Mud, blood, rockets and bullets,
Tanks, cannons, machines guns and horses,
Gas, masks, pipers and poetry,
And the subject of the blackest of comedy.

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Mel Brooks, American actor, director, and Filmmarker was born today in 1926.

Elon Musk, South African / Canadian / American technology entrepreneur, was born on this day in 1971.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Austrian member of the Habsburg dynasty, was assassinated on this day in 1914, which precipitated the World War I.