ELI5 what is the meaning of the phrase “it’s a weird hill to die on”?

Question

It’s a phrase I’ve seen often on Reddit

In: Culture

Answer 1

I don’t know the exact origins, but the Korean War and the War in Vietnam (hamburger hill being a good example) often involved soldiers dying on hills without significant strategic significance. Some battles over hills were taken at great cost only to be abandoned shortly thereafter because their only military significance had been the presence of enemy soldiers on them, so they hold/take the hill regardless of the cost and/or the benefit.