History Buffs...

[Ltlabner]

Just picked up "50 Battles that Changed the World" at the book store. There's a lot of these types of books out there. I've got a bunch of these books on my shelf and they all seem to come at it from a different angle.

So, in the winter doldrums (and because I'm sick of arguing over who sucks worse, Marty or Dunner) I pose this question...

In your opinion, what millitary battle has has the greatest impact to the course of history?

I'll also throw out a friendly reminder that religion and political debates are verboten so please consider this when disussing the effects a particular battle may have had on religions and political systems. This is intended to be a discussion of history not a debate about either one of those subjects.

[Razor Shines]

I have to say Gettysburg. I know it didn't end the war but it was the most important battle of that war, which changed our country for the better. And the Rebels never recovered.

[Redsland]

For us? The Battle of Hastings has to be pretty high on the list.

Among more recent dustups, the Battle of Midway kept Imperial Japan from dominating the land and resources of the entire Pacific, and helped pave the way for the United States to become a superpower.

[durl]

Wow. Tough question. Each battle that would qualify meant something different in their own time. Many wars have been pivotal in the course of history and specific battles within those wars turned tide one way or another.

I would vote for something from the past 200-300 years...probably within the Revolutionary War. That would end up being the Battle of Trenton. The social, political, and economic landscape of the world changed drastically because of America's victory. Major battles long, long ago had huge impacts, but with the speed of communication and growth of technology in the past 200-300 years, I believe the impact of wars within this time have had a faster, more widespread impact on the world as a whole.

And I'm completely open to being challenged on this one. There are a LOT of good choices out there.

[paintmered]

The Battle of Midway immediately comes to mind.

Edit: I second the battle of Trenton as well.

[pedro]

I have to say Gettysburg. I know it didn't end the war but it was the most important battle of that war, which changed our country for the better. And the Rebels never recovered.

I tend to agree. Had the Confederacy endured and institutional slavery continued into the 20th century the world would be a very different place.

[Puffy]

The Battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812. A lot of people forget we fought the Brits a second time but that battle allowed us to become a power and not just a bit player on the world stage. If we didn't win it the US might look very, very different today.

[Puffy]

The nation knew a vastly powerful British fleet and army had sailed for New Orleans, and most expected the worst. The news of victory, one man recalled, "came upon the country like a clap of thunder in the clear azure vault of the firmament, and traveled with electromagnetic velocity, throughout the confines of the land." (Ward p 5) The news turned a frustrating war into a triumph and created a surge of American nationalism.

Andrew Jackson won the reputation that propelled him to the White House. A federal park was established in 1907 to preserve the battlefield; today it features a monument and is part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

[pedro]

The Battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812. A lot of people forget we fought the Brits a second time but that battle allowed us to become a power and not just a bit player on the world stage. If we didn't win it the US might look very, very different today.

the war was technically already over when the battle was fought. the peace treaty had been signed but notice hadn't made it back to the states yet.

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

[westofyou]

The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, kept the olive eaters out of our shrines.

[Puffy]

the war was technically already over when the battle was fought. the peace treaty had been signed but notice hadn't made it back to the states yet.

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

Yes, but if the US didn't win that battle Britian still would have had control of the Mississippi port, and they wouldn't have given it back. Not to mention this battle was important not just because they kept the port, but because of the nationalism it spun (before this event the US merely held its own - most even said they lost almost all the battles) and this turned it into a victory. Finally, it turned Andrew Jackson into a force and made him President and he did more in his 8 years as President to change American history as any president before Abe.

[pedro]

Yes, but if the US didn't win that battle Britian still would have had control of the Mississippi port, and they wouldn't have given it back.

good point.

still think being under british control (who had already outlawed slavery) might not have been as world altering as the union splitting and slavery staying in force.

[westofyou]

Battle of Little Big Horn - A final trumped up excuse for genocide and westward expansion.

[Puffy]

good point.

still think being under british control (who had already outlawed slavery) might not have been as world altering as the union splitting and slavery staying in force.

Yeah, but the South was really never gonna win that war. The economic disparities were just too great. They did so well in the beginning because they had a cause while the north didn't truly have one (succession and slavery wouldn't have changed their day to day lives in the 1860s). But the longer the war dragged on the South has less and less chance to win.

In short, in reality the North was always going to prevail - they were more industrialized and richer.

[pedro]

Yeah, but the South was really never gonna win that war. The economic disparities were just too great. They did so well in the beginning because they had a cause while the north didn't truly have one (succession and slavery wouldn't have changed their day to day lives in the 1860s). But the longer the war dragged on the South has less and less chance to win.

In short, in reality the North was always going to prevail - they were more industrialized and richer.

The south could have never invaded the north and won, but they came pretty close in the early years of the war to winning their independence due to lack of will on the part of the north. so really, maybe by gettysburg it was already over, but things surely could have ended up quite different.