World's Biggest April Fools Day Joke???

Site Issues 2006 Archive Room
#1

[i]This coming Saturday is “April Fools Day”.

I’m really not sure if this is an international psuedo-holiday, or it’s strictlyan American farce. But I’m sure that my readers in the U.S. will remember and understand the irony in the following post. I’ld be interested in leaning from forum members from outside the U.S. to what degree – if at all – April Fools Day is recognized or practiced in their countries.[i]

        THE WORLD'S BIGGEST APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE?

One of the biggest and most expensive April Fools Day jokes in the history of the world, involving the most participants and props, occured at the outset of the last big battle of World War Two.

The setting was Okinawa – April 1st, 1945 – Easter Sunday – “April Fools Day”

It was shortly before 8 o’clock in the morning. The 1st and 6th U.S. Marine Divisions and the Army’s 7th and 96th Divisions were circling in their small landing craft off Okinawa’s western beaches waiting for the “GO” signal that would launch the invasion. At the same exact time U.S. 2nd Division Marines were circling in their small amphibious craft off the southeastern beaches on the opposite side of the island – also waiting for the signal.

Both the eastern and western beaches had just undergone a terrific shelling by elements of the hugh U.S. battle fleet.

Both beaches had just undergone the final napalm and strafing attacks by over a hundred aircraft from nearby carriers.

Both beaches were almost obscured by the resultant dust and smoke and steam from the back-to-back onslaughts.

And then the two invasion forces got the “GO” signal.

Simultaneously the small craft off both beaches turned and started in for the landings. The boats and LVT’s approached nearer and nearer under the watchful eyes of enemy defenders. Closer and closer until they were almost touching the beaches. Then the two Marine and two Army infantry divisions stormed the western beaches but – at the very last minute – the boats and LVT’s carrying the 2nd Marine Division on the eastern side of the island suddenly turned about and headed back to their mother ships to be reboarded – only to repeat the exact same maneuver the following morning.

Although the eastern beach “landing” that April Fools Day was only a feint designed to take pressure off the actual landing forces by causing the enemy to keep their defensive forces split in readiness to counter both invasions, it convinced the Japs that they were being invaded on both sides of the island.

It worked !!! It worked so well, in fact, that the Jap high command on Okinawa reported to the military biggies back home in Japan that they had just repulsed a large enemy invasion and had inflicted heavy casualties. As you well know there was not one casualty in the 2nd Marine Division that day.

APRIL FOOL HIROHITO!
APRIL FOOL TOJO!!
APRIL FOOL USHIJIMA!!!

… have a nice day[/i]

#2

Hi there,

April fools day is recognised and publicly practised in Belgium as well. With (next to privately organised jokes) also jokes in major newspapers and on public national television. I wonder where the April fools tradition originated though?

#3

Thanks much for your response. I’m really surprised to learn that Belgium recognizes April Fools Day. I’ve always thought it to be just a silly thing we American’s thought up. I looked it up in “The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins” by Robert Hendrickson only to find four complicated possibilities of the origin – one going all the way back to the 1700’s.
Too long to go into here – plus it’s off-subject. .- .-.

#4

All Fools Day has been around for centuries, some good Hoaxes to be found here:

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/April-Fools’-Day

#5

:lol: Wow thats some great info:) And i love4history thanks for mentioning that Belgium recognises Apri Fools Day as well:) :smiley:

#6

HAR HAR HAR i thought it was something us silly americans thought up also, But i think canada does it, ill found out later and edit this:)

#7

One of HM Armed Forces was founded on April Fools Day. I wonder if that’s entirely coincidence?

#8

For everyone that plays Counter-Strike, here’s a hillarious April Fools hoax that Steam did:

Friday, April 1 2005

An update is available for Counter-Strike: Source. The update will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. This update addresses requests for more realism in Counter-Strike: Source. The changes are as follows:

Features/Additions
Doubled player speed when jumping. The effect to cumulative, so the more you jump, the faster you go.
Cut price of AWP by 50%.
Added akimbo Riot Shield to buy menu.
Removed de_dust from mapcycle.
Realism Enhancements:

Knives:
Between rounds, it is suggested that you unsheath the weapon and repeatedly press the attack key to air it out as the leather now collects moisture and creates pits on the blade, making it less effective in the next round.

Shotguns:

  1. Firing the shotgun without ammo loaded will now cause it to jam.
  2. When the shotgun jams, press F2 to fill out form DA-1823-00/A12-H8.
  3. You should then hear a scribbling sound. When it stops, press F3 to send the request to LIDM.
  4. Failure to do paperwork before pressing F3 will result in the immediate return of the unrepaired shotgun.
  5. The repairs can take 1-2 rounds for completion. During that time, you cannot purchase a replacement firearm and may only use your sidearm or knife.

Player Models:
Several models now feature eyewear. This is a completely cosmetic enhancement with the following exceptions:

Part EP-7829-292-2 must be purchased and worn correctly at all times in order to see during the round.

In between rounds, you may purchase and use part EC-2231-833-H34 to clean your EP-7829-292-2. Note: that this does not clean the eyewear itself!

To clean the eyewear, you need to purchase and use the designated cleaner, EC-2231-233-H34, EC-2231-523-H34, or EC-2231-239-H34a respectively depending on your model’s eyewear. You can determine the part # of the correct cleaner by asking someone.

Machine and submachine guns:

At least once every five rounds, press F1 to inspect the weapon:
A musical cue indicates that the inspection has started. Now press F1 again repeatedly to clean and lubricate the weapon.

Your Preventative Maintenance Status (either “cleaning” or “lubricating”) is determined by the speed with which you press the F1 key and will be displayed above your head.

To accurately simulate real life maintenance mistakes, pressing F1 too quickly will lubricate either the bolt face or the trunnion block. Pressing F1 too slowly sprays lubricant directly into the buffer tube. All mistakes render the gun inoperable, though this may not become immediately apparent.

Experiment with keypress timing to avoid (and discover!) other common maintenance errors.

In order to balance the improved stopping power of a well-maintained weapon, the reloading process has been made much less reliable.

When reloading, you should listen for two or three distinct clicks over a period of several seconds.

If you hear one click or no clicks or more than two clicks, you’ve bent the link ejector chute and the gun will most likely explode on the next attempt to fire it, though it may not.

#9

Http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/mj-credit-card/index.html

Apparently the guy who owns this website is a prankster, and well read the whole thing.

This is not related to anything on WWII