Decisive Battles

[molly bloom]

Was idly flicking through 'What If' Vol. I and John Colvin's 'Decisive Battles' and couldn't remember when I'd last seen a Poly thread about the major turning points in world history- at least in terms of military combat.

There was a well-known book I read many years ago, called 'Decisive Battles Of The Western World', but in reality the ones listed weren't all decisive- some were just waypoints in a much longer conflict where one side temporarily gained an advantage, but nothing was decided.


So, what are your decisive battles and why ?

[Sava]

midway

[Dauphin]

Hard to imagine the English and all that followed with no Norman influence. Perhaps cliché.

[Andemagne]

how about Rocroi 1643.
French victory against the Spanish.

[Dauphin]

Roe v Wade. 1970 something.

[PLATO]

Battle of Tours. If not for this battle, most posters here would likely be Muslims.

[Felch]

Saratoga convinced the French to give the US cash, guns, and military aid.

[Dauphin]

I find it hard to see how the British could ever have won that war. Even with complete military victory. Unless the demand for independence was a transient phase.

[Patroklos]

I am a fan of Lepanto. Not many people realize the juggarnaught the Ottamans were in their heyday and what it took to contain them. Well unless you are an EU fan anyway.

[Felch]

I find it hard to see how the British could ever have won that war. Even with complete military victory. Unless the demand for independence was a transient phase.

The independence movement wasn't universal. Although polling obviously didn't exist back then, we're taught in school that a majority of Americans either didn't care about the outcome of the conflict, or were loyal to the king. Rebels formed a vocal and well armed minority, somewhere between 30 and 40 percent of the population, and mostly concentrated in New England. It's entirely possible that America could have been pacified, at least for a generation or two.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Battle of Marathon

Battle of Arbela

Battle of Pharsalus

Alaric's 410 sack of Rome

and I'll go with a local one - Battle of Szigeth

[onejayhawk]

I find it hard to see how the British could ever have won that war. Even with complete military victory. Unless the demand for independence was a transient phase.

When there were as many Tories as rebels, it does not take much imagination. Crushing Washington at Valley Forge was quite doable.

midway

Decisive yes, but not a turning point. Japan would not have won.

Try the Battle of San Jacinto. Less than 3000 combatants, but it massively altered the map, both political and literal. I leave out anything more than 1000 years ago.

J

[MOBIUS]

Battle of Marathon

I'd go with the Battle of Plataea.

It was the final death knell of the Persian invasion of Greece.

Far bigger scale, far more catastrophic casualties for the Persians - and by accident too!

[molly bloom]

It's interesting that no one has mentioned Salamis yet. Now featured in a terrible motion picture !!!!!

[Sava]

eva green is overrated