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14 Of the Strangest Wars Ever Fought (That Sound Completely Made Up)

Trista July 7, 2025 8 min

14. The Mock Turtle Soup War (England vs. France, 19th Century)

mock turtle detail — Lewis Carroll included a character, Mock Turtle, in his 1865 children’s book *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.* Source: Wikipedia

Not all wars are fought with swords or guns—some are waged with words and recipes. In the 19th century, England and France engaged in a heated, satirical dispute over who invented mock turtle soup. Newspapers on both sides fired off culinary insults, each nation fiercely defending its gastronomic pride. Discover more about this deliciously strange rivalry at The Guardian.

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Trista

14. The Mock Turtle Soup War (England vs. France, 19th Century)

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