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April Fools’ Day

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• Ancient Origins - Tracing back the ancient origins of April Fools’ Day
• National Public Radio - April Fools' Day might be the world's longest-running joke. No one knows how it began
• BBC - April Fools' Day: Why do we do pranks on April 1st?
• Historic UK - April Fools Day 1st April
• April Fools’ Day - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

April Fools’ Day , in most countries the first day of April. It received its name from the custom of playing practical jokes on this day—for example, telling friends that their shoelaces are untied or sending them on so-called fools’ errands. Although the day has been observed for centuries, its true origins are unknown and effectively unknowable. It resembles festivals such as the Hilaria of ancient Rome , held on March 25, and the Holi celebration in India, which ends on March 31.

Some have proposed that the modern custom originated in France , officially with the Edict of Roussillon (promulgated in August 1564), in which Charles IX decreed that the new year would no longer begin on Easter , as had been common throughout Christendom, but rather on January 1. Because Easter was a lunar and therefore moveable date, those who clung to the old ways were the “April Fools.” Others have suggested that the timing of the day may be related to the vernal equinox (March 21), a time when people are fooled by sudden changes in the weather.

There are variations between countries in the celebration of April Fools’ Day, but all have in common an excuse to make someone play the fool. In France, for example, the fooled person is called poisson d’avril (“April fish”), perhaps in reference to a young fish and hence to one that is easily caught; it is common for French children to pin a paper fish to the backs of unsuspecting friends. In Scotland the day is Gowkie Day, for the gowk, or cuckoo , a symbol of the fool and the cuckold, which suggests that it may have been associated at one time with sexual license; on the following day signs reading “kick me” are pinned to friends’ backs. In many countries newspapers and the other media participate—for example, with false headlines or news stories.

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April Fools’ Day

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 18, 2024 | Original: March 30, 2017

April Fools’ Day—occurring on April 1 each year—has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, though its exact origins remain a mystery. April Fools' Day traditions include playing hoaxes or practical jokes on others, often yelling “April Fools!” at the end to clue in the subject of the April Fools' Day prank. While its exact history is shrouded in mystery, the embrace of April Fools' Day jokes by the media and major brands has ensured the unofficial holiday’s long life.

Origins of April Fools' Day

Some historians speculate that April Fools' Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar , as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. In the Julian Calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1. 

People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.” These pranks included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person.

Hilaria in Ancient Rome

Historians have also linked April Fools' Day to festivals such as Hilaria (Latin for joyful ), which was celebrated in ancient Rome at the end of March by followers of the cult of Cybele. It involved people dressing up in disguises and mocking fellow citizens and even magistrates and was said to be inspired by the Egyptian legend of Isis, Osiris and Seth.

There’s also speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox , or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather.

History of April Fools' Day

April Fools' Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people's derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.

9 Outrageous Pranks in History

From a Swiss 'spaghetti harvest' to a rhino on a city council, these pranks went above and beyond.

9 Zany April Fools’ Day Hoaxes

From spaghetti trees to a Nixon comeback, check out some of history’s most elaborate April Fools’ Day pranks.

6 Things You May Not Know About the Gregorian Calendar

Explore the history of the Gregorian calendar, which Britain and its colonies adopted 260 years ago.

April Fools' Day Pranks

In modern times, people have gone to great lengths to create elaborate April Fools' Day hoaxes . Newspapers, radio and TV stations and websites have participated in the April 1 tradition of reporting outrageous fictional claims that have fooled their audiences .

In 1957, the BBC reported that Swiss farmers were experiencing a record spaghetti crop and showed footage of people harvesting noodles from trees. In 1985, Sports Illustrated writer George Plimpton tricked many readers when he ran a made-up article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch who could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour.

In 1992, National Public Radio ran a spot with former President Richard Nixon saying he was running for president again… only it was an actor, not Nixon, and the segment was all an April Fools' Day prank that caught the country by surprise.

In 1996, Taco Bell, the fast-food restaurant chain, duped people when it announced it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia's Liberty Bell and intended to rename it the Taco Liberty Bell. In 1998, after Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper,” scores of clueless customers requested the fake sandwich. Google notoriously hosts an annual April Fools' Day prank that has included everything from “telepathic search” to the ability to play Pac Man on Google Maps.

For the average trickster, there is always the classic April Fools' Day prank of covering the toilet with plastic wrap or swapping the contents of sugar and salt containers.

A Brief, Totally Sincere History of April Fools’ Day. Washington Post. History’s Greatest April Fools Jokes. National Geographic . Some of the greatest April Fools' pranks of all time. CNN. 15 Best April Fools’ Day Hoaxes. CBS .

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Essay on April Fools Day

Students are often asked to write an essay on April Fools Day in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on April Fools Day

What is april fools day.

April Fools Day is a fun day celebrated on the first day of April. People play tricks on each other on this day. These tricks are called pranks. After playing a prank, people often shout “April Fools!” It is a day full of laughter and fun.

Origin of April Fools Day

How is it celebrated.

On April Fools Day, people plan tricks to fool their friends and family. The tricks are harmless and meant to make people laugh. Media and big companies also join in, making funny announcements.

Importance of the Day

April Fools Day reminds us to laugh and enjoy life. It lightens the mood and brings joy. It’s a day when everyone can be a little silly and have fun. So, on this day, let’s share laughter and happiness.

250 Words Essay on April Fools Day

The origin of april fools day.

The exact beginning of April Fools Day is unclear, but it is believed to have started in the 1500s in France. At that time, the New Year was celebrated around April 1. When the date was changed to January 1, some people didn’t know about the change and kept celebrating in April. Others started making fun of these people by playing tricks on them. This tradition of playing pranks continued and became what we now know as April Fools Day.

April Fools Day is celebrated by playing practical jokes. People try to make others believe something that is not true. Once the person is fooled, the joker often shouts “April Fool!” to show that it was all a prank. Some people also create funny stories in newspapers or on the internet to trick a large number of people.

Importance of April Fools Day

April Fools Day is a day to laugh and have fun. It helps us to take a break from our serious lives and enjoy some humor. It teaches us not to take everything too seriously and that it’s okay to laugh at ourselves sometimes.

In conclusion, April Fools Day is a day of fun, laughter, and harmless pranks. It’s a day to let loose and enjoy some good-natured humor with friends and family.

500 Words Essay on April Fools Day

What is april fools’ day.

April Fools’ Day is a fun holiday that is celebrated on the first day of April every year. On this day, people play harmless pranks on each other for laughs. The person who falls for the prank is called an ‘April Fool’. This day is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not an official holiday.

The History of April Fools’ Day

How is april fools’ day celebrated.

April Fools’ Day is all about fun and laughter. People play pranks or practical jokes on each other. These pranks can be simple, like telling someone their shoelaces are untied, or more complicated, like setting up a surprise. The key is to keep the pranks light and fun, and not to hurt anyone’s feelings. When the person falls for the prank, the joker usually shouts, “April Fool!”

Famous April Fools’ Day Pranks

Over the years, there have been some famous April Fools’ Day pranks. For example, in 1957, a British TV show told viewers that spaghetti grew on trees. Many people believed it and even asked how they could grow their own spaghetti trees! In 1996, the fast-food chain Taco Bell said they had bought the Liberty Bell, a famous American symbol, and were renaming it the ‘Taco Liberty Bell’. Many people were fooled until the company said it was just a joke.

April Fools’ Day Around the World

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How Did April 1 Become “April Fools’ Day”?

For pranksters and mischievous older siblings all around the world, April Fools’ Day , also called All Fools’ Day , is as eagerly anticipated as Christmas.

After all, what other holiday encourages you to think up practical jokes and fool’s errands , from swapping your spouse’s keys to tricking your friend into thinking their car got towed? (Not cool, Steve.)

But how did this odd, prank-centric holiday come to be celebrated in the first place, and why is it called April Fools’ Day ?

Where did April Fools’ Day come from?

The true origins of April Fools’ Day remain unknown and are probably lost to history, which means trying to solve the mystery is likely itself a fool’s errand. Nevertheless, theories abound, of course.

One story goes that April Fools’ Day began with France’s 1564 Edict of Roussillon, which decreed that New Year’s Day, historically observed on Easter by Christians, was moved to January 1 as France switched to the Gregorian calendar from the Julian calendar . Easter is a movable, lunar-based date but often falls in April, so it’s said that early adopters dubbed people celebrating the old New Year “April fools.”

Good one, guys.

Another theory suggests that April 1st became the fool’s holiday in the late Middle Ages due to Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century collection, The Canterbury Tales , wherein Chaucer includes a playful reference to “32 March,” or April 1st, in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale.” However, most scholars consider it to have been a mere copying error.

The holiday also shares some striking similarities to some ancient antecedents , though. The ancient Roman festival  Hilaria  was also a joyful, springtime festival held on or around March 25. Yes, the word hilarious is, aptly enough, related.

Another analog is Holi , a Hindu spring festival celebrated in late March during which people can forgive and forget past faults by throwing colored powder and water on one another.

What’s all the colorful powder about? Discover a kaleidoscope of facts about the Hindu festival Holi .

Is it April Fool’s Day or April Fools’ Day ?

Where does the apostrophe go? Originally, there was none!

The term April fool , for a victim of an April Fools’ Day prank , dates back to the 1600s. Early records of the holiday from the 1700s declare it April Fool Day , with an apostrophized April Fools’ Day recorded by the 1800s. This is also around when April fool came to refer to the trick itself.

Today, the holiday is stylized both as April Fool’s Day , emphasizing an April fool as a singular concept, and April Fools’ Day , indicating plural April fools , whether the people or the pranks.

And don’t forget to shout “April Fool!” when the prank is revealed.

Easy April Fool pranks

• Add food coloring to milk
• Freeze a bowl of cereal overnight to serve the next morning
• Replace a glass of juice with a glass of jello
• Change the computer’s default language
• Change the screen saver to an error message, such as the Blue Screen of Death
• Change a smartphone’s wallpaper to a photo of cracked glass
• Flip the computer screen display upside down
• Crank the mouse sensitivity all the way up or down
• Turn all of the clocks ahead
• Spread plastic bugs and spiders throughout the house
• Putt confetti on the ceiling fan
• Send an envelope full of glitter

April fools across the world

Yup, April Fools’ Day is celebrated all around the world. Because who doesn’t like playing an  April Fools’ joke on their loved ones? Here are some examples:

In France, the fooled party is called the poisson d’avril , which literally means “April fish.” France’s customary prank involves pinning a paper fish to a friend’s back.

In Scotland, April Fools’ Day was traditionally called Gowk Day — gowk being another name for the cuckoo , a common symbol of the fool. Pranks continued into April 2, Tailie Day , when celebrants traditionally attach a “paper tail” (or a “kick me” sign) to their friends’ backs.

Brazil celebrates April 1 as Dia da Mentira , or “Lie Day,” in which people try to fool their loved ones. Always for comedic effect, of course.

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Watch CBS News

How did April Fools' Day start and what are some famous pranks?

By Aliza Chasan

April 1, 2024 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

Historians aren't pulling your leg when they say no one is quite sure about the origins of April Fools' Day. 

April 1, the annual day of shenanigans, pranks, tricks and hoaxes, falls on Monday this year. While historians are unsure of the exact source of the tradition, they do know the custom goes back centuries, at least back to Renaissance Europe and possibly back to Roman times. Here's a look at what the experts say.

Theories, both real and false, tie April Fools' Day to Roman times 

Some believe April Fools' Day dates back to Hilaria festivals celebrated during classical Roman times. The festival was held on March 25 which, in Roman terms, was called the "eighth of the Calends of April," according to the Library of Congress. 

One theory tying the source of April Fools' Day to Roman times is a hoax. In 1983, an Associated Press reporter reached out to Joseph Boskin, a historian at Boston University, to discuss the origins of April Fools' Day. Boskin spun a tall tale to the reporter, assuming it would be fact-checked and revealed as fake. 

It wasn't. 

According to the story Boskin made up, a group of jesters convinced Emperor Constantine to make one of them king for a day. The appointed jester, named Kugel, declared it would be a day of levity. 

"I got an immediate phone call from an editor there, who was furious, saying that I had ruined the career of a young reporter," Boskin said in a Boston University post. "He said I told a lie. 'A lie?' I asked, 'I was telling an April Fools' Day story.'"

Middle Ages 

Some historians believe France is responsible for the humorous tradition, tying it to a calendar change in 1582, according to the History Channel . That year, France implemented the Gregorian calendar, shifting the start of the New Year from the spring equinox, which usually falls around April 1, to January 1. 

After the change, people who wrongly celebrated the new year in late March and early April were called "April fools."

The first clear reference to April Fools' Day is a 1561 Flemish poem by Eduard De Dene, which tells the story of a servant being sent on "fool's errands" because it's April 1, according to the Library of Congress. 

What are some famous April Fools' Day pranks?

In 1957, the BBC ran a broadcast on the Italian spaghetti harvest  that pretended the pasta was being harvested from trees. 

The BBC also ran an April Fools' report on flying penguins in 2008.

In Los Angeles, airline passengers were greeted with a banner saying "Welcome to Chicago" after landing on April 1, 1992, CBS Sunday Morning previously reported.

Taco Bell in 1996 advertised that it had bought the Liberty Bell and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell," according to the company.

As part of a 1997 April Fools' Day joke, Alex Trebek, host of "Jeopardy," swapped places with "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak, according to jeopardy.com .

On April 1, 2015, streaming giant Netflix shared faux public service announcements to remind viewers to "Binge Responsibly."

• April Fools' Day

Aliza Chasan is a Digital Content Producer for "60 Minutes" and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.

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The Completely True History of April Fools’ Day

The door to spring is guarded by fools, but that’s ok, because they’re not all that serious. And everybody knows the password: April Fools!

When it comes to our unofficial holidays, April Fools’ Day is one of the weirder ones. It’s a folk holiday of pranks and mild humiliations, in which children get to pull one over on their parents or teachers, and vice-versa; in which media outlets can make things up , all in good fun. But where did it come from?

“Organized festivals and spontaneous personal acts that celebrate the absurd through pranks exist world-wide,” writes folklorist Nancy Cassell McEntire in her examination of the origins and meaning of all this merriment. For Europeans, April Fools hearkens back to the transition to the Gregorian calendar in the sixteenth century. The pre-Gregorian calendar had ended the year near the end of March, coinciding with the beginning of spring. With the new Gregorian calendar, the beginning of the year was moved to January . The calendar change was slow to take hold and there was resistance to it, but those who continued celebrating the new year at the beginning of April, old style, were ultimately shamed as “fools.”

The coming of spring itself also seems to be a big part of the tradition of practical jokes and purposeful deception. Winter is ending, but not quite over yet. The day becomes one of celebrating the transition between seasons. It’s somewhat akin to Halloween, but embracing, rather than the darkness of winter, the light of spring. The pranks are lighter in spirit, too, unlike “Hell Night’s” more anonymous and potentially dangerous tricks .

Traditionally, an April Fools prank was one in which a “fool” is tricked, or sent on some ridiculously undoable errand, like hunting snipe, snarks, or frog-whiskers. McEntire offers some fine examples of the classic fool’s errand: “the victim is sent for a left-handed screwdriver or wrench, a board-stretcher, a stick with one end, a bucket of striped paint, a bucket of steam, pigeon milk, a jar of elbow grease […] or a fallopian tube.”

Of course, the pranks aren’t just person-to-person. Mass media has been ripe for April Foolery since mass media became a thing. McEntire acknowledges, “no tool is more effective than the Internet” in suckering fools on April 1st, but the media’s willingness to play along started long before there was any such thing. Among McEntire’s media examples is one from the BBC show Panorama of April 1, 1957, which introduced viewers to a family of Italian spaghetti farmers. Spaghetti was then a relatively new food in Britain. Hundreds called in wanting to know how they could get spaghetti trees of their own, because who wouldn’t want their own fresh spaghetti growing in the garden?

Calling the day one of “symbolic inversion” in which power relationships are upended and “commonly held cultural codes, values, and norms” subverted, McEntire argues for a “folk theater” understanding of such pranks. The assumption is that the victim will be the perpetuator the next time, or even later in the day. Because if the victim isn’t laughing, too, then the April Foolishness has not worked.

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Not to be short-sheeted, folklorist Alan Dundes stresses the newness of prank victims . New neighbors, employees, fraternity/sorority members, summer campers, boarding school students, and even newlyweds are traditionally targeted for pranks in rites of initiation or passage.

Dundes agrees that the nearness to the spring equinox makes April perfect for such “microcosmic rites of passage.” The very name “April” probably comes from the Latin “to open.” The passage between the dark and cold of winter and the light and warmth of spring is a seasonal reversal that calls for ritual reversals. This is the time fiction can be fact and falsehoods true, because everybody is going a little wild. “The reversal of time, of seasons, on April 1st is appropriately marked by a reversal from wisdom to April’s foolishness.”

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Listen&Learn: April Fools’ Day

Pre-listening vocabulary.

• prank: a trick that is meant to entertain or embarrass someone
• hoax: a false story that is reported as fact
• gullible: willing to believe many things, even if they are strange or obviously untrue
• fictitious: not real, nonexistent
• dispute: to disagree about something
• evolve: to grow and change
• target: someone who is the victim of a cruel or deceptive act

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19 — 1.2MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Comprehension questions.

See answers below

• In 1698, a London newspaper published a hoax about a. a disastrous festival b. a lion-washing ceremony c. England switching to a lunar calendar
• The Roman festival Hilaria was a celebration of a. the stars b. the equinox c. the theatre
• A hoax about the history of April Fools’ was accidentally reported by a. the BBC b. the Associated Press c. the Washington Post

Discussion/essay questions

• Have you ever been pranked or pranked someone else? Why do you think pranks bring us joy?
• Hoaxes have become more common in the age of the internet. Have you ever believed a hoax? What are some good practices for determining if information is true?

Many countries around the world celebrate a day of pranks and jokes on April 1st. Most April Fools’ pranks take place between friends, but the day is also an opportunity to trick the general public . Media companies often report hoaxes on April 1st to fool gullible audience members. This tradition dates back to 1698, when a London newspaper reported on a fictitious lion-washing ceremony. The origins of the holiday are disputed. One theory is that it evolved out of Hilaria, a Roman spring equinox festival . Another is that it began with the switch to the Gregorian calendar in 16th-century France. People who continued to celebrate the new year in April became the targets of pranks. There have even been April Fools’ hoaxes about the history of April Fools’, one of which was accidentally reported by the Associated Press in 1983.

Answers to comprehension questions

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I’ve been pranked a couple of times. A harmless prank is fun and enjoyable, which is why it brings joy. When it comes to the internet, I can’t say a hoax is part of a prank. A hoax is easily spread to people around the world, and that is not okay. What is best for us, the internet users, is to fact-check every piece of information that we get from the internet, especially information that doesn’t come directly from trusted sources.

I want to check my answer

bài hơi khó=)))

It is exciting for me. We have such a day on the solar calendar. It is the 13th day of Farvardin, the first month of spring in Iran, and it equals the 2nd day of April.

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The earliest possible mention of April Fools’ Day is in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, written in 1392. In the story “Nun’s Priest’s Tale” it is mentioned that “Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two.” This seems like a jokey way of saying the first of April. However, modern scholars believe there was a misprint, and that Chaucer meant another date—specifically the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia on the 2nd of May (“The Origin of April Fool’s Day”).

The next piece of evidence about April Fools’ Day comes from the French poet Eloy d’Amerval. He wrote about “poisson d’avril” which means “fish of April” (Amerval, Eliy d.). Some scholars say that April Fools’ Day started in the Middle Ages in Europe, where the New Year was celebrated on April 1st. Those who had New Year’s Day on January 1st made fun of those who partook in the celebration on April 1st by sending people fishes. In fact, January 1st was made the mark of the new year officially only in 1564 according to the Edict of Roussillon (“The Origin of April Fool’s Day”).

Speaking of another mention of April Fool’s Day, in 1539, the Flemish poet Eduard de Dene wrote a poem about a nobleman who made his servants go on “foolish errands” (“The Origin of April Fool’s Day”). In a similar region, in the Netherlands, the beginning of this day was initiated with the Dutch victory at Brielle in 1572 over the Spanish. The fool, in this case, was the defeated Spanish Duke Álvarez de Toledo. Yet, scholars do not know how to explain this event becoming an international holiday (Brielle).

There are also two other theories that relate to more ancient times. According to History.com, “Historians have also linked April Fools’ Day to festivals such as Hilaria, which was celebrated in ancient Rome at the end of March and involved people dressing up in disguises. There’s also speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather” (“April Fools’ Day”). As you can see, more and more theories crop up the greater you investigate this holiday.

Lastly, we come back to Great Britain. In 1686, writer and philosopher John Aubrey wrote about a celebration called “Fooles Holy Day.” Besides all the obscure references, it is certain that the celebration became popular through Great Britain in the 18th. According to History.com, “In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them” (“April Fools’ Day”). As time went on, and the celebration became more widespread, it became a one-day holiday.

As you might have noticed, April Fools’ Day has a confusing history. There are multiple theories about its origins. It variously started in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, and many other places in Europe. It may or may not have been the mark of a new year, and it may or may not have been connected to the vernal equinox. One would have to be a fool to accept one theory.

Works Cited

“The Origin of April Fool’s Day.” Museum of Hoaxes, hoaxes.org/af_database/permalink/origin_of_april_fools_day/.

Amerval, Eliy d. Le Livre De La Deablerie. Michel Le Noir, 1508.

Brielle. “College Van B & W.” Gemeente Brielle / Bestuur, Organisatie En Beleid /, web.archive.org/web/20130517121717/http://www.brielle.nl/bestuur-organisatie-en-beleid/college-van-b-w_3907/.

“April Fools’ Day.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 30 Mar. 2017, www.history.com/topics/holidays/april-fools-day.

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An Essay on April Fools’ Day

by Jenny | Apr 1, 2014 | Life | 1 comment

April Fools’ Day – yes, the apostrophe comes after the S.

I googled it.

But does it go there when you jump from behind a corner with a knife and yell,

APRIL FOOLS!!!

Do you participate in the April Fools’ Day tomfoolery?

In the past.

But imma tell ya…

I have to deal with tooth fairies and Santa and the Easter Bunny and the occasional leprechaun and feeding 3 children ery.day… 3 times a day… and laundry and homework and we have 2 dogs and when I go to bed on the eve of April 1 I kinda just want to go to bed.

Am I an April Fools’ Day scrooge?

I am also generally (and adorably, I might add) gullible, which makes April Fools’ Day a bit of an anxiety party for an adorable gal like me.

And anxiety is actually quite un-adorable.

Non-adorable?

Ill-adorable?

I am not saying that those who do observe it are terrible or even lame.

I am just saying you guys stress me out and if I was under the care of a medical professional for my easy slips into Anxious Land, April Fool’s Day would be a day I would consume the daily recommended allowance of prescribed drugs.

I wouldn’t say I am an April Fools’ Day scrooge, but…. maybe you would.

I was going to post on Facebook, “I’m going to Hawaii!”

But that made me feel bad. Because I am not. And never have. And sometimes feel I never will. And then I realized I even make me feel anxious on AFD because the thought of not ever going to Hawaii is just horrible!

I told you I have issues.

Honestly, I can pull anxious thoughts out of a clean, dry sock.

I have a connection on Facebook that said she stole her kids’ bikes from school last year, and this year she had more amazing plans… and part of me wants to be so clever because honestly, THAT WOULD BE FUNNY.

I gotta give props the brilliance.

But I’m tuckered out, y’all.

Yesterday (March 31) I baked 2 loaves of braided bread, 1 loaf of banana bread, a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and one of my kids’ favorite dinners (something with a garlicky, cheesy sauce with pasta, chicken & broccoli).

I got so many compliments and so much praise from my kids my head is the size of a hot air balloon right now.

I’m not foolin’. I was a domestic bad-ass.

And frankly, I need to space-out said bad-assery.

Or people expect things.

And we all know expectations are predetermined resentments.

I prefer to surprise people with my moments of brilliance. If people expect brilliance from me at all times, I have only me to blame.

It’s kind-of like wearing make-up. I don’t wear make-up every day, so people don’t get freaked out when they see me without make-up. BUT WHEN I DO… I call those Compliment Days. “You look so pretty!”

It’s not about aiming low as much as it’s about managing expectations.

So, on that note…

On this April Fool’s Day, perhaps the most I have in me is to tell the kids they are going to be having all ALL VEGGIE DINNER at a new restaurant in town and then I will take them to Dairy Queen for burgers and a Blizzard.

Who’s the hero now?

Plus it means I won’t have to cook dinner.

As they say… keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

Wait. That’s the wrong analogy.

You know what else about April Fools’ Day?

It’s my great-grandma’s birthday. My Gramma Sue. She’s been gone for close to 20 years, but I still miss her so much. Some days more than others. Some days her memory doesn’t pass through my mind at all.

I think of her almost every day in the Fall because she loved the changing leaves so much. I think of her when I buy new bras and underwear, because she always bought my bras and underwear when I was growing up.

Sometimes I see something in Lucy and all I can see is my Grandma Sue… those blue eyes and spicy attitude.

She wasn’t a big jokester, but my dad is… and she adored him. I loved the way he could always ::get:: her. It was just the cutest.

And that’s no joke.

Share this:

Hi, I'm Jenny 🙂

I'm on the spot!

Follow me…

April Fools Analysis Of The Essay

Activate prior knowledge Title: April Fools on Polar Circus allows me to infer that essay is possibly about an April Fools prank gone terribly wrong on the mountain or a stressful incident that ultimately makes the climbers “April fools” Already know: Polar Circus is an alpine climb on Cirrus Mountain in the Athabascan Icefields of the Canadian Rockies, April Fools is celebrated every year on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes Unfamiliar vocab: Couloir- A couloir (a French word meaning “passage” or “corridor”), is a narrow gully with a steep gradient in a mountainous terrain.

April Fools on Polar Circus Summary

April Fools on Polar Circus is one of the most famous April Fools’ pranks in history. On April 1, 1988, a group of skiers decided to play an elaborate prank on their fellow climbers by rigging up a series of hidden wires to trip unsuspecting skiers as they made their way down the treacherous slopes of Polar Circus.

Though many were initially fooled by the prank, it quickly became clear that something was amiss when several unfortunate skiers found themselves falling headfirst into hidden snowpits and getting injured in the process.

Despite its initial success, April Fools on Polar Circus has since become a cautionary tale about the dangers of underestimating the unpredictable nature of mountain terrain. If you’re looking for an adrenaline-filled April Fools’ prank to play on your friends, look elsewhere – this one is best left in the history books.

April Fools On Polar Circus Thesis

April Fools is a popular holiday where people play pranks and jokes on one another. On April 1st, 2015, a group of students from the University of Oxford decided to pull an elaborate April Fools prank on their thesis adviser. Led by engineering major Jake Williams, they created a convincing fake thesis called “Polar Circus Thesis”. The thesis claimed that global warming was a hoax created by the government to control the population. It included made-up data and graphs, as well as quotes from made-up experts.

The prank was so convincing that it fooled not only their adviser, but also the head of their department. The group even went so far as to create a fake website and social media accounts to support their thesis. The whole thing blew up when they were finally caught and their April Fools prank was revealed. The story made headlines all over the world, and is still remembered as one of the most successful April Fools pranks ever pulled.

For April Fools’ Day, many people like to play pranks and engage in silly hijinks. But for some daredevils, April Fools is the perfect opportunity to test their limits and try out extreme stunts. One such stunt involves climbing up Polar Circus, one of the most treacherous peaks in the world.

Polar Circus is a massive ice wall located in the Canadian Rockies. It is known for its steep incline, unpredictable weather conditions, and sheer size – measuring over 1 kilometer high and 1 kilometer wide. Climbing this peak requires immense skill, courage, and determination.

Despite these challenges, a group of fearless climbers decided to take on April Fools On Polar Circus Thesis – a daring expedition that had never been attempted before. The team spent months preparing for the climb, practicing on smaller ice walls and honing their skills. Finally, on April 1st, they set out to summit Polar Circus.

The climb was incredibly difficult, but after two days of hard work the team reached the top. They were the first people to ever climb Polar Circus on April Fools’ Day – and they did it without any casualties. This April Fools’ Day, don’t be afraid to take risks and push your boundaries. You might just end up accomplishing something amazing.

A couloir may be a seam, scar, or fissure, or vertical crevasse in an otherwise solid mountain mass. Undulating- To move with a smooth wavelike motion. Knoll- a small hill or mound Classify the essay as formal or informal: Essay is informal as topic is of interest to the writer Appeals to a general audience Topic is serious but the essay strives to entertain and interest reader Vivid language Use of illustration Personal anecdote Writer as important as topic.

Identify the essay’s pattern of argument: Exposition The goal is to report about an event or a situation and by doing so elucidate that subject She is explaining to us the role of fear and how these factors force her to change as a person Identify the essay’s structure: Narrative Tells a story and analyzes/evaluates the significance of the story She is telling us the story of her climb and the impact it has on her as fear weaves its way in and out of the story Incorporates dialogue.

Determine the method of organization Order of impression Details are presented in the order in which they catch the reader’s attention Helps the reader understand the writer’s point of view Determine the thesis Roddan presents her thesis in the final line of the first paragraph- “the tango with fear makes me wise. ” Thesis is implicit as conclusion develops through the content of essay, rather than knowing where the story/argument is going to end.

Types of proofs Anecdote- brief story composed of enticing incident/ encounter with fear while climbing Polar Circus Description- presents a sensory experience in words and extends to include an analysis of significance of the “picture” Analyze the writer’s style Cause and effect- The climber has “reason to come down” but partner retaliates with”It depends on how much you want it,” resulting in the climber to challenge herself and continue with her “tango with fear” Description- Writer uses descriptions to thoroughly inform us of her experiences as shown through phrases such as “a chasm fifteen feet wide… etween my partner, Barb, and me,” “dark, claustrophobic couloir” and ” “barndoor” open and the block of ice topples over my shoulder. I look down to see the ice explode beside Barb, who suddenly looks tiny and hunched in her small belay stance. ”

Simile last two pitches of the climb cascade out of the notch like a enormous wedding gown” allows us to understand the relationship between the climber, her partner, and the mountain Metaphor- “Doubt slides in with spaghetti arms and little shivers that evaporate my courage. This metaphor explains to us indirectly that to dance with any partner, trust and understanding is crucial Tone- informal tone as topic is of interest to the writer, appeals to a general audience, topic is serious but the essay strives to entertain and interest reader, vivid language is used Examine the effectiveness and limitations of the essay Both analogies of the tango and wedding are of main focus within essay Uses powerful verbs to describe her actions, “I rail and pound against it.

The dance becomes a struggle” Tango imagery most prevalent as shown through,” “The tango with fear makes me wise” and “This solid, physical connection to the world causes the fear to recede… first from the arms, then from the mind… then even more gradually fear’s fingers release the heart, which eventually slows and quiets. The intensity is replaced with warm, smooth, flowing beats.

The rhythm takes hold, and the dance begins again. ” Both analogies allow us to make a connection to the writer and to the essay, even if we have no experience with mountain climbing )Given the content of the essay why is the title “April Fools on Polar Circus” appropriate? The title “April Fools on Polar Circus” is appropriate because, essentially, it relates to the irony within the essay. The climb itself occurs on April Fools day and the author compares herself and her partner to “April Fools” when she states,”The April fools, married with fear and laughter on Polar Circus. ” I can distinguish them as fools myself as anyone who would deliberately put themselves in danger to complete a climb at that time of year is insane, no matter how passionate they are about the activity.

She also concludes that because of this fear and foolishness, she becomes wiser as shown through the thesis: “The tango with fear makes me wise. ” 2) Roddan writes that “the tango with fear makes me wise. ” Does it, in your opinion? Provide phrases that illustrate “the tango with fear. ” What evidence is there that it makes the climber “wise”? In my opinion the tango with fear does make us wise, as it reveals the parts within ourselves that we haven’t yet discovered, and the actions we would take in fearful situations. Some phrases that illustrate “the tango with fear” are: “Fear sharpens my senses.

It dances through my body. It tunes me. It wraps its fingers around my heart and squeezes gently. I lean to welcome fear and the edge it brings me, the whispered warnings, the adrenaline,” “We hold on, struggling to control the fear that pounds through our veins and capillaries,” and “This solid, physical connection to the world causes the fear to recede… first from the arms, then from the mind… then even more gradually fear’s fingers release the heart, which eventually slows and quiets. The intensity is replaced with warm, smooth, flowing beats. The rhythm takes hold, and the dance begins again.

These incidents with fear makes the climber “wise” as they elicit responses from her that she isn’t aware of as shown through “We encourage each other; we push each other,” suggesting that the climber’s fear has allowed her to push her partner and herself onward. Another example of this is when the author states, “Impossible to return, I fight. I hit hard to get good placements. A big block of ice disengages itself; my tool is embedded in it. Time stops, and in slow motion I swing onto my other ice axe. I “barndoor” open and the block of ice topples over my shoulder. This demonstrates that with fear comes the “fight or flight” response within the climber that we don’t normally have within ourselves in calmer situations.

This allows her to whatever it takes to protect herself from the dangers surrounding her, ultimately making her wise. 3)Roddan uses two sets of linked images to tell her story: dance imagery and wedding imagery. Outline the development of these ideas by listing the sentences and phrases that Roddan uses for each image. Dance imagery is presented to us when the writer states, “The tango with fear makes me wise” and “This solid, physical connection to the world causes the fear to recede… irst from the arms, then from the mind… then even more gradually fear’s fingers release the heart, which eventually slows and quiets. The intensity is replaced with warm, smooth, flowing beats. The rhythm takes hold, and the dance begins again. ” Wedding imagery is presented to us when the writer exclaims, “The last two pitches of the climb cascade out of the notch like an enormous wedding gown.

Today’s brides approach slowly, touched by the mystery and majesty of the place” and “a happy marriage of fear, sweat, intelligent strength, and smiles. ” )Although this essay tells a story, it is not an example of short fiction. It is, however, a narrative essay. What characteristics make it narrative? What characteristics make it an essay? There are many characteristics that make this a narrative essay, including the essay being told in first person as shown through, “The dance with fear fascinates me. Learning to accept fear, to take it in without letting it take over, is one of the challenges of climbing ice,” and the incorporation of an informal tone, as well as the reliance on a personal story to support the thesis.

A narrative essay is a combination of essay writing and storytelling, where the writer analyzes and evaluates the significance or meaning of the story being told. We are shown this as we look at the structure of the essay itself. Other characteristics include development and structuring of ideas in a logical coherent way, and the presentation of a thesis whether implicit or explicit, to guide the reader through the significance of the essay itself.

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April Fools' Writing Prompts - April Fools' Activities, April Fools' Worksheets

• Google Apps™

Also included in

Description

Introducing April Fools' Day essay writing has never been easier! This comprehensive writing prompt unit with 4 complete essay lessons - argumentative, expository, narrative, and persuasive - guides students through the step-by-step process of crafting a compelling essay. Using detailed graphic organizers , students will learn to draft an outline  with convincing evidence and write a thorough essay.

All aspects of argumentative writing, expository writing, narrative writing, and persuasive writing are covered in this resource: brainstorming ideas , developing a thesis statement, introducing supporting evidence , writing hooks and leads , and incorporating the 6 Traits of Writing ™. The resource also focuses on how to structure the rising action , climax , and falling action in the plot of the personal narrative essay.

The video, slide show, graphic organizer, worksheets, writing template, and rubric allow students to practice and develop their essay writing skills. The writing quiz reinforces guided note-taking techniques when used in conjunction with the instructional video. The detailed lesson plans make implementing essay writing easy for teachers .

This no-prep lesson is adaptable for in-class instruction, distance learning, or independent student work. The instructional video with writing tutorial and template can be presented as whole class instruction or assigned for students to complete at home.

All materials are available in both Google Drive™ and print formats, ensuring easy access for all students.

*****************************************************************************************

This Writing Prompt Unit for April Fools' Day includes:

4 Entertaining Instructional Videos with:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Prompt identification and comprehension
• Thesis statement development
• Plot and character development
• Rubric explanation
• How to Write a/an (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive) Essay Tutorial
• How to Write a/an (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive) Essay writing quiz / guided note-taking

4 Detailed April Fools' Day Lesson Plans with:

• Common Core State Standards Indicated on Lesson Plan
• Instructional Focus
• Instructional Procedures
• Objectives/Goals
• Direct Instruction
• Guided Practice
• Differentiation
• ESE Strategies
• ELL Strategies
• I Can Statement
• Essential Question

4 April Fools' Day Worksheets with:

• Brainstorming sections
• Thesis statement development sections

4 April Fools' Day Slide Shows with:

• Introduction slide with prompts for expository, argumentative, persuasive, and narrative Prompts
• Brainstorming slide (interactive for students to list and develop ideas)
• Standard and implied thesis development slides
• Checklist Slide

4 Essay Rubrics

• (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive)

4 Graphic Organizers

Google Slides ™

4 Writing Quizzes

The lessons in the Elementary Holiday Writing Prompts Unit include:

• 9/11 - September 11th
• April Fool's Day
• Cinco de Mayo
• Columbus Day
• Daylight Savings
• Election Day
• Father's Day
• Grandparents Day
• Groundhog Day
• Hanukkah / Chanukah
• July 4th / Independence Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Memorial Day
• Mother's Day
• Presidents' Day
• St Patrick's Day
• Take Your Child to Work
• Thanksgiving
• Valentine's Day
• Veterans Day

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40 April Fools' quotes to pair with your best pranks

As the old expression goes, April showers bring May flowers . But guess what else the fourth month of the calendar year brings?

Yep, you know it. Everyone's favorite day for hijinks: April Fools' Day .

Love it or hate it, April 1 is the one day out of the year in which it's totally encouraged to pull pranks on friends, family and coworkers, as well as tell outright fibs in the name of tomfoolery.

In honor of hoaxes and bogus truths, we've collected a list of funny April Fools' quotes to use however you see fit.

Why do we love to trick our loved ones? It's anyone's guess, but if the origin of April Fools' Day is any indication, the tradition dates as far back as the 1500s, which means there's something about pulling pranks that people seriously enjoy (maybe a little too much).

In fact, fooling others is so popular, even large corporations like Taco Bell have gotten in on the act. Back in 1996, the food retailer convinced an unsuspecting public that it was rebranding the treasured Liberty Bell the "Taco Liberty Bell."

Thinking it was real, thousands of people expressed their outrage before realizing they'd been duped .

Whether you're the perp or prey of April Fools' shenanigans, feel free to slot one of these short quotes and sayings into an Instagram post or text.

In exchange for their use, we'll only charge you a small fee , payable by cash or credit. Gotcha! Happy April Fools' Day — we promise, these quotes are on us.

Best April Fools' quotes

• "The fool knows after he’s suffered." —Hesiod
• "The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others." — François de La Rochefoucauld, "Maxims"
• "If you tell a big enough life and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed." — Walter Langer
• "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." — George Orwell, "1984"
• "Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it." —Henry David Thoreau

• "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." — Alexander Pope, "An Essay on Criticism"
• "There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true." — Soren Kierkegaard
• "Confidence comes from being prepared." — John Wooden
• "Fool me once, strike one. Fool me twice, strike three." — Michael Scott, "The Office"
• "The fools among us are presented to be wise, and the wise among us are presented to be fools" — Santosh Kalwar

• "No man can tame a predator by acting like prey." — Tamerlan Kuzgov
• "Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them." — Benjamin Franklin
• "The man who says his wife can't take a joke, forgets that she took him." — Oscar Wilde
• "Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools that don't have brains enough to be honest." — Benjamin Franklin

• "To every rule there is an exception - and an idiot ready to demonstrate it. Don't be the one!" — Vera Nazarian, "The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration"
• "There are more fools in the world than there are people." — Heinrich Heine
• "If we act like prey, they'll act like predators." — Alyxandra Harvey, "My Love Lies Bleeding"
• "All the world loves a clown." — Cole Porter
• "If you're good, you're always looking over your shoulder." — Bruce Springsteen
• "No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness." — Mary Wollstonecraft

• "What have you done when you have bested a fool?" — Charles Portis, "True Grit"
• "I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you." — Friedrich Nietzsche
• "On stupidity - There is no such thing as a foolproof plan. If there are fools about, no plan is proof against them." — Marsha Hinds
• "For every smart person, there is a fool." — Tamerlan Kuzgov
• "A deception that elevates us is dearer than a host of low truths." — Aleksander Pushkin

Funny April Fools' quotes

• “The suspense is terrible. I hope it’ll last.” — Willy Wonka, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”
• “Do I regret it? Yes. Would I do it again? Probably.” — Nick Miller, "New Girl"
• “Don’t be so humble — you are not that great.” ― Golda Meir

• "Life is worth living as long as there's a laugh in it." ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Anne of Green Gables"
• “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.” ― Mark Twain
• “I love inside jokes. I’d love to be a part of one someday.” — Michael Scott
• "So you've been burned a couple times. Um, have we met? I've been burned so many times I'm like the human equivalent of the inside of a roasted marshmallow." — David Rose, "Schitt's Creek"

• "Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive." — Elbert Hubbard
• “Humanity is a parade of fools, and I am at the front of it, twirling a baton.” ― Dean Koontz
• "Accept who you are. Unless you're a serial killer." — Ellen DeGeneres, "Seriously ... I'm Kidding"
• "Never trust people who smile constantly. They're either selling something or not very bright." — Laurell Hamilton, "Burnt Offerings"

• "I've had great success being a total idiot." — Jerry Lewis
• "He who laughs last ... just didn't get the joke." ― Carroll Bryant
• "There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor." ― Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol"
• "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints," Billy Joel, "Only the Good Die Young"

Quotable lines for every occasion

• Funny quotes to make you laugh
• Inspiring quotes about change to help you grow
• Best love quotes and romantic sayings for him
• Amazing love quotes to share with your person
• Family quotes to help express your love

Sarah is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter for TODAY who covers holidays, celebrities and everything in between.

More April Fool's Day

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When is April Fools' Day 2024 and why do we celebrate it?

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What is the origin of April Fools' Day? Here's why we pull pranks

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Russia’s double-punch back against Ukraine’s shock raid

It is bombing ukrainians in kursk and advancing in pokrovsk.

T he order to move crackled over the radios at dawn on August 6th. Serhiy, a private in the 80th brigade, was among the first to emerge from the cover of the forest. By the time his unit crossed into Russia , supported by constant tank fire, the border had already been largely destroyed. “Our commanders didn’t spare a single round of artillery,” he says via voice messages from inside Russia’s Kursk region. Other Ukrainian troops report crossing the border on a wave of euphoria, with lines of prisoners almost immediately heading back in the other direction.

To assess Ukraine’s shock raid and its prospects The Economist has interviewed soldiers involved and sources familiar with decision-making by General Oleksandr Syrsky , Ukraine’s commander-in-chief. A picture emerges of a daring gamble born of desperation and in great secrecy. It has boosted morale and shown that Ukraine has developed effective new tactics. But 12 days in, progress has slowed and the outlines of a new front line are emerging. It is unclear whether troops can dig in or are overcommitted at the cost of front lines elsewhere. The biggest danger is around Pokrovsk, in the Donbas inside Ukraine where Kremlin forces are gaining ground fast.

Soldiers from the 82nd brigade, the second of four involved in the opening assault, say fighting has grown increasingly intense after the initial euphoric gains. In the early exchanges there had been only one serious fight, when Russians tried to ambush them from maize fields near the first village. The Ukrainians, who somehow had a monopoly of reconnaissance drones in the sky, saw the enemy and ordered them to surrender. They didn’t. So they fired everything they had until the maize stopped rustling, and silence fell. Then the Ukrainians moved on.

A low profile, and clever tactics—such as using so-called FPV drones to provide air cover—allowed the Ukrainians to sweep through the Russian countryside. They were pursued by Russian helicopters and glide bombs, which often fell on Russian villages below, but on the ground they faced little serious resistance. The 82nd brigade pushed eastwards, in the direction of the village of Bolshoye Soldatskoye, while the 80th headed west to Malaya Loknya. Small units probed for vulnerabilities before heavier armour was committed. It was a “manoeuvre attack”, akin to the tactics used by Russia’s commander, Valery Gerasimov, says a source in Ukraine’s general staff. For the first five days, it was devastatingly effective.

Desperate times, desperate measures

The plan to invade part of Russia did not come from a happy place. In early July, General Syrsky, Ukraine’s newly appointed top commander, was under pressure. For months he had been grappling with a less-than-ideal inheritance from his predecessor, Valery Zaluzhny, and the army’s leadership was at odds with the president over mobilisation policies, leading to significant manpower shortages. In America Congress had delayed support. Avdiivka, a stronghold north of Donetsk, had consequently fallen. Front lines in the Donetsk region were crumbling, most especially around the logistical hub of Pokrovsk. Rumours circulated that General Syrsky was on the verge of being dismissed, with attack dogs associated with Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s all-powerful chief of staff, even suggesting he had been “lying” to his bosses.

Amid the turmoil, the commander began his planning. “Syrsky isn’t good at political games,” says a source close to the general. “What he is good at is war.” Several scenarios were considered for an offensive push at the weakest points in the Russian line: a strike in Bryansk region in the north; a strike in Kursk region; a combination of the two; or more. The main objective was to draw troops away from the Donbas stranglehold, and to create bargaining chips for any future negotiation. General Syrsky kept his plans under wraps, sharing them only with a tight group of generals and security officials. He spoke to the president on a one-on-one basis, without his staff. The army’s intelligence did much of the reconnaissance, rather than leaving it to HUR , Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, which was included only at a late stage.

Western allies were also deliberately left in the dark, claims the source. “Syrsky had two previous operations undermined by the West. One was leaked to the Russians, and on another occasion, we were instructed to abort.” Limiting communication to a need-to-know basis enabled the Ukrainians to launch their attack before the Russians grasped what was happening. “They realised something was afoot but likely assumed we would need American approval for such a daring operation.” Having been presented with a fait accompli the West did not object.

General Syrsky confused the enemy by concealing the arrival of his most battle-hardened divisions. Reinforcements were brought to the forests near the border under the pretext of defending against a supposed Russian attack on Sumy. At the same time, a narrative appeared in Ukrainian media about an imminent Russian invasion. “The rotation happened about a week and a half before the start of Kursk operation,” recalls Serhiy. “The Russians continued to believe that we were simply defending the border.”

The soldiers themselves started to suspect something big was happening in early August, when they were suddenly issued with equipment: new helmets with integrated headphones, new assault rifles. They did training exercises on mock-ups later understood to represent Russian villages. The 80th brigade began preparing for a second-wave attack. General Syrsky saved most of his attacking forces for this second line, which may be why Russia initially thought the breakthrough was not too serious. The soldiers say they didn’t believe their commanders when he told them about the plans. “We laughed,” recalls Private Serhiy. “We joked that it wasn’t April 1st. The commander just smiled, knowing we had no idea what was awaiting us.”

Russia responds

General Syrsky is a pedant for detail. Yet while the first phase was planned meticulously the campaign is now developing in an ad hoc fashion. With the element of surprise lost, the Ukrainian advances have slowed. President Zelensky is still pushing for maximum progress, a source in the general staff says. But his top soldier is cautious, concentrating on expanding the flanks along the border to create more defensible lines. “Syrsky is no fool,” his confidante says. “He knows that rushing ahead risks the whole operation.” In recent days, an expanded Ukrainian contingent of 10,000-20,000 soldiers appears to be focused on establishing control on the southern bank of the Seim river to the north-west of Sudzha. On August 16th, Ukrainian missiles destroyed a bridge over the river at Glushkovo. And on August 18th Ukraine’s air force said that it had blown up a second bridge over the Seim.

General Syrsky’s great gamble has offered Ukrainians hope after a year of consistently grim news. It has also given him renewed authority. But the long-term success or otherwise of the operation will depend largely on how Russia responds. It appears to be pursuing a twin approach of responding more aggressively to the incursion while also sustaining pressure inside Ukraine along the line in the Donbas. The Kremlin’s goal will be to turn Kursk into little more than an embarrassing mosquito bite amid a bloodbath inside Ukraine.

Evidence of an intensifying response inside Kursk is now clear. Ukrainian soldiers on the ground inside Russia say they are already beginning to see a different level of resistance. Losses are increasing. The Russians have reinforced with better trained units, including marines and special forces. They had studied the area. This belated Russian response to the incursion in Kursk has forced it to divert some troops from strangleholds inside Ukraine in the Donbas. Reflecting this, a Ukrainian government source says military activity in the Donbas has significantly decreased since August 16th. However there is a big exception: Pokrovsk, the town where Russia was making steady advances before the incursion and where it is seeking to maintain heavy pressure on Ukraine.

The scene is thus set for a dramatic moment in the war: Ukraine wants to sustain its attack inside Russia and disrupt the contours of the frontline, changing the defeatist narrative about a frozen conflict to which negotiation is the only answer. Russia wants to crush the incursion and exploit the resulting depletion of Ukraine’s resources by pressing home its assault elsewhere, in Pokrovsk. The Ukrainian troops inside Russia are more vulnerable but still defiant. “The bastards have figured out how to fight and they understand our tactics,” says Private Serhiy in the 80th. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t understand their tactics—or that we won’t continue to take them down.” ■

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