One moment in time

Something that occurred to me earlier that I thought might be interesting to get some opinions about here.

What single moment do you feel is the most significant in history? And the way I see this question being answered is this: If that moment hadn't occurred, history would have been changed completely and totally. So, for example, the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand is generally looked at as what started World War I, but really it was just the flash point that ignited a lot of pre-existing powderkegs. If it hadn't been that, it would have been something else. To cite another, Pearl Harbor got the U.S. into World War II, but it probably would have ended up there anyway.

But what singular event, had it not occurred, would have most dramatically changed history. The assassination of JFK? 9/11? The assassination of RFK? John Hinckley's bullet being just that little bit to the left or right and killing Reagan? Hitler not invading Russia in the dead of winter?

Because the 20th century is obviously freshest in our minds, you can name one event post-1900 and one pre-1900 if you like.

What does anyone think?

 

I now curse your name for sticking that song in my head.

My post-1900 moment would be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution">August 18, 1920.</a>

 

Post-1900 - Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Pre-1900 - The Crucifixion and Resurrection

(I think this is a very interesting topic, deskslave. Good work.)

 

post 1900 - the first time axl rose shot H.

 

You voted for Buck Weaver's 30th birthday, too? I think I'm in love. ;D

Great thread, deskslave. My pre-1900 moment is the Battle(s) of Saratoga. Changed the course of the Revolutionary War. Without it, the French don't get involved, the U.S. doesn't defeat the British and our world today might still be full of Old World colonies.

My post-1900 moment is the Beer Hall Putsch. Even if it succeeds as planned, how does that change the world's reaction to Hitler in power? If it doesn't happen, who knows. If Hitler gets killed instead of arrested ... damn.

 

Pre-1900 - Constantine deciding to trade paganism for Christianity....or the birth of Mohammed...or the islanders loss at Hastings, to the visiting team, in 1066...

Post - 1900 - Marcellus Hartley Dodge doesn't build this mega arms and munitions plant wayyyy too early, and it's financiers (Percy Rockefeller) don't go on to pressure Wilson into committing US troops to WWI involvement:

No US troops present in France in 1917, most likely would have changed outcome of war to a stalemate and an equitable peace agreement. No lopsided, humiliating (for the Germans) and economically ruinous Versailles treaty, no conditions for the rise of fascism and Nazism in Europe, or need for Germany and it's WWI allies to react to loss of international respect. No sudden disintegration of Ottoman empire, no British mandate in Palestine, no cobbling together of Iraq.... no WWII in Europe....

....wait !...not quite finished....no US WWI involvement, no War Industries Board, no Samuel P. Bush tapped to run small arms and muntions section of board...no prestige for Bush worthy of level to enable him to marry off his son to "Bert" Walker's daughter, no Samuel F. Pryor of Remington, wealthy enough from war profits to purchase Jupiter Island, no concentrated collaboration, design and control, from Jupiter Island zillionires, Dillon, Mellon, Ford, Du Pont, Rockefeller, to create and appoint leaders of OSS and CIA, to pick Defense Dept. leaders, or to give us a Senator Bush, VP Bush, and two president Bushes..... result= different world, no Iraq, no Bush presidencies....

 

Pre 1900:

September 5, 1781. The French defeated the British off the Virginia Coast to prevent the Brits from resupplying Cornwallis at Yorktown. The resulting American siege of Yorktown turned the crown's stomach against further war, and it later recognized our independence.

Post 1900:

On 23 December 1944, the skies broke over the Ardennes, and the Allies began a massive bombing campaign and re-supplied troops besieged at Bastogne. Eight days later, Montgomery ordered a counterattack, and the Battle of the Bulge was won. The march to Berlin was on.

 

Before 1900:

Sometime in 325 AD; the Council of Nicea. When Christianity for all intents and purposes was created.

After 1900:

August 6, 1945; the dropping of Little Boy out of the Enola Gay over Hiroshima.

 

What happened in the 325 years after Jesus was nailed till "sometime in 325 AD?"

Why'd it take so long?

 

Lot of bureaucracy in the Roman Empire, dude.

 

I thought it was over the debate whether Mary was lying about being a virgin.

 

In American history, I'd go with :

July 3, 1863, Meade wins at Gettysburg.
July 4, 1863, Grant captures Vicksburg.

The Civil War was over, they just had to fight for two more years to make it official.