The Emu War meme refers to the Great Emu War of 1932, a real-life nuisance wildlife management military operation in Australia where soldiers armed with Lewis guns were famously unable to cull the emu population. The internet rediscovered this historical absurdity, transforming it into a symbol of unexpected defeat and military incompetence. Most memes feature vintage photographs of Australian soldiers or maps of the continent, paired with punchlines about the emus' tactical superiority. It has since evolved into a staple of historical meme culture, frequently appearing in 'Who would win?' comparisons or as a joke about the resilience of nature against technology.