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Most influential battles in World History (1 Viewer)

joffer

joffer

Footballguy
I've been into reading about battles lately, from all parts of history, and I started to wonder which ones had the greatest effect on the history that followed it. In other words, how much different would things have been for the world if the other side had won? I know there are some military and history buffs here, so I thought I'd throw it out. I'm just getting started, but here are a few I've been reading up on:

Tours-Poitiers (732) - this one is fascinating to me

Gaugamela (331 BC) - Alexander defeats the Persians

Midway

Stalingrad

Battle of Hastings (1066)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The Battle of Detroit. It's the reason why Canada is just America's hat as opposed to America's 50+th state(s).

These were crucial, momentum turning battles In WWII, which almost occurred contemporaneously interestingly enough:

Stalingrad

Guadalcanal

Battle of Britain

El Alamein

 
The Battle Of Toledo. Ohio lost and had to keep it, but thus was spawned The Rivalry.

 
joffer said:
I've been into reading about battles lately, from all parts of history, and I started to wonder which ones had the greatest effect on the history that followed it. In other words, how much different would things have been for the world if the other side had won? I know there are some military and history buffs here, so I thought I'd throw it out. I'm just getting started, but here are a few I've been reading up on:

Tours-Poitiers (732) - this one is fascinating to me

Gaugamela (331 BC) - Alexander defeats the Persians

Midway

Battle of the Bulge

Battle of Hastings (1066)
Click to expand...
How influential was the Battle of the Bulge, really? Even if all of the encircled troops had been killed/captured, isn't it just postponing the inevitable?

IMO Omaha Beach was more infuential than the Battle of the Bulge.

 
I'd consider adding the Battle of Vienna, that was the beginning of modern Europe and the beginning of the end for the power of the Ottomans.

 
Stalingrad. Turned Germany back for good, and began their long retreat.

Waterloo down?

 
JaxBill said:
joffer said:
I've been into reading about battles lately, from all parts of history, and I started to wonder which ones had the greatest effect on the history that followed it. In other words, how much different would things have been for the world if the other side had won? I know there are some military and history buffs here, so I thought I'd throw it out. I'm just getting started, but here are a few I've been reading up on:

Tours-Poitiers (732) - this one is fascinating to me

Gaugamela (331 BC) - Alexander defeats the Persians

Midway

Battle of the Bulge

Battle of Hastings (1066)
Click to expand...
How influential was the Battle of the Bulge, really? Even if all of the encircled troops had been killed/captured, isn't it just postponing the inevitable?

IMO Omaha Beach was more infuential than the Battle of the Bulge.
Click to expand...
:goodposting:

I think that Germany was effectively beaten by then, it was only a matter of demonstrating that to them.

 
T Bell said:
JaxBill said:
joffer said:
I've been into reading about battles lately, from all parts of history, and I started to wonder which ones had the greatest effect on the history that followed it. In other words, how much different would things have been for the world if the other side had won? I know there are some military and history buffs here, so I thought I'd throw it out. I'm just getting started, but here are a few I've been reading up on:

Tours-Poitiers (732) - this one is fascinating to me

Gaugamela (331 BC) - Alexander defeats the Persians

MidwayBattle of the Bulge

Battle of Hastings (1066)
Click to expand...
How influential was the Battle of the Bulge, really? Even if all of the encircled troops had been killed/captured, isn't it just postponing the inevitable?

IMO Omaha Beach was more infuential than the Battle of the Bulge.
Click to expand...
:goodposting:

I think that Germany was effectively beaten by then, it was only a matter of demonstrating that to them.
Click to expand...
You convinced me. 1st post edited.
 
This list would certainly be incomplete without mentioning the 1991 San Dimas Battle of the Bands.

 
joffer said:
Don Quixote said:
Adding on...

Marathon

Actium
Click to expand...
Was Marathon that important? The Persians just came back 10 years later. Salamis seems more important.
Click to expand...
It was the first Greek victory; there may have been no need for a second invasion if the Greeks lost. I don't argue with Salamis being on the list too.

 
JaxBill said:
joffer said:
I've been into reading about battles lately, from all parts of history, and I started to wonder which ones had the greatest effect on the history that followed it. In other words, how much different would things have been for the world if the other side had won? I know there are some military and history buffs here, so I thought I'd throw it out. I'm just getting started, but here are a few I've been reading up on:

Tours-Poitiers (732) - this one is fascinating to me

Gaugamela (331 BC) - Alexander defeats the Persians

Midway

Battle of the Bulge

Battle of Hastings (1066)
Click to expand...
How influential was the Battle of the Bulge, really? Even if all of the encircled troops had been killed/captured, isn't it just postponing the inevitable?

IMO Omaha Beach was more infuential than the Battle of the Bulge.
Click to expand...
I think Dunkirk was the most influential of WW2. The entire British army should have been wiped out in 1940.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The Punic Wars between the city-states of Buffalo and Detroit?

Honestly, Stalingrad and Saratoga.

 
Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. A battle whose outcome influenced the development of civilization in Europe and thus the entire West.

 
mr roboto said:
Is there a book that outlines the most important battles of history that would be worth reading?
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, the gift of a coffee table book called Great Battles got me interested! since then I've just been doing online reading. Most of the ones in the book have been mentioned here.I tend to gravitate towards the ones that prevented the fall of the great Western Civilizations

 
Stalingrad was interesting....but was it really a strategic battle? If Germany won it....what would have happened?

Battle of Britain in Europe. Battle of Midway in the Pacific. The war changes on both of them; albeit the consequences of Britain take a bit longer.

 
joffer said:
mr roboto said:
Is there a book that outlines the most important battles of history that would be worth reading?
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, the gift of a coffee table book called Great Battles got me interested! since then I've just been doing online reading. Most of the ones in the book have been mentioned here.I tend to gravitate towards the ones that prevented the fall of the great Western Civilizations
Click to expand...
Another good one is "how great generals win". Chronicles important battles from alexander til WW2. Its fantastic

 
DSP said:
joffer said:
mr roboto said:
Is there a book that outlines the most important battles of history that would be worth reading?
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, the gift of a coffee table book called Great Battles got me interested! since then I've just been doing online reading. Most of the ones in the book have been mentioned here.I tend to gravitate towards the ones that prevented the fall of the great Western Civilizations
Click to expand...
Another good one is "how great generals win". Chronicles important battles from alexander til WW2. Its fantastic
Click to expand...
I'm more of a "visual learner" (and I need something to watch while on my treadmill in his horribly cold weather). Any good documentaries, or even better, videos on Netflix any of you would suggest?

 
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest essentially stopped Roman expansion.

The Siege of Barad-Dur destroyed Sauron's physical form and ended the Last Alliance.

 
matttyl said:
DSP said:
joffer said:
mr roboto said:
Is there a book that outlines the most important battles of history that would be worth reading?
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, the gift of a coffee table book called Great Battles got me interested! since then I've just been doing online reading. Most of the ones in the book have been mentioned here.I tend to gravitate towards the ones that prevented the fall of the great Western Civilizations
Click to expand...
Another good one is "how great generals win". Chronicles important battles from alexander til WW2. Its fantastic
Click to expand...
I'm more of a "visual learner" (and I need something to watch while on my treadmill in his horribly cold weather). Any good documentaries, or even better, videos on Netflix any of you would suggest?
Click to expand...
Off the top of my head "ww2 from space" is one of my favorites

 
The Battle of Evermore.

Without it, we wouldn't have such truth like:

The apples of the valley hold, The seeds of happiness,
The ground is rich from tender care, Repay, do not forget, no, no.
Dance in the dark of night, sing to the morning light.

 
Porkchop Express said:
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest essentially stopped Roman expansion.

The Siege of Barad-Dur destroyed Sauron's physical form and ended the Last Alliance.
Click to expand...
There is some discussion on this. There are some historians that point out the Romans exacted revenge for what happened and the the Rhine makes a natural demarcation. Further IIRC weren't the kings in the area Roman appointees after the Romans kicked the Germans butt over and over again?

 
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