Favorite Historical Battle?

[BigSwede]

None.

 

[Violator79]

To tell the truth, I would have been as well until Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. After that, it became a struggle of right vs. wrong instead of a states-rights issue (or perhaps in addition to).

Agreed

 

[marquis2]

In terms of battles which shaped the future you must include those in the War of Independence .

 

[Jagger69]

In terms of battles which shaped the future you must include those in the War of Independence .

True....but was there one decisive battle that stands out? Yorktown? That was more of a siege-and-surrender affair than a battle. Lexington? That started the entire war so maybe it would qualify. I would say that Saratoga probably would have been the turning point. After that, and the winter at Valley Forge that ensued that turned the Continental Army into a true fighting force instead of a mob, the tide began to turn.

Good point! :thumbsup:

 

[Violator79]

True....but was there one decisive battle that stands out? Yorktown? That was more of a siege-and-surrender affair than a battle. Lexington? That started the entire war so maybe it would qualify. I would say that Saratoga probably would have been the turning point. After that, and the winter at Valley Forge that ensued that turned the Continental Army into a true fighting force instead of a mob, the tide began to turn.

Good point! :thumbsup:

Saratoga and Battle of the Cowpens IMO. Cowpens turned the tide from the British in South Carolina and renwewed American spirits. It also made Cornwallis leave the coast and travel up north and that eventually led to Yorktown. John Marshall said "Seldom has a battle, in which greater numbers were not engaged, been so important in its consequences as that of Cowpens."

 

[Jagger69]

^^^

True! And oft forgotten!

:thumbsup:

 

[E-Ann-Hilden]

World War II

Battle of Stalingrad 1942-43 (my favorite)
Battle of Britain 1940
North Africa 1941–1943
Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes) 1944-45

 

[Facetious]

None.

Not even figuratively ?



The Roman's sacking of Carthage

6 Day War

 

[Mauser98k]

any and all WWII battles

 

[StopgapThe Dude]

It is highly debatable that a Confederate victory at Gettysburg would have sealed the deal for the South. The Union victory there was more of a turning point against the Confederacy than a rebel win would have been against the North. The plain truth is, the Union was destined to win the war eventually due to the simple fact that it was already significantly involved in the industrial revolution and the agrarian South was not. Unless there would have been intervention by one of the European powers on their behalf (and the South lobbied long and hard for that to no avail), the Confederacy had no chance to win a war a attrition with the Union....and that's exactly what happened.

As far as slavery goes.....yeah. One would hope that eventually the human rights movement would have forced the southern landowners to relinquish their hold on the slaves and they would have been freed. It would likely have taken quite a while I imagine.

Well, if Lee wins at Gettysburg and breaks the Union Army, there would be little standing in the way of Lee's army marching South and surrounding/taking Washington. A siege of Washington would have been a huge blow in every way imaginable, propoganda wise, military and politically. Lincoln would never have come close to being re-elected, he probably wouldn't even have won the Republican nomination and no matter who the Republicans put up they probably would have lost to the Democrats who would have proffered peace treaties to the South immediately.

You are right about the industrial strength of the North, Shelby Foote described it best when he said, "The United States of America fought the Civil War with one arm tied behind it's back.

 

[Quagmire33]

The battle of Bannockburn the scots beat the english, and the battle of the boyne William of Orange beat King James the II.

 

[HE1FiNEARTiST]

battle of little big horn.. im glad the sioux showed the U.S. government that they weren't going away quietly

remember thee Alamo.. ?

 

[Violator79]

battle of little big horn.. im glad the sioux showed the U.S. government that they weren't going away quietly

remember thee Alamo.. ?

hell yes!!

 

[Jagger69]

Well, if Lee wins at Gettysburg and breaks the Union Army, there would be little standing in the way of Lee's army marching South and surrounding/taking Washington. A siege of Washington would have been a huge blow in every way imaginable, propoganda wise, military and politically. Lincoln would never have come close to being re-elected, he probably wouldn't even have won the Republican nomination and no matter who the Republicans put up they probably would have lost to the Democrats who would have proffered peace treaties to the South immediately.

Well, there would have been nothing in Lee's way....except the Army of the Potomac! It isn't like a defeat at Gettysburg and all of a sudden there is no more Union army. Meade's forces almost certainly would have drawn back toward the capital and Lee would likely have had to pause and regroup before leading a march for an assault on Washington. Also, Lee's army was always at a significant manpower disadvantage against the North (usually about 2-to-1). It would have been pretty difficult to lay siege to a city the size of Washington with only 60,000 troops. Just look at the difficulties Grant had in the siege of Petersburg and he had a tremendous advantage in manpower.

That said, it would undoubtedly have dealt a serious blow to Lincoln's continued ability to conduct the war. McClellan would likely have defeated him and, as you so eloquently described, a peace offering would have been tendered. Talk about a MAJOR crossroads of history!

Fascinating "what if?" question to ponder!

 

[Jagger69]

battle of little big horn.. im glad the sioux showed the U.S. government that they weren't going away quietly

remember thee Alamo.. ?

Don't forget the Cheyenne!

:thumbsup:

 

[Funkwerkz]

Dardanelles Battle that ended on March 18th, 1915.

Final battle of Turkish Independence War, The Great Attack that ended on August 30th, 1922 with an unforgetable victory.

Blitzkrieg. German Army indicated what they could.

Barbarossa. Soviet Army dictated that natural conditions have remarkable effect on army.

 

[neighborboy]

Cannae

One of the most brilliant tactical maneuvers in the history of warfare plus a single day death count that wasn't topped for almost 2,000 years.

 

[Roughneck]

I'm surprised to see little to no mention of the Pacific War (Guadalcanal, Coral Sea, Midway, Okinawa), Korea (Inchon, Punchbowl/Heartbreak Ridge, Pork Chop Hill) or Vietnam....

How about Passchendaele? Somme? Verdun?


cheers,

 

[Jagger69]

I'm surprised to see little to no mention of the Pacific War....(snip)....Coral Sea

Yes. The Battle of the Coral Sea was on my list as well. First seaborne battle where the combatant ships never came in contact with each other. Really showed that air power was the key to victory in modern warfare.

Verdun?

I mentioned Verdun as well.....what a bloodbath.

Really great website about it here:

http://www.wereldoorlog1418.nl/battleverdun/index.htm

The others you mentioned were classic battles as well, Roughneck.

:thumbsup:

 

[senob44]

Battle of the Network Stars