Could Princess Anastasia have been saved from the fatal injuries by firing squad because of the jewels sewn inside her corset?

A show on National Geographic tested this myth and suggested it is possible, but their test was not as rigorous (or entertaining) as it would be on Mythbusters. I would like to see this tested on the show.

(could be a "conspiracy special")

I know there's been discussion of this before, but I'm not pulling anything up on "Find". Guess we had some forum housecleaning since the last conversation.

The main problem with this theory is that while diamonds are highly resistant to scratching, they aren't that tough when they take a sharp impact. Here's the figures for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond#Material_properties

We have discussed this many times. It's true that corsets of that period had "stays" made of thin spring steel.
Also, some women of the time used a steel-filigree "corset cover" for even more support.

Either of these things "might" deflect a single low-powered bullet at the right angle. However, I understand the executions were carried out by military or paramilitary forces....Likely with military rifles of the period.
Very seldom were corsets fantastically decorated; they were undergarments after all.

Techinacally bikewar the gems were not sewn on the corsets as decorations but where sewn secretly inside them

They were probally hiding them this way so they could use them as a quick means of cash if they were somehow able to escape the country.

"The "Yurovsky Note" further reported that once the thick smoke that had filled the room from so many weapons being fired in such close quarters cleared, it was discovered that the executioners' bullets had ricocheted off the corsets of two or three of the Grand Duchesses. The executioners later came to find out that this was because the family's crown jewels and diamonds had been sewn inside the linings of the corsets to hide them from their captors."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Anastasia_Nikolaevna_of_Russia

So it wasnt like they were wearing "fantastically decorated" corsets....just plain ones with jewels hidden inside.

Obviously since she was shot to death (with her family) the corset is a moot point.

I heard somewhere that she was wearing one of her father's medals over her heart, and the medal protected her.

i think this relates to maxman's post: there was an assassination attempt on Teddy Roosevelt what saved him was the glasses case he was wearing in the pocket of his coat.

It's traditional, or even compulsory, in executions carried out by firing squad to have an officer of a particularly hard-bitten aspect standing by. Once the fusillade from the firing squad has ended and ears are no longer ringing, he will inspect the victims for signs of life. If they are still alive, his job is to finish them off, usually with a bullet to the head. I think you'll find a diamond-stuffed corset doesn't protect against having a Nagant levelled at your temple.

Yes, the traditional coup de grace . If I'm not mistaken, I believe this matter was settled rather recently when Russian anthropologists announced finding the grave site of the family, with all members present.

bikewer its coup de ta not coup de grace its french
oh and no anistatia did not in fact survive i think, that is what my history teacher said, which could be wrong because in kindergarten my teacher said george washington died on an airplane so what my history teacher said could be bs
but the movie anistatia is pretty good about 8 years after the last time i watched it and i still have one of the songs stuck in my head

quote:

Originally posted by pie17:
the movie anistatia is pretty good about 8 years after the last time i watched it and i still have one of the songs stuck in my head

There are two movies, and only one is serious, and it is not the Disney movie.

quote:

Originally posted by pie17:
bikewer its coup de ta not coup de grace...

1: its coup d’état not coup de ta (it is however pronounced coup de ta)

2: coup d’état and coup de grâce are two completely separate ideas.

Coup de grâce is a mercy killing, and in the context of Bikewer's comment is completely correct. Coup de grâce can also be used to refer to the final blow, again making its use in Bikewer's comments completely correct.

A coup d’état is an overthrow of a government via violence or the threat to use violence.

I've been wondering about this myself. A bunch of things have been said to stop bullets: Bibles, medals, jewels... My grandfather had a friend in the Second World War who claimed to have been saved from a bullet by a button or a pin on his beret. I would love to see this tested.

quote:

Originally posted by scaramouche16:
I've been wondering about this myself. A bunch of things have been said to stop bullets: Bibles, medals, jewels... My grandfather had a friend in the Second World War who claimed to have been saved from a bullet by a button or a pin on his beret. I would love to see this tested.

It has been tested.

I would LOVE to see this tested, if just to see if the survival of the girls was a fluke or if we should all sew gems into corsets (joke..bad one at that). And yes, before anyone points it out, the Grand Duchesses were later shot in the head when they were still discovered alive, according to the reports (not even going to discuss the rest of it...ugh).

Read the rest if the thread. The jewels were not sewn in, and they were not for stopping bullets. They were placed in for use as currency later.