Editor 
When you think of a “war,” what comes to mind? Soldiers in trenches, tanks rolling over rough terrain, maybe even fierce battles in the sky. But in 1932, Australia faced a very different kind of enemy: thousands of rampaging emus! This infamous conflict, known as the “Great Emu War,” sounds like the punchline to a joke, but it was a real, government-sanctioned operation—and, believe it or not, the emus won.
The Background: A Flock of Trouble
The Great Depression hit everyone hard, including Australian farmers. To ease the struggle, the Australian government encouraged veterans to farm in Western Australia. But there was a catch: these farms were planted right in the path of migrating emus (Australian War Memorial; National Museum of Australia).
Around 20,000 emus descended upon the wheat fields of Western Australia, where they did what emus do best—gobbling up crops and trampling everything in their path. Desperate for a solution, the farmers turned to the government, and the government turned to the military.
The “War” Begins
The Australian government didn’t take this threat lightly; they sent soldiers armed with two machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition to tackle the emu menace. Major G.P.W. Meredith led the charge, confident that his small force would quickly put an end to the feathered menace. What could go wrong? (Smithsonian Magazine).
On November 2, 1932, Meredith and his men launched their first attack. They found a group of 50 emus and opened fire. But to their shock, these tough, agile birds scattered in all directions. The emus were surprisingly fast, clocking in at nearly 30 miles per hour, and the soldiers struggled to hit their targets. Out of the 50 emus, only a few were actually brought down (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
The Emus Strike Back
Over the next few days, the soldiers tried everything—ambushes, chasing the birds down with trucks, and even setting up traps. But the emus were always one step (or waddle) ahead. They often moved in coordinated groups, which made them harder to target. On one occasion, the soldiers’ truck stalled while chasing a large group of emus, leaving them outmaneuvered and outsmarted by the feathery foes (BBC).
Despite their best efforts, the soldiers only managed to kill about 1,000 emus after several weeks of fighting, far fewer than they’d hoped. In the meantime, emus continued to wreak havoc on the crops, seemingly undeterred by the attacks.
Surrendering to the Birds
By December, the operation was called off. Major Meredith famously admitted defeat, noting, “If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds, it would face any army in the world” (Australian War Memorial).
The government decided that maybe guns weren’t the best solution and eventually offered bounties to hunters to help control the emu population instead. But the damage was done—the “Great Emu War” went down as a massive (and somewhat hilarious) failure, leaving the farmers still battling the relentless birds.
The Aftermath: How the Emu War Lives On
The Great Emu War might seem like a funny historical footnote, but it actually highlights a bigger issue of human vs. nature. The emus were just following their instincts, migrating as they always did, and the real problem was a lack of understanding of their habits. This “war” also serves as a reminder of the unintended consequences of human expansion and how even well-armed soldiers can find themselves outmatched by Mother Nature (National Geographic).
Today, the Great Emu War has become a symbol of resilience (for the emus, at least!) and a quirky part of Australia’s history. Emus continue to roam Australia, as they have for millions of years, and to this day, no one underestimates these feathered warriors!
Fun Fact: Emus Are National Icons
Ironically, despite the war, emus are now seen as a national symbol in Australia. They appear on the country’s coat of arms alongside the kangaroo, another animal that’s hard to control but beloved by Aussies. So, while the humans may have lost this battle, emus earned a special place in Australian hearts!
The Great Emu War is a perfect example of how history can sometimes be stranger—and funnier—than fiction. It’s a reminder that not every problem can be solved with brute force and that sometimes, the natural world has a way of winning. So, the next time you see an emu, give it a little respect—it’s a survivor of one of the strangest wars in history!
