What was the most important battle in world history?

[somf4eva]

Although this was not really a battle, what about Pearl Harbor? Due to this battle, the americans were drawn into the war. Granted, they would have probably entered later anyways, but this allowed The Allies to press Germany on all sides. Also, what could japan have done. They were virtually unapposed in the Pacific. Russia may have attacked, but who knows.

 

[Barry1948]

You're going to hate me for this, but it was a battle, and it was fought within the pages of history. It was the battle between Satan and God in the Garden of Eden. If Eve (and Adam) had not lost that battle, there may not have been any wars in history period. the population of the world would have expanded on a perfect world with people who were in perfect harmony with God. That one battle changed the course of all of history, and will continue to do so until Jesus comes again.

 

[Swart]

Although this was not really a battle, what about Pearl Harbor? Due to this battle, the americans were drawn into the war. Granted, they would have probably entered later anyways, but this allowed The Allies to press Germany on all sides. Also, what could japan have done. They were virtually unapposed in the Pacific. Russia may have attacked, but who knows.

Pearl Harbour was a failure for the Japanese as the carriers were not in the harbour. If the carriers had been there or even if the final wave had gone ahead, things could have been quite different.

The Japanese did not launch the final wave because they were frightened they would be ambushed by the US carriers.

 

[Agrippa]

Pearl Harbour was a failure for the Japanese as the carriers were not in the harbour. If the carriers had been there or even if the final wave had gone ahead, things could have been quite different.

The Japanese did not launch the final wave because they were frightened they would be ambushed by the US carriers.

Even if they hit the carriers in Pearl Harbor, it wouldn't have changed much. At most, the Japanese would have gotten Enterprise and Lexington. If Wasp, Saratoga, Yorktown, and Hornet were unable to hold the line, then the flood of Essex-class carrier would have retaken the Pacific. Frankly, the Japanese were doomed the moment they dropped the first bombs on Pearl Harbor.

 

[TScott]

The Japanese war plan was not neccessarily to defeat the United States, a feat that they were not so naive to think they could accomplish, but to beat the US early in hopes of being able to force an armistice leaving them in control of what they invisioned as the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere." Yamamoto feared (correctly) that the events surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor would make acheiving this goal difficult because it would cement the resolve of the American people against any such truce. Yamamoto spent the rest of his time in the war searching a "decisive battle" that would allow him to destroy the entire American fleet. His chance came at Midway, which was indeed a decisive battle, for the Americans.

The Japanese have often been criticised for starting a war they had no chance of winning, but in making such assessments it is important to understand the Japanese mindset prior to the war. They basically felt they were forced to war by the American embargo, they felt that if they were to give in, the loss of face would destroy them as a nation. You could say that starting the war was actually a sort of Kamikaze attack designed to uphold the honor of the Emporer and therefore the Japanese people.

 

[Thursday]

Pearl Harbour was a failure for the Japanese as the carriers were not in the harbour. If the carriers had been there or even if the final wave had gone ahead, things could have been quite different.

The Japanese did not launch the final wave because they were frightened they would be ambushed by the US carriers.

Where did you find this out? I thought they attacked precisely because the big guns of the fleet were out in the middle of the ocean.

 

[Jacob4Jesus]

I don't think I can answer this question, because how can you really rate the importance of a battle against another? Pearl Harbor was important because it got us into WWII. Gettysburg was imoprtant because it was the turning point of the Civil War. Who can undermine the importance of the Battle of Saratoga? That convinced the French to join our side in the American Revolution.

But, I can tell you my favorite battle. It was the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. 3000 Sioux and Cheyenne indians beat the deplorably inept George Armstrong Custer in less than an hour. (Just for the record, Custer was a good soldier, but it's fun to make fun of him). Although it ultimately resulted in Sitting Bull being exiled to Canada, it still has provided a lot of laughs and teasing from my American Indian brothers and sister.

 

[Turpius]

I would choose Battle of Granicus, where Alexander the Great was nearly killed. That would have changed a lot of subsequent history, along with Salamis and Tours.

 

[Hottshot1287]

I know this is world history but I think as of recently the Battle at Stalingrad was very crucial to the whole world. If Hitler had won this, he would have the motivation and the resources to finish the rest of Europe and then on. Luckily, he got greedy enough to send a majority of his troops to Stalingrad instead of taking over the oil fields which was the main reason for invading. What ya think?

I dunno though Optimus Prime vs. Megatron is a good one too..

 

[Paladin Dave]

Ah, a fellow transformers fan .

 

[Andy Broadley]

Strictly speaking, Stalingrad was a siege not a battle.


For me the most important battle in history was the battle of Britain between the RAF and the Luftwaffe in 1940. Had the germans won that, they would have been unopposed in the invasion of Britain. Although we had plenty of troops, most of our heavy armour and artillery had been left at Dunkirk.

Hitlers failure to win this battle forced him to fight on two fronts and deprived him of divisions that would almost certainly have tipped the balance in Russia and thus altered the whole outcome of the war.

 

[Zug-Zwang]

We are in the most important battle in history.For the first time in history because of modern technoligy all men and nations decided to fight the king of Babylon or not.It's no secret Saddam Husseins seal was his face transposed on Nebarchednezra's but we all watched Saddam's statue fall.Everyone chose,when has that ever happened?We were all there watching and still today we are there watching and deciding.We deal with nuclear and biological weapons of the like history has never seen,The war on terrorism we are fighting is the most important and decides if mankind will even continue.When in history has there been bombs like we have today?

 

[Hottshot1287]

Terrorists only hate us( U.S.)... not all of mankind. The "war" on terrorism is more like a hunt. There is no single major battle nor important one. Yes, Saddam is dangerous but he will certainly not "battle". This post is for the most important battle and terrorists are no where associated with fighting. Terrorists pray on weak spots and try to take down what they can. What are you talking about watching and deciding? But yes, the bombs are the most dangerous as of in history, but what is not?

 

[Blackmarch]

Probably the most important battle is the one Jesus waged during his mortalitly, the pinnacle of which began in the Garden of Gethsemane and was completed when he was resurrected. No evil, no earthly battle, no matter how great will be able to counter or outweigh what jesus did.

 

[Zug-Zwang]

Terrorists only hate us( U.S.)... not all of mankind. The "war" on terrorism is more like a hunt. There is no single major battle nor important one. Yes, Saddam is dangerous but he will certainly not "battle". This post is for the most important battle and terrorists are no where associated with fighting. Terrorists pray on weak spots and try to take down what they can. What are you talking about watching and deciding? But yes, the bombs are the most dangerous as of in history, but what is not?

The war on Terrorism is simply war against Islamic law.There are 25 nations fighting Islamic extreemist right now.Our battle is to defeat Islamic law.

 

[rahma]

The war on Terrorism is simply war against Islamic law.There are 25 nations fighting Islamic extreemist right now.Our battle is to defeat Islamic law.

It's rather difficult to fight something intangible.

It's also falicious to say this is a war against Islamic law when the majority of Muslims who live by Islamic Law (myself included) are not terrorists and have no inclination ever to become one. However, if someone does actually declare war on Islamic Law, or on Islam itself, a whole heck of a lot of Muslims will take up arms against that person.

 

[Lutheran444]

I remember reading about one of the battles that Alexander the Great was (victorious) in, but can't remember the name. Anyway the author made a pretty convincing point that it was the most important.


Although one could argue for any battle in which the outcome was uncertain for the for-barers (can't spell, sorry) of our western civilization. For example, if Rome has lost to Carthage, then it would not have been around to conquer basically all of the western world at that point in time, and thus Christianity, when accepted by the Roman Empire, would not have been exposed to so many people. Thus, Christianity would probably not be the world's most "numberous" religion if the Roman Empire had fallen before it accepted that faith....

 

[Lutheran444]

Strictly speaking, Stalingrad was a siege not a battle.


For me the most important battle in history was the battle of Britain between the RAF and the Luftwaffe in 1940. Had the germans won that, they would have been unopposed in the invasion of Britain. Although we had plenty of troops, most of our heavy armour and artillery had been left at Dunkirk.

Hitlers failure to win this battle forced him to fight on two fronts and deprived him of divisions that would almost certainly have tipped the balance in Russia and thus altered the whole outcome of the war.

So you believe that Germany could have defeated the Soviet Union if it did not have to worry about Britain? Personally I don't think they could have...if Britain was defeated the U.S. would have made sure that the USSR did not as well; after all we could not have allowed him to just take over ALL of Europe and then go after Asia as well. We probably would have declared war sooner and went to fight with the Soviets...

Also, I was reading a book called "At Hitler's Side" recently, and in it was something about "Hitler only wanted to invade France because he didn't want to fight a two front war -- his main enemy was the Soviets" (or Bolsheivsts; however you spell it) because he had this obsessive belief that Jews influenced Communism. He didn't want to have to worry about France and Britain...that's why he invaded them (well, not really Britain, just the Blitz). If he could have been absolutely sure that the western powers would not have bothered him; I honestly don't believe he would have went after France or Britain.

 

[Zug-Zwang]

It's rather difficult to fight something intangible.

It's also falicious to say this is a war against Islamic law when the majority of Muslims who live by Islamic Law (myself included) are not terrorists and have no inclination ever to become one. However, if someone does actually declare war on Islamic Law, or on Islam itself, a whole heck of a lot of Muslims will take up arms against that person.

Rahama my brother,I call you my brother because I really believe that we are brothers.What most people deny is the rich culture and history that Arabs have brought us,Let's face it,before Islam was Esau and before Esau was Ishmael and before him was Nimrod and Cain who built the greatest citys in the world.The first born sons always were the men to be envied,Who did Abraham love so much? Abraham prayed that Ishmael might live before him and the twelve tribes of Ishmael are listed in the bible.The only problem with the world today is Islam.Islam is not the problem because we all don't like Islam,Islam is the problem because Islamic terrorists are killing people.Islamic terrorists are also killing Muslims as we see everyday in Iraq.What other religion is blowing up innocent people in suicide bombings? How do you justify the world trade centers or the people being killed in 25 nations by Muslims? how do you justify the hundreds of children killed the other day in Russia by the rebels or the Philipines and all over Africa?Millions and millions,do you know how many mass graves it takes to bury a million people?Can you tell me that Islamic rule has nothing to do with these millions of people killed? You can't because it's historical fact that its happening.

9-11 reminds me of O.J.Sympson because every muslim in the world rejoiced at seeing the towers fall,allthough they should know it was wrong ,they smiled and it felt right to them .We saw Palistinians dancing in the streets and Muslims celebrating in every Muslim nation.Same thing happened with O.J. The blacks know he killed them people but they rejoiced when he was set free.I think you should be a man and admit it,you know you want to,You smiled when them towers fell didnt you? As a Muslim I believe you have a physical right to live in the land of Palistine and because I believe in Yehsuah I believe I also have a right to live in the land of Palistine along with our brother Israel but Islam and Christianity has fought against Israel.There is no difference in Hamas or hezbolla or Alquada and to think otherwise is madness.Egypt,Iraq,Jordan,Lebanon,Syria Afganastan and Turkey should be the most wealthiest nations in the world because if there was really peace tourist would never stop 24 hours a day but people are scared.Why?

 

[Zug-Zwang]

I remember reading about one of the battles that Alexander the Great was (victorious) in, but can't remember the name. Anyway the author made a pretty convincing point that it was the most important.


Although one could argue for any battle in which the outcome was uncertain for the for-barers (can't spell, sorry) of our western civilization. For example, if Rome has lost to Carthage, then it would not have been around to conquer basically all of the western world at that point in time, and thus Christianity, when accepted by the Roman Empire, would not have been exposed to so many people. Thus, Christianity would probably not be the world's most "numberous" religion if the Roman Empire had fallen before it accepted that faith....

Alexander the great had a dream about a priest and because of his dream he conquered the world in search of the fullfllment of his dream,When he finally came to Jerusalem he was met by the high priest and he dismounted his horse and bowed before the priest of Jerusalem in front of all of his men.Everyone else had bowed before Alexander but he said that he had saw the priest in a vision and that vision brought him to Jerusalem. Josephus Flavius