History's most decisive battle?

[Tel Errant]

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

In 1815 the Empire was already finished, Waterloo just put a definitive end to it. It wasn't decisive.

[BeerBaron]

In 1815 the Empire was already finished, Waterloo just put a definitive end to it.

Waterloo had its own effects on Britain, look up "how Britain was bank rolled" connections to modern finance and marketing can be made from there as well as everything else the british did from that point.

[Duckelf]

I would say Waterloo, because of the consequences of the defeat of Napoleon effected the whole of Europe, although the battles of Valmy and Tours come close.

The Napoleonic Wars spawned the creation of the nation-states of Italy and Germany, and contributed to the decline of the Spanish Empire and the rise of the British. All immensely important events in European history.

[Joe McCarthy]

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

Saratoga may have made Valmy possible though. As Thomas Carlyle said in 'The French Revolution', the American Revolution launched the age of democratic revolution.

[Turkophagos]

Marathon and Salamis, the archetypical battles between East and West (Asia and Europe).

[Joe McCarthy]

http://southwilliamstown.org/2010/06...s-finest-hour/

Saratoga! October 7, 1777 Benedict Arnold’s Finest Hour


From his window in the Neilson house, Benedict Arnold could see how both the redoubts were frustrating the American attackers. In fact, if they succeeded, the whole British army might rally and turn the tide on the American left. He could stand it no longer. He suddenly bolted out the door, took a big swig of rum, leaped on a horse just outside and galloped pell-mell toward the melee. General Gates seeing Arnold rush by was horrified and immediately dispatched a courier to order him back. Arnold easily outran the messenger, waving his sword in the air, he yelled for the troops in the field to follow him. Cheers went up as Arnold headed for the redoubts. His old command, General Ebenezer Learned’s brigade, eagerly joined behind.

Suddenly, as the energized Americans renewed their charge against Balcarre’s redoubt, Arnold noticed that one mounted redcoat leader seemed to be inspiring the men in the fort to valorous resistance. Arnold quickly ordered a close-by New Hampshire marksmen to target the imposing figure, no less than Brigadier General Fraser. Mortally wounded, Fraser fell from his mount. Seeing their commander down, the soldiers in Balcarre’s redoubt began to waiver. Then, Arnold with utter bravado turned his horse and raced between the lines of American attackers and British defenders . Heedless of bullets flying from both directions and with the fired-up Americans blindly following him, Arnold wheeled around to the rear of the Breymann redoubt on the British far right, charged into it from the backside, and fell upon the shocked Germans. Those who could, tried to escape by leaping over the crest of the redoubt, only to tumble down upon the spiked fence and onto the bayonets of the American troops attacking from the front. Among the many unfortunate defenders, Colonel Breymann too was killed, some say by one of his own men. The rest of the survivors fled in total disorder.

The American victory at Saratoga led to French intervention in the war, and was the great turning point of the revolution.

[gandalf]

I voted for the battle of Poitier ( Tours 732 )

where Charles Martels lead a victory against muslims
witch had a major impact on European minds .

But there are a lot of important other battles :
Marathon , Hastings , Stalingrad .

[Joe McCarthy]

I voted for the battle of Poitier ( Tours 732 )

where Charles Martels lead a victory against muslims
witch had a major impact on European minds .

But there are a lot of important other battles :
Marathon , Hastings , Stalingrad .

Some have argued that Tours wasn't symptomatic of the all out Islamic assault some have claimed, but I haven't looked into it closely.

[Duckelf]

Some have argued that Tours wasn't symptomatic of the all out Islamic assault some have claimed, but I haven't looked into it closely.

Some historians claim that the battle wasn't so important in terms a keeping the Muslims out of Europe. They say that the Muslim forces were overstretched and that the invading force was more of a raiding party anyway. Regardless, the battle is still important for it set off a chain of events that led to the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of the French.

[Rachel]

I would say the Battle of Normandy for The world and for America specifically i would say the battle of 1812 on fort Meade. which was just another chance for America to kick the crap out of Britain... sorry Loki.


I am not sure what the battle was called, cause it was actually the war of 1812.