How the last elephant army disappeared in the 19th century. The story of an unusual tactic that did not work (8 photos)

The last time war elephants were used was not so long ago - in the 19th century. Elephants were walking tanks here - they fired artillery at the enemy.





Elephants were used at the beginning of the 20th century, but these were episodes. They no longer participated in direct combat.

We all remember from the history books of the Ancient World how the army of Carthage effectively used war elephants against the Romans.

This allowed them to win a series of brilliant victories. Elephants were a powerful weapon that struck terror into their enemies. Archers attacked from them from a convenient position, and the elephants themselves trampled their enemies.

However, the Roman army could not be taken by elephants alone, and the Roman legions still gained the upper hand with great losses.

War elephants were also used effectively by other powers. They fought for the Persians and the Ottomans.



War elephant of the Seleucids

And Alexander the Great's commander, Seleucus, won a brilliant victory in the civil war with the help of elephants, dividing the enemy's cavalry and infantry in the Battle of Ipsus. This was the most powerful battle of Antiquity and Seleucus' 400 war elephants played a major role in the victory.

In the modern era, elephants were practically no longer used. Just like knightly armor, their popularity faded due to the invention of gunpowder. Muskets, of course, did not cause much harm to elephants. But for artillery, elephants became easy prey. Elephants continued to be used, but only as draft animals.





The only region where war elephants remained in use in the modern era was Southeast Asia. And it's not about the technological backwardness of the region at that time. It's just that this region has a difficult terrain, which negates all the advantages of cavalry. And it was practically not used here. But elephants felt quite at ease here.



Siam - today's Thailand - was armed with war elephants with installed gingals. This is small-caliber artillery, the fire was conducted mainly with grapeshot.



Gingals - a fortress gun. It was considered a small-caliber artillery weapon

As a rule, the gingals were serviced by four people: they cleaned the barrel, loaded and fired.



The French decided to take away Laotian lands in the northeast of the kingdom from Siam. This way they could more effectively conduct trade with China (at the same time importing opium there). Siam resisted.

Siam relied on its army of war elephants, which had recently proven themselves in combat.

At the end of the 19th century, Siam managed to suppress a rebellion in Laos with the help of elephants. With their help, it was possible to conduct military operations in hard-to-reach areas where it was difficult to place artillery.

The elephants proved themselves effective on the battlefield. Soldiers with gingals shot enemy infantry with grapeshot. And the enemy had nothing to say. Elephants did not take guns, and artillery could not be brought here.

With the French, who were already familiar with this tactic, it was not possible to repeat history. The French did not get involved in any mountain war. They simply blockaded the Siamese coast until Siam agreed to fulfill all French demands.

After this, the last army of war elephants in world history was disbanded.



An elephant in India pulls an airplane, 1944

Siam began to use elephants only for transporting weapons, including light artillery, and supplying troops in remote areas. Elephants were used for this purpose in Asia for a long time in the 20th century.



Elephants were used to transport heavy loads to a limited extent even in Europe - mobilizing them from circuses.