History's most decisive battle?

[Joe McCarthy]

Proceeding on the theme used in Sir Edward Creasy's epic The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: from Marathon to Waterloo (1851) we will ask the question: which battle in world history has been most decisive in its effects on subsequent world events? I'll list the fifteen Creasy discusses, and add Stalingrad and Midway, but feel free to mention other candidates.

[poiuytrewq0987]

For the Balkans:

Battle of Kosovo (1389):

The bulk of both armies was wiped out in the battle; both Lazar and Murad lost their lives in it, and the remnants of their armies eventually retreated from the battlefield. The Battle of Kosovo was a draw,yet in the wake of it the Serbs were left with too few men to effectively defend their lands, while the Turks had many more troops in the east.

Battle of Varna (1444):

The Battle of Varna took place on November 10, 1444 near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad II defeated the Polish and Hungarian armies under Władysław III of Poland and János Hunyadi.

[Logan]

Particulary difficult Mr. McCarthy. I would think them to be legion. It would be a difficult question to provide a convincing argument, were it confined within the context of the late world wars. My answer, here in the 21century, Stalingrad.

[Peasant]

Prehaps the Battle of Britain? It caused the Germans to abandon their plans to invade Britain, and therfore still had an oponent on the Western front. And also the risk of an invasion of continental Europe launched from Britain.

EDIT: Oh most decisive all together. Learn to read Peasant.

Then I have no idea.

[Joe McCarthy]

For the Balkans:

Battle of Kosovo (1389):

The bulk of both armies was wiped out in the battle; both Lazar and Murad lost their lives in it, and the remnants of their armies eventually retreated from the battlefield. The Battle of Kosovo was a draw,yet in the wake of it the Serbs were left with too few men to effectively defend their lands, while the Turks had many more troops in the east.

Battle of Varna (1444):

The Battle of Varna took place on November 10, 1444 near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad II defeated the Polish and Hungarian armies under Władysław III of Poland and János Hunyadi.

I would think the most decisive for the Ottomans would be Constantinople, though they had about five, the two you mention, the one I mentioned, plus Nicopolis and Mohács that are worth mentioning.

[Tel Errant]

Valmy because of its ideological impact, without it the ideas of the French Revolution wouldn't have expanded through Europe.

[poiuytrewq0987]

I would think the most decisive for the Ottomans would be Constantinople, though they had about five, the two you mention, the one I mentioned, plus Nicopolis and Mohács that are worth mentioning.

I don't really think the Fall of Constantinople was really a decisive battle. It had few soldiers and became an enclave (thanks to its formidable defenses) since the Ottomans already surrounded the area around the city long before its fall.

[BeerBaron]

Waterloo had major effects, not all were necessarily positive though.

[Joe McCarthy]

I don't really think the Fall of Constantinople was really a decisive battle. It had few soldiers and became an enclave (thanks to its formidable defenses) since the Ottomans already surrounded the area around the city long before its fall.

Consider the psychological impact.

[poiuytrewq0987]

Consider the psychological impact.

Well, I suppose so since the Fall was largely symbolic and marked the final nail in the Balkan peoples' resistance against the Ottomans.