alive for a long time, iirc at least 45 minutes. They sent out active sonar pings in a last ditch effort to be rescued. I cannot imagine the dread those sailors faced, knowing that there was absolutely nothing they could do. This wasn’t like the titan, it wasn’t fast. It wasn’t unexpected. They had to sit and wait until the hull caved in.

[@Harikejn]

I remember one accidents that occurred at the outbreak of WWII in Yugoslavia. I don't know it can be categorized as either biggest or smallest accidents. Cause there are no smaller or bigger jobs. There is a thing such as job done well done, and job done badly. Anyhow, back to telling accident. During the outbreak of WWII in Yugoslavia, one German plane such as Messerschmidt Bf 110 C was doing a reconnaissance flight during the foggy weather over Yugoslavia on April 1st 1941 (and it's not an April fool's joke). And that day was a bit foggy. What happened was that the German Bf 110 landed somewhere on Yugoslav airfield instead of in friendly German airfield. The navigator made a mistake since Yugoslav air force had in possession Bf 109's E, and Dornier Do-17 Bombers. The crew surrendered, and they landed by accidentally on the Yugoslav airfield, and the Bf 110 was captured, and repainted (markings were changed to be Yugoslav 110). Five days later war begun in Yugoslavia, to other Yugoslav airfields wasn't reported that the Bf 110 was captured. And it was shot down by Yugoslav flak, also by accident. Also when there was a revenge attack of Yugoslav bomber crew. Cause the capital city Belgrade suffered a bombing on April 6th 1941, Yugoslav bomber crew decided to do the revenge bombing for Belgrade. They bombed Vienna, and Graz, and they made a big delays to advancing German army. Believe it or not Yugoslav air force had markings such as white cross with red, and blue insignia. And since the airplanes were moving, the Germans thought that these were their airplanes. This can be probably treated as either accident, or probably as a deception, but maybe even as both things. But I'm not here to judge about that.

[@alanroberson9749]

Very good job dudes and well done!! Congratulations 994.4% yo. Boffo work by 450 bonus points. Should have included the crash of the USS Akron as a dishonorable mention. Happened during interwar years but it was a Naval failure (fully avoidable) and the airship crash with the highest fatalities, surpassing even the Hindenburg and R101.

[@wincentwass5818]

I liked the little fun fact about steam boat racing, I had no idea, but it sounds really interesting:3

[@user-pd3tj2ik9e]

Can You Make A Video About Croatian Homeland War?

[@digitaal_boog]

The thumbnail is relatable. One of my mates stubbed his toe on a bed frame and went ‘shi-‘ and an officer walked through the door for a room inspection. It quickly changed to ‘Schmidt’, which given his name was Smith, became my mates nickname for the rest of the time I knew him.

[@adamwelch4336]

"Whoops!" is the worst word to hear during a war! 😅

[@user-ue2gm4wt4p]

Wow thats ridiculous

[@user-lt3yt7ph6g]

gotta love the thumbnail XD

[@abdulkareemaliyu8991]

THE BIGGEST ACCIDENTS IN WAR❌ THE BIGGEST ACCIDENTS IN USA✅ There you go...

[@MotivationSHCUM]

US defaultism yet again

[@zelbongrimmage3770]

Sounds about right

[@Hyoscyamus369]

If that General had been doing his job instead of going to the theatre then maybe he would have survived!!!

[@rollout3465]

No mentions of the 37 pings from uss thresher? From the de-classified document?

[@noyou9379]

I live in Arkansas and remember that one fondly. Surprised you didn't mention the possibility of what would have happened if the nuke did explode. Some reports estimate that 2/3rds of the US would have been demolished

[@rubberbandman200]

About the theaser. When they tried to EMBT blow the valves froze due to the cold air causing water to condense. Now on subs we drain those valves to make sure theres no water in the system.

[@restoreleader]

There is a book about Damascus missile incident and nuclear weapon safety as a whole - Command and Control. Full of funny stories about atomic bombs falling out of planes or activating by a mistake, enjoyable reading. Its a miracle that there wasnt a single nuclear explosion considering amount of these mishaps. Highly recommending

[@vincent412l7]

Steamboat racing was not a competitive sports. The captains raced each other to reach the port first to get the cargo.

[@archi5809]

Мне было интересно посмотреть, спасибо.

[@maximelarocque2708]

1:56 Nah , he was refering to his superior officer

[@leehyun6513]

So, can you do the video about Audie Murphy in WW2 or Vo Nguyen Giap and the Australian SASR in the Vietnam War? They have good stories behind it.

[@LTYTACCT]

The 1980 Titan 2 missile disaster in Arkansas wasn't the first time when the U.S. almost nuked itself because of an accident. A Mark 39 hydrogen bomb with a 3.8 megaton explosive yield was ejected from a B-52 bomber that broke apart in mid-air over North Carolina in 1961. When the bomb was recovered on the ground, it was only one safety switch away from detonating.

[@SamMcKenzie-rq2hd]

Exactly.

[@johnlynch-kv8mz]

2:42 we don’t really consider how deep the ocean can get: For most of humanity, we’re stuck on the surface. Imagine having 1.3 miles of ocean above one’s head??

[@guyledouche7939]

Also a British King blew himself up with a cannon. Cant remember which one...

[@igrim4777]

He didn't blow himself up, he died after an exploding cannon severed his leg at the thigh. No true Scotsman would call him a British king, he was James II, King of Scots.

[@aleksandarvil5718]

King James II of Scotland, from House of Stewart !!!

[@loyalpiper]

James II of Scotland of the Stuarts blew himself up at Roxburgh house

[@guyledouche7939]

@@aleksandarvil5718 you could say he went out with a bang...

[@guyledouche7939]

@@loyalpiper he certainly had an explosive career.

[@Cris0_01]

Out of all people, how have you not done a video on isonzo yet😭

[@samuelmuller9940]

Don’t blame Bradley blame the Airforce for not following instructions. Happen in Vietnam with helicopters and planes not wanting to follow instructions from the ground an adrenaline rush .

[@samuelmuller9940]

How about a wind shift the planner the weather man or an act of God

[@troygroomes104]

Its crush depth , not collapse depth

[@alm5992]

5:40 The B-29's are coming from the opposite direction of the U.S. position, but then right after you state "they dropped too soon and hit the American lines". Unless everything is backwards, you mean "dropped too late". Also, do the nuclear engineer guys have lanyards or magnetic hands for their tools? How is it deemed a freak accident when someone drops something!? Some people drop their phones every 5 minutes!

[@luisrenato4089]

B-29s in the european theater?

[@OWASMR]

So to sum up the Titan, its a pringles can with some coke in the bottom and someone dropped their mentos making it explode alllllll over the place

[@connorriley7511]

The sub imploded… nothing exploded in the sub so your analogy is terrible.

[@OWASMR]

@@connorriley7511 sir the whole thing is a joke. Even if I did point out the implosion its still terrible mr smarty pants.

[@sir_topcat]

it's more like crushing a can with your hands but leave the stove on low ig

[@donhatter159]

I love history

[@alexandersardi4479]

The biggest accident in the war is having the war itself

[@indianajones4321]

It’s just a prank bro

[@aleksandarvil5718]

*The prank:*

[@Railgun_user12]

💀

[@shawnlam3109]

0:28 oh hello Dr. Kleiner.

[@infernogamey374]

Fun fact KISS is also a simple programming rule!

[@chathuralakshan542]

@Simple History please do missions from Sri Lanka Military

[@Spagooti710]

Why there wasn’t tool tethering protocols for working on a nuke blows my mind

[@daavocadoguy5733]

multi million nuclear missle vs 1 worker with some butterfingers

[@noblesicks]

The air rushing they were blowing the ballast tanks filling up with air rapidly but there was moisture in her air tanks and in her air systems and releasing pressurized air really fast drops the temperature so the moisture froze and clog the pipes she sank out because of that and imploded I had to lean this when going into submarines. I was a machinist mate auxiliary fireman

[@jamesricker3997]

Operation Cobra killed General McNair, his death was catastrophic for the Germans

[@Ozzywozzy]

Does anyone know what program is used to create the animation used?

[@jbarral6509]

As I recall ever since the failure of Operation Eagle Claw USOCOM was founded

[@matiasgrief]

Worst accident in war: them even happening

[@jacobwiles547]

The worst example was the fourth one. I'm surprised it's not more well-known or discussed.

[@sonofkarma5461]

The Missile Silo Accident is Crazy, I’ve never heard of this Story Until Now, it’s a Good thing nobody was Killed😬

[@MM22966]

What is even funnier is that Vice President Walter Mondale was nearby at the time, giving a speech. The Secret Service must have freaked out.

[@chadrowe8452]

I thought 2 men said seal us in while they did damage control and everyone else evacuated

[@noblesicks]

The thresher was the lead ship in the class so it was going to be the thresher class but when she sank her sister ship became the class name

[@QZSW]

75 comments Is underrated

[@killman369547]

It is strangely poetic isn't it? Humanity's mightiest weapon.... destroyed by a socket wrench.

[@ultrajd]

You guys forgot the friendly fire incident that happened during the initial stages of the invasion of Sicily in World War III. I don’t remember the exact specifics, but basically the anti-aircraft gunners on board the various landing ships and all that we’re extremely jumpy because of the events that were transpiring. And the majority of them were brand new to combat so yeah. When an allied aerial column of C4 sevens began flying overhead. The gunners thought they were enemy, bombers, and panicked. They then started firing up at the aircraft which resulted in I believe it was 20 something planes were shot down. A greater number were severely damaged. Roughly 88 American servicemen were killed with almost 2 or three times that much being wounded and I believe 60 or so were listed as missing. This is actually why in Normandy all aircraft that we’re going to take place in the invasion we’re painted with those black and white wing stripes. This was so allied gunners on the ground could see at a glance whether or not the aircraft was an allied one or axis.

[@aud_light2444]

Kiss in swedis is urrien 11:08

[@brunozeigerts6379]

Wasn't the Titan explosion caused by a laser firing satellite controlled by Blofeld?

[@user-bf6qf3ln7h]

Just so you know, on the first story at the beginning, the sonar sound you used was unrealistic

[@x_hibernia]

When that Chinese sub that died to it's own sea mine they said it was lost not on some eternal patrol?, so when it's a accident no one gets paid for the loss of how many?

[@1stan2amendmentabsolutist]

Maybe some temporary protection is needed for possible falls a wrench

[@Patrol3-8]

Friendly Fire Isn't

[@tonylock4999]

So biggest accidents in war yet only one was in a war

[@kaxtorplose]

The dropped wrench in a missile silo incident didn't take place during war.