In WWII dogs were used to sniff out mines, carry messages, scout trails and guard camps. But a novel use was by the Russians to destroy tanks in the early years of the eastern front. Desperate to stop the German advance, they trained dogs to go under tanks with explosives on their backs. But trained with stationary Soviet tanks, the dogs were confused with moving German ones and often would refuse to go under them. Then the dogs would retreat back to the Russian line to find their handlers. There they often jumped back in the trench they were released from, killing and injuring the Soviet soldiers! The Germans also learned to employ counter measures, and “captured” some – liberating the dogs from a potentially cruel fate. Thankfully the practice was phased out due to its lack of results and increasing Russian battlefield success. Next: The Able Sea Cat.
