Most important war in history?

[carrotderek]

Not saying that war is good, but which conflict was the most crucial in determining where we are today. Which war, that if lost/won depending on your viewpoint, would've drastically altered the world we live in today?



I would have to say the Persian Wars. Between the Greek city states and the Persian Empire. It was quite a 'hollywood' war, the coalition of the Greek states were always outnumbered at least 2:1, and the Greeks often were bickering amongst each other.

The Spartans and Athenians were the most powerful of the city states.

The Spartans with the most efficient military force (all male citizens trained from childhood to fight, slaves which outnumbered them 10:1 did all agriculture) cemented their place in history as a formidible and almost invincible fighting force: 300 Spartans led by Leonidas, and few allies sacrificed themselves at Thermopylae, killing over 30,000 Persians. It is also considered the Greatest Last Stand in History. Military academies look on this battle to show the difference of extremely well-trained soldiers (Spartans) and mediocre (Persians), and using the terrain to the Greek's advantage (Thermopylae was fought on a narrow mountain pass, phalanxes could not be flanked). Although every Greek was wiped out at the battle, it enabled Athens to be evacuated, and set up the battle of Salamis.

The Athenians evacuated their home, and later was sacked by Persians, the small but well-trained and highly-maneuvuerable Athenian fleet later fought the Persians at Salamis. Although heavily outnumbered, the Athenians lured the Persians in to a narrow strait, where the Persians could not retreat, because their vast number of warships clogged the strait. The Persian fleet was almost destroyed. The Persians fled back to their homes afterward.

The Persian Wars was very crucial. Athens was still a fledgling democracy before its Golden Age, had the Persians won, democracy would cease to exist. Enslavement of Attica and the Pelopponese would guarantee that the cultural flourishing of Athens to never come.

We would not have:
Democracy
Drama (Comedy and Tragedy)
The writings of Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato.
Math of Pythagoras
Medicine of Hippocrates
The Olympic Games

[JustinB]

I would say the Persian Wars also since there were so many good outcomes from them.

But for Americans, the Revolutionary War would be the most important. If it had not happened life here would probably be terrible since King George was using the Colonies for his benefits and not for the good of the people.

[Dick]

aaa i absolutely disagree,
you saying that we wouldnt have things like democracy
and so on but thats bullshit IMO ,if greeks wouldnt make it ,
someone else would.. and you cant say which WAR is the
most "important" in history cause it depends on country where you live.......

[randyrandy]

I would say the war that took place in I think late 1800's, where the Samurai were in war with western people who had guns and such..eventually the Samurai fell and the disappeared..

[carrotderek]

Of course democracy would've come about eventually. But how delayed would it come? If the city states, notably Athens been annexed, and a totalitarian monarchy system was imposed, then the 'cradle of civilization' that many historians view of Ancient Hellas would've ceased to exist.

Also democracy emerged because Athens was isolated. The two major cities, Sparta and Athens were the most unique of the Greek cities, because of the geographical isolation. Both are surrounded by small mountains and valleys, which make it hard to travel to.

Also the conditions would have to be right as well, Cleisthenes was an aristos, an upper power, was fighting for power with other archons (leaders) of Athens. One of his rivals, Isagoras had help from Sparta, and with King Cleomenes of Sparta imposed an oligarchy, which was not supported by the population of Athens. Cleisthenes was recalled, and it wasn't his interest in benefiting the common people, it was his interest to destroy his rivals power that he devised a system of democracy.

When I mean which war is important, it should affect all of us. Not by nation's borders because borders are always temporary.

The Meiji Restoration was not so much of a full-fledged war, but a small movement.

[PenguinElitist]

Well... by important do you mean significant? The word important usually has a positive tendency to it.

I haven't studied a great deal of history, but I'll say that WWII has been highly significant. It's removed facism from the modern world, letting Democracy and Communism take it's place. There are no longer powerful and glorious leaders; instead today we have pawns of our ever-changing cultures.

[carrotderek]

I used 'important' as the adjective, where it is the equivalence of significance.

[G®èñådè]

Four letters...




















W.W.II.

[Oblivion]

The Alamo! Cus that did so much for us...

I agree, from an americans point of view that The Rev War was the most important...We could be ruled like fish if it wasnt for that stuff...No offence.

[Xtremerunnerars]

The Alamo wasn't a war...lol. I think you were kidding, though. That war was the Mexican war...and we (united states) lost that battle. We DID win that war...which gave us our entire southwest.


I'd have to go with Revolutionary or W.W.2

by Revolutionary, i mean the American Revolution.


My favorite war story would be those from the Persian and the Trojans. Xerxes is just so freakin cool!