# Historic achievement most resembling fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 11, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642 "2007-04-11T14:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/61 "2007-04-13T00:08:01Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] [The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28144) agreed. [/QUOTE] Wow, that’s like, a really good piece. Way more than I’d expect from “The Onion.” ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/62 "2007-04-13T16:51:03Z")
[QUOTE=Sefton] I finished the Patrick O’Brian novels a while back… [/QUOTE] You know, the story of [Lord Thomas Cochrane](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cochrane) and the cruise of the \*Speedy \* could make a pretty good novel. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/63 "2007-04-13T17:13:23Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] I disagree; fantasy’s popularity with the public has historically cycled on an orbit, and the Harry Potter books arrived at just about the time that it should have been cycling back into the public consciousness. If it hadn’t been them, it would have been another franchise. [/QUOTE] I don’t see how you can view it as cyclic, given how preposterously more popular Harry Potter is than any other publishing phenomenon within recent memory. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/64 "2007-04-13T17:32:51Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] What about the life story of [Moe Berg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Berg), a Major League Catcher of middling ability for 15 years who then he became a spy during WWII. [/QUOTE] Wow. “A graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School, Berg spoke several languages and regularly read ten newspapers a day.” Tools of ignorance, indeed. Similar to the 10,000, at the end of World War I there was a Czech brigade that found themselves on the wrong side of the line in Russia with the Russian civil war erupting around them. It was easier to go east than west so they did – all the way to Vladivostok, taking on all comers, Reds and Whites. They arrived with about 30 trainloads of stuff including a lot of gold, which they traded for passage across the Pacific and Atlantic to get home the long way. What a fantastic story that would make. I haven’t been able to find any books on it, though, just a bare mention in some histories. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/65 "2007-04-13T17:42:16Z")
[QUOTE=MaxTheVool] I don’t see how you can view it as cyclic, given how preposterously more popular Harry Potter is than any other publishing phenomenon within recent memory. [/QUOTE] Also, how how J.K. Rowling stated the series is pretty remarkable. I was just recalling what a fascinating historical drama the life of King Leopold II of Belgium could be in thhe right hands. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/66 "2007-04-13T19:24:35Z")
War stories: The Battle of Roarke’s Drift. 100 British beat 3000 Zulus. The Winter War. The USSR invades Finland. And loses. Sports Stories: The Jamaican Bobsled team. Eddie the Eagle. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/67 "2007-04-13T19:37:01Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Was this real or fiction? I remember seeing either a documentary or a movie about some WWII POWs in Germany making a PLANE out of crap they found lying around the old church in which they were being held and successfully flying said plane - manned - out over the hedges… [/QUOTE] Sounds a lot like _Chicken Run_. 😃 I’m a big Shackleton admirer, too. An amazing guy, and an astonishing adventure. George Washington’s remarkable victory in the Battle of Trenton, in bitter cold and mere days before his army would be forced to virtually disband, is rightly the stuff of legend: [Battle of Trenton - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_trenton) Although it’s not an “achievement” (unless you count sheer longevity as such), the fact that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died within hours of one another, fifty years to the day after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, is simply uncanny. If you had read it in a historical novel, you’d roll your eyes. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the 20th Maine saved the Union left at Gettysburg against terrible odds, and Chamberlain himself (self-taught soldier, college professor, linguist, educator, governor of Maine, president of Bowdoin) seems almost too good to be true: [Joshua Chamberlain - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Chamberlain) ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/68 "2007-04-13T20:18:08Z")
To add to Shakleton’s accomplishments, he didn’t lose a single man in that whole mess. That’s what floors me about his accomplishment. The burning and wreck of the [SS Morro Castle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Morro_Castle). Captains only die under mysterious circumstances just before a major disaster in bad fiction, right? Finally, let’s look at the contributions that [Dr. Minor](http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/william_minor/index.html) made to the OED. A man confined for life to mental institutions for dangerous schizophrenia (He’d killed a man, but had been found not guilty because of his demonstrable insanity.) who proved to be one of the most valuable volunteers providing information for the men working to make the OED. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/69 "2007-04-13T20:27:43Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] …A man confined for life to mental institutions for dangerous schizophrenia (He’d killed a man, but had been found not guilty because of his demonstrable insanity.) who proved to be one of the most valuable volunteers providing information for the men working to make the OED. [/QUOTE] You might like this book. Haven’t read it myself, but it’s gotten good reviews: [The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary: Simon Winchester: 9780060839789: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Professor-Madman-Insanity-English-Dictionary/dp/0060839783/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8053598-3149753?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176495946&sr=1-1) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/70 "2007-04-13T20:41:24Z")
And one thing about Shackleton’s adventure that sometimes gets overlooked is that after his rescue, he went _back_ to Antarctica to rescue the [Ross Sea party](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Sea_Party). ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/71 "2007-04-13T21:00:54Z")
The [_Sultana_ riverboat fire.](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/05/0501_river5.html) Who would think that a riverboat could carry 2,300 people (or that 1,700 of them would die when the boat caught fire)? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/72 "2007-04-13T21:04:20Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] [The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28144) agreed. [/QUOTE] I haven’t read that before (although I know the “Holy Fucking Shit” edition), but that is a very wise and prescient piece. Thanks for posting that. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/73 "2007-04-13T21:52:50Z")
The fight to eradicate the [thuggee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuggee) cult in India is pretty dramatic, at least as described by the chapter I just read in [this](http://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Command-Imperial-Jan-Morris/dp/0156027747/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6817181-9627341?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176500952&sr=8-1) so far excellent book. It kind of reminded me of an early-Victorian version of [The Untouchables](http://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Command-Imperial-Jan-Morris/dp/0156027747/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6817181-9627341?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176500952&sr=8-1): straight arrow [William Sleeman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Sleeman) lays down the law against a muderous, secret cult, fighting against corrupt politicians and a recalcitrant population along the way. Fascinating stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/74 "2007-04-13T22:00:20Z")
The story of Helen Keller’s life is pretty amazing; there’s nothing as dramatic as wars or battles or fantastic escapes, but who’d think a person deaf and blind from infancy would grow up to graduate from Radcliffe with honors, help found the ACLU, and become a writer and outspoken political activist? That chick had brains and serious ovarian fortitude, and I admire her greatly. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/75 "2007-04-13T22:02:49Z")
How about the story of mountain climber Joe Simpson, recounted in the book and documentary [Touching the Void](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touching_the_Void)? Simpson fell into a crevasse after his climbing partner, who presumed him dead, cut the rope connecting them. He spent three days crawling five miles back to base camp with a broken leg. No matter how many times I watch the documentary, I’m still shocked when he shows up alive at the end. If it were a movie starring Bruce Willis, the ending would seem completely ridiculous and over the top. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/76 "2007-04-13T22:58:58Z")
I remember after seeing the story about Russian sniper Vasily Zaytsev thinking, “wow…that would make a great movie”. It made an ok [movie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215750/). ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/77 "2007-04-13T23:01:20Z")
The [St. Nazaire Raid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Nazaire_Raid) seems a bit out there, with the British destroying a heavily-defended drydock in Occupied France by ramming it with a destroyer packed full of explosives. And then there is [Pardo’s Push](http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1296/pardo.htm), an incident during the Vietnam Conflict where USAF Captain Bob Pardo used his F-4 Phantom to push a crippled wingman’s plane out of enemy territory using the wingman’s tailhook and his own plane’s canopy. Pardo and his backseater were eventually awarded the Silver Star for this. This was referenced in a 5th season episode of JAG when Harm did the same stunt with a pair of F-14s. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/78 "2007-04-13T23:16:03Z")
I love this thread, the stories with the Wikipedia links are fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/79 "2007-04-13T23:22:24Z")
[QUOTE=Rich Mann] Read _The Man Who Never Was_ by Ewen Montagu. It details British Naval Intelligence’s “Operation Mincemeat” which convinced the Nazis that the Allies were going to invade Sardinia rather than Sicily. [/QUOTE] Incidentally, this was also the basis of a really good episode of Space: Above and Beyond. Oh, another one I had forgotten, the [Christmas Truce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce) during WWI, which lasted from Christmas Eve to Christmas Night in 1914 (though in some areas, lasting as late as New Years). This unofficial ceasefire saw the exchange of gifts, singing of Christmas carols, burial services for the dead in No Man’s Land, and a temporary cessation of artillery bombardments. On Christmas Eve for every year in the war after that, artillery bombardments were ordered to prevent similar truces from occurring. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642/80 "2007-04-14T00:18:28Z")
The [1972 Summit Series (Canada versus the Soviet Union)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summit_Series#The_Games). If the final game was the closing scene of a movie, you’d say something like, “Yeah, right. Talk about Hollywood cliches”. I apologize if someone has already mentioned this upthread, but I checked and didn’t notice it (btw, its absence is truly surprising, but I guess that’s because I’m a Canuck) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-achievement-most-resembling-fiction/399642.md?page=5)