Important Battles in Western Civilization
Constantinople @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:23 pm
I'd like to nominate another battle- however- I do not know where to rank this one so am just tossing it out there.
The Battle of Chancellorsville - May 1863 -
Confederate victory in which Stonewall Jackson was mistakenly killed by his own men. The next battle was Gettysburg and many historians believe that had Stonewall Jackson been at Gettysburg on the first day, he would have advanced and taken Cemetery and Culp's Hill and the Union army would have been defeated there. (That is, if the campaign would have unfolded the same way, too.) If the North would have been defeated in the North, support for the war would have plummeted and morale for the South would have skyrocketed. I do believe that the death of Stonewall Jackson saved the Union. Just my opinion. 
flyman01 @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:28 pm
How did this affect the world?
xerxes @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:29 pm
More than lucky it was a miracle. The Mongols were the 13th century equivalent of the Khmer Rouge. They destroyed every city they encountered. Imagine if they had made it to Paris. Western civilization might have been set back centuries.
If anyone is interested, there is an interesting book called "What If?" which is edited by Robert Crowley. It's a compilation of essays by a number of historians each one selecting a battle in history and its signifigance and the potential of what might have happened had it turned out differently. It's very interesting reading.
Zipperfish @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:30 pm
Me versus John Hannity -- 1976. I was fresh from England to, of all places, the frozen tundra of Winnipeg. It was early in the school year and I had to assert my place on the pecking order early. So when John, a big fat Grade severner, said I sounded funny in front of the whole class, I said "How's this for funny, lardass."
The public humiliation was overt, and the gauntlet thrown down. Duel. It was lunchtime in the back alley. Alas, I was not used to winter battle conditions -- the frictionless snow surface, the ploy of yanking my jacket over my head. But John got cocky with his early succes and I swung around to get his neck in a scissorlock -- inescapable, despite his thrashing around like a landed salmon.
After due time, we called a draw, became friends and went to a balcony to drop goobers on the grade fives as they exited the doors below. Good times.
Tman1 @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:30 pm
flyman01 flyman01:
How did this affect the world?
Well, the U.S may be quite different now if the Confeds won and shaped the world events. ALthough I dont see the difference between the Confeds and Bushes foreign policy.
Canadian_Mind @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:33 pm
kerfuffled kerfuffled:
The Battle of Pearl Harbour, hands down.
That was the begining of the new age in America. Its what got them into WWII and that pretty much changed the whole world.
That was the begining of the new age in America. Its what got them into WWII and that pretty much changed the whole world.
Although i don't think it was for the better in the end...
I froget the battle, but its the one where canada KICKED ASS in world war two, lowest nuber of troops vs. highest number of germans on the most heavily defended beach, got the farthest in, took the fewest casualties...
Anyone got a name for it?
Tman1 @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:34 pm
Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind:
kerfuffled kerfuffled:
The Battle of Pearl Harbour, hands down.
That was the begining of the new age in America. Its what got them into WWII and that pretty much changed the whole world.
That was the begining of the new age in America. Its what got them into WWII and that pretty much changed the whole world.
Although i don't think it was for the better in the end...
I froget the battle, but its the one where canada KICKED ASS in world war two, lowest nuber of troops vs. highest number of germans on the most heavily defended beach, got the farthest in, took the fewest casualties...
Anyone got a name for it?
Err Dieppe? ALthoug I think Canadians took HEAVY causualties. Is this correct?
Constantinople @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:39 pm
flyman01 flyman01:
How did this affect the world?
I'm just stating that it was an important battle in western civilization. If the Union loses the Civil War, there is no United States of America. Half would probably have joined with Mexico and half would have joined with Canada- or both halves would have just dissolved away.
flyman01 @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:39 pm
UofSaskatchewan UofSaskatchewan:
flyman01 flyman01:
How did this affect the world?
Well, the U.S may be quite different now if the Confeds won and shaped the world events. ALthough I dont see the difference between the Confeds and Bushes foreign policy.
I see what your saying. The civil war was important in US history but slavery would of eventually become nonexistant through time, with the machine being introduced. And for Bushs foreign policy, I think its more fitting to compare him to Julius Cesar.
![[knight]](./images/smilies/kngt.gif "knight")
Tman1 @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:41 pm
flyman01 flyman01:
UofSaskatchewan UofSaskatchewan:
flyman01 flyman01:
How did this affect the world?
Well, the U.S may be quite different now if the Confeds won and shaped the world events. ALthough I dont see the difference between the Confeds and Bushes foreign policy.
I see what your saying. The civil war was important in US history but slavery would of eventually become nonexistant through time, with the machine being introduced. And for Bushs foreign policy, I think its more fitting to compare him to Julius Cesar.
Although I think Caesar actually had a head atop his shoulders and people actually liked him to an extent.
Constantinople @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:41 pm
xerxes xerxes:
More than lucky it was a miracle. The Mongols were the 13th century equivalent of the Khmer Rouge. They destroyed every city they encountered. Imagine if they had made it to Paris. Western civilization might have been set back centuries.
If anyone is interested, there is an interesting book called "What If?" which is edited by Robert Crowley. It's a compilation of essays by a number of historians each one selecting a battle in history and its signifigance and the potential of what might have happened had it turned out differently. It's very interesting reading.
If anyone is interested, there is an interesting book called "What If?" which is edited by Robert Crowley. It's a compilation of essays by a number of historians each one selecting a battle in history and its signifigance and the potential of what might have happened had it turned out differently. It's very interesting reading.
That does sound good. Here's another "What if".... what if Caesar's burning of the fleet in Alexandria's harbor had not spread to the fabeled/perhaps real Great Library. Many say the destruction of that library set back western civilization 1000 years or something like that.
Constantinople @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:43 pm
Zipperfish Zipperfish:
Me versus John Hannity -- 1976. I was fresh from England to, of all places, the frozen tundra of Winnipeg. It was early in the school year and I had to assert my place on the pecking order early. So when John, a big fat Grade severner, said I sounded funny in front of the whole class, I said "How's this for funny, lardass."
The public humiliation was overt, and the gauntlet thrown down. Duel. It was lunchtime in the back alley. Alas, I was not used to winter battle conditions -- the frictionless snow surface, the ploy of yanking my jacket over my head. But John got cocky with his early succes and I swung around to get his neck in a scissorlock -- inescapable, despite his thrashing around like a landed salmon.
After due time, we called a draw, became friends and went to a balcony to drop goobers on the grade fives as they exited the doors below. Good times.
The public humiliation was overt, and the gauntlet thrown down. Duel. It was lunchtime in the back alley. Alas, I was not used to winter battle conditions -- the frictionless snow surface, the ploy of yanking my jacket over my head. But John got cocky with his early succes and I swung around to get his neck in a scissorlock -- inescapable, despite his thrashing around like a landed salmon.
After due time, we called a draw, became friends and went to a balcony to drop goobers on the grade fives as they exited the doors below. Good times.
lol, nice
Canadian_Mind @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:44 pm
UofSaskatchewan UofSaskatchewan:
Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind:
kerfuffled kerfuffled:
The Battle of Pearl Harbour, hands down.
That was the begining of the new age in America. Its what got them into WWII and that pretty much changed the whole world.
That was the begining of the new age in America. Its what got them into WWII and that pretty much changed the whole world.
Although i don't think it was for the better in the end...
I froget the battle, but its the one where canada KICKED ASS in world war two, lowest nuber of troops vs. highest number of germans on the most heavily defended beach, got the farthest in, took the fewest casualties...
Anyone got a name for it?
Err Dieppe? ALthoug I think Canadians took HEAVY causualties. Is this correct?
we did, the difference was:
Canada = heavy casualties
Rest of the allies = heavier casualties, or they came in after us and said that they won the battle for us. Whichever one applies to a certain country.
flyman01 @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:44 pm
$1:
Although I think Caesar actually had a head atop his shoulders and people actually like him to an extent.
Constantinople @ Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:45 pm
Everyone except Brutus, Cassius, and some of the other senators 