When you think of the world's best soldiers maybe you think of American Navy SEALs using
cutting edge tech, or Russian Spetsnaz fighting bears in hand-to-hand combat, or
British SAS parachuting behind enemy lines while sipping a nice piping hot cup of Earl Gray tea.
But you'd be dead wrong, because the best soldiers in the world are without a doubt, Nepal's Gurkhas.
Nepal is a small country situated along the Himalayan mountains and striding the borders
of India and Chinese-occupied Tibet. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Gorkha- present
day Nepal- was busy trying to expand into Tibet and into areas of India. The British,
who badly wanted access to lucrative trade opportunities in Tibet, petitioned the king
of Gorkha repeatedly for trade access, but was refused each time. As tensions grew, border
disputes between Gorkha and British-held Indian territories eventually culminated in all-out war.
It was then that the world would learn of the small, but mighty Gurkha warriors.
Despite being the world's sole superpower, having access to greater wealth and better equipment,
British forces struggled in their fight against the Gurkhas. The British East India Company,
which championed the conflict, suffered massive casualties,
and British commanders remarked on the fighting prowess and bravery of the Gurkha soldiers.
The Gurkhas were eventually forced to sign a peace deal with the British,
but they had more than earned the respect of the British military.
So much so in fact that one of the stipulations of the peace deal was that Britain would be allowed
to recruit from amongst the Gurkhas for its own military. This would start a two century
long partnership between the British military and the Gurkha people. To this date, around
20,000 Gurkhas have fought and died alongside British troops in conflicts all around the world.
But what makes Gurkhas the best soldiers in the world?
First, there's simple genetics. Like any alpine people, Gurkha soldiers
have a solid genetic advantage over us low-landers. At such high altitudes,
getting enough oxygen to function normally can be difficult for normal
people even if they aren't doing anything particularly strenuous.
To overcome the problems with living in such high elevation, Gurkhas have developed a
genetic mutation that allows their blood to more efficiently store and transfer oxygen,
and their organs are more efficient at using oxygen than those of us who live at lower
elevations. Thus while a normal person might struggle with the thin oxygen atop a mountain,
Gurkhas can make better use of that oxygen and not suffer the same debilitating effects.
When you move a Gurkha to a normal oxygen environment, their genetic mutation allows
them even greater efficiency. This means that on a genetic level, Gurkhas are capable of
greater physical fitness than normal people- high stamina and great endurance are their superpower.
But that's only part of the story, because another reason Gurkhas are the best soldiers in the world
is the incredibly grueling selection process to become one. Living in a country with few
opportunities for prosperity, becoming a Gurkha is not just about prestige for the Nepalese youth,
it's also about opening up doors to a better future. That's why every year almost 30,000
young Nepalese men compete for a slot in a 200-man recruitment quota, meaning that there
is extremely tough competition for the chance to fight alongside the British military as a Gurkha.
The selection process is designed to weed out all but the smartest, and toughest
of applicants, and it is considered the most brutal in the world. Applicants must run up
the Himalayan hills with a wicker basket full of rocks on their back for an hour,
and they must be able to do 75 bench jumps in one minute and 70 sit-ups in two minutes.
And that's just to get in- once accepted additional training awaits a would-be Gurkha.
Despite having such low numbers, Gurkhas have historically distinguished themselves on any
battlefield they fought on, and their deeds of daring are the stuff of legend. In World War II,
Gurkha Lachhiman Gurung was fighting on behalf of Britain against Japan.
One day the position he shared with two other men was attacked by 200 Japanese,
and despite the overwhelming odds the Gurkhas refused to retreat.
After intense fire, both of his comrades were mortally wounded,
leaving Gurung on his own. Suddenly, several grenades dropped into his position,
and Gurung immediately sprung into action, hurtling them back at the enemy one after
the other. By the time he pitched the third grenade though, it exploded in his hand,
blowing off most of the fingers on that hand, severely injuring his torso, right arm, and a leg.
God however had seen fit to give Gurung a spare arm. As the Japanese charged his position,
sure that Gurung must be dead by now, they were met by steady and accurate rifle fire as Gurung
used his left hand to fire his rifle. Realizing that Gurung was basically indestructible,
the Japanese wisely retreated. When the dust cleared, Gurung had killed 31 Japanese and
prevented his position from being overrun, earning himself the coveted Victoria Cross.
The Japanese however weren't the only Axis power to face the wrath of the Gurkhas,
and on the battlefields of Europe the Germans would get their own taste.
After a particularly brutal battle, a battalion of Gurkhas commanded by Colonel Peter Jones
found itself low on ammunition and pinned down by enemy machine gun positions.
Jones and the Gurkhas decided that despite having many wounded and being low on ammo,
the Germans really needed to lose this war badly, and in a scene straight out of braveheart,
the Gurkhas charged at the enemy machine gun positions with rifles and their kukri blades. The
fighting turned into brutal hand-to-hand combat, with the Gurkhas destroying the enemy positions.
Even off the battlefield though, Gurkhas are still a force to be reckoned with. In 2011,
a retired Gurkha was riding a train in India when a gang of robbers boarded the train.
The 40 men immediately began robbing passengers and attempting to rape the women.
Figuring that 40 to 1 odds made things about fair,
retired Gurkha Bishnu Shrestha whipped out his trusty kukri knife and took on the entire gang
of men who were armed with knives, swords, and pistols. After killing three of the robbers
and severely injuring eight others, the rest of the gang lost its nerve and quickly fled.
Thanks to intense training, a genetic mutation,
and a fierce fighting spirit, Gurkhas are without a doubt the best soldiers in the world,
and anywhere that Britain or its allies fight, Gurkhas are sure to be there.
Now go check out Most Hardcore Soldier: Roman Legionnaire or this video!