Argentina and Chile sent pregnant women to Antarctica to have their babies there. All to strengthen their claim on the continent.
Argentina
In Argentina, the 29th day of each month…
In Argentina, the 29th day of each month is Gnocchi Day, with almost all families eating gnocchi. The tradition started because the 29th of the month was just before payday, so money was tight, and only potatoes and flour were left. For extra luck, everyone gets a peso under their plate.
Southern Thule Capture the Flag Game
Argentina invaded the British island of Southern Thule in 1976.
The island was uninhabited and is so remote that the British weren’t aware of the invasion for over a month. When it was discovered that the Argentinians had set up a permanent military base and weather station there it was decided that diplomacy (secretly) was the smartest choice. It leaked to the press about a year later and Operation Journeyman was started to force a peaceful (albeit with the military) resolution.
It wasn’t until after the Falklands War ended that the British forced Argentina to leave (with shells fired at the island to force a surrender). But 6 months later an Argentine flag appeared on the island again.
How the British flag was replaced with the Argentinian one is unclear, although they did leave the British one neatly folded under a rock nearby. The British decided not to play the ‘replace the flag’ game and instead destroyed all the buildings (bar one small hut for emergencies) and left the British flag on the pole as they left.
In the 1900s Argentina had a tax…
In the 1900s Argentina had a tax on unmarried men that included an exemption for single men who had proposed to a woman for marriage but were rejected. Women then started proposals rejection businesses where they would charge to turn down proposals from bachelors seeking to evade the tax.
In 1977, Argentina flew a pregnant…
In 1977, Argentina flew a pregnant woman to their military base in Antarctica so she could have first baby to ever be born on the continent. In doing so, the Argentine government believed this would give them an undisputable claim on the land, but the claim is not recognized internationally.
Argentina sent a pregnant woman to Antarctica, had her give…
Argentina sent a pregnant woman to Antarctica, had her give birth there, and used the baby to reinforce its territorial claims.