Some humans had to survive on other humans over the course of history during the times of famine and war; and some others just did it for its own sake or out of spite. Here are 10 of the most important cases of cannibalism in history:
The 10 Most Terrifying Cannibalism Stories In The History
10. Donner Party
A convoy of 87 people set out to travel through the USA and reach California. However, heavy snow made it impossible for them to continue. When a group of people came to save them, there were only 48 people left out of 87. The fact that that many people had disappeared made people ask questions.
As it was found out later, those who died as a result of cold and difficult living conditions, were eaten by the rest after they had eaten the animals in the convoy. Cold wasn't the only reason all those people died: some were murdered to be eaten by the 48 that remained alive. Eventually, 41 of the survivors made it to California safe and sound.
9. Regina v. Dudley and Stephens
This story started when four English sailors, whose ships ran aground, were left with no food or water in 1884. The sailors, named Dudley and Stephens, claimed that one should be killed for the well being of the rest. Naturally, nobody volunteered, and by the time they were rescued, the cabin boy had been killed and eaten. When the rescue team arrived, the sailors confessed that they killed the cabin boy to be able to survive, however, the court didn't agree that this was a valid reason and condemned them to death. Later, the death penalty was found too excessive and the sailors were sentenced to prison for 6 months.
8. The Crusades
The Crusades are one of the biggest events in history and they caused thousands of people to die. One of the most important examples of cannibalism also took place during this period. The huge armies that ran out of food during the war had to live on the meat of the people who lost their lives in combat. However, apart from the fact that this was a necessity given the conditions of the war, it is also thought that it was a strategy to break the motivation of the enemy.
7. Tang Dynasty
The era of the Tang Dynasty, which is an important period in the history of China, was also a time when people used cannibalism for revenge. State officials and the commoners were in a big conflict; and from time to time, people beat up the officials and ate their meat. It is also known that during this period, the hearts of the people who were executed were extracted and the accompanying security forces ate a part of the heart.
6. Siege of Leningrad
This event is quite important because it shows the limits of hunger. The famine was so severe that people started removing wallpaper and eating the glue. Because of the poverty that ran all over the city, cannibalism was no longer a choice, but a life style. Security forces tried to fight against it and parents told their children to stay at home; lest they would be kidnapped and eaten.
5. World War II
While Soviet Forces experienced this situation, Japanese soldiers were also in the middle of cannibalism. However, there was a difference: Japanese cannibalism wasn't due to hunger or survival.
War prisoners were killed and eaten by Japanese soldiers: the only thing that was left of them was their hands and feet. However, these were the lucky ones, because some of the prisoners' meat was cut when they were still alive, and then eaten by the soldiers. These prisoners were then thrown into a ditch and left to die. The horrible part about this was that they weren't doing this to survive, but to show the world how merciless they are.
4. Holodomor
This famine, which took place in 1932, is thought to have been man-made. All of the crops produced in the Ukraine were seized by the Soviet Union, leaving the people to starve. Many died because of the lack of food and water.
Given this situation, it didn't take cannibalism a long time to take over the city. Many stories were told by the people who witnessed this time period ,about people cooking and eating their spouses after killing them; as well as about those who couldn't stand hunger, and killed and ate babies and children.
3. 1959 China Famine
During the rule of Mao, millions suffered from starvation and thirst. According to the book "Hungry Ghosts" the hunger was so severe that, after some time, the only option for people was cannibalism. It was so dramatic that the parents who didn't want to carry the burden of eating their own kids exchanged their children with other families and fed on their meat.
2. St. Francis Raid
The village called 'St. Francis' was raided in 1759, during the war of France and India. This raid, which isn't widely known, is one of the most cruel events in the history of humanity. Robert Rogers and his men first raided the village, and then killed the prisoners they seized and fed on their raw meat.
1. Siege of Ma’arra
The crusaders, who fell hungry during the seige, are known for cutting the buttocks of their enemies and grilling them. There are many stories about the crusaders, about how they boiled adults and fried children alive. Obviously you feel free to do as you please, without thinking about the consequences, if you think that God is on your side.
