20th Century History

[spacemonkey]

I wanted to know what people consider to be the most historically signifigant event of the 20th Century? I would have to say the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but would love to hear what you guys think. I am willing to go into more detail on my pick if anyone wants.

 

[Sunstone]

That's a good pick, Spacemonkey, but how about the rise of environmentalism as a significant event?

 

[Aqualung]

The sinking of the lusitania

 

[Valjean]

An explosion, July 16, 1945, 05:29:42 hours, near Alamagordo, New Mexico, USA.

 

[spacemonkey]

None of those events occur without the assassination of the Archduke.

 

[spacemonkey]

Well, except the rise of enviromentalism

 

[Valjean]

I'm not trying to devalue your proposal, Spacemonkey. Its a good one, though I suspect that if Ferdinand hadn't been offed some other event would have triggered The Great War.

The Trinity test just popped to mind when I read your question. It changed the whole equation. :biglaugh:

 

[Yerda]

December 9th, 1983, for me, hosted the single most significant event of the 20th century, and the remainder of history for that matter.

 

[Aqualung]

None of those events occur without the assassination of the Archduke.

That's true, but if the lusitania hadn't sunk, then who knows where we would be today? If the archduke hadn't been assassinated, the lusitania wouldn't have sunk. But I think, even though the Lusitania follows from the assassination, it is of greater consequence than the assassination itself.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

The day when the Krauts surrendered

 

[spacemonkey]

That's true, but if the lusitania hadn't sunk, then who knows where we would be today? If the archduke hadn't been assassinated, the lusitania wouldn't have sunk. But I think, even though the Lusitania follows from the assassination, it is of greater consequence than the assassination itself.

The sinking of the Lusitania only triggered the United States entry into a war that had been going on for a couple years. I can't see how an event that only involves one countries late entry into a war of more consequence then the event that triggered the war. Since WWII was a direct effect of the Treaty of Versilles, you could say the assassination of the Archduke started both World Wars.

 

[spacemonkey]

December 9th, 1983, for me, hosted the single most significant event of the 20th century, and the remainder of history for that matter.

OK, I've looked on the internet and I can't find it. What event do you mean?

 

[Aqualung]

The sinking of the Lusitania only triggered the United States entry into a war that had been going on for a couple years. I can't see how an event that only involves one countries late entry into a war of more consequence then the event that triggered the war. Since WWII was a direct effect of the Treaty of Versilles, you could say the assassination of the Archduke started both World Wars.

Because it validated them as a super-power, or at least a country that was rising fast. They were no longer that baby of a country across the pond. They were a formidable country. It also helped bring the US out of their isolationism, which was a nother thing that brought us to super-power-dom.

 

[Aqualung]

OK, I've looked on the internet and I can't find it. What event do you mean?

That's probably his birthday. Check his profile and see.

 

[James the Persian]

Well, for me it would be the end of the Cold War. That was a momentous time for both international politics and the life of my Church. Personally, the single most important event within the overall end of European communism was the December revolution in Romania. Had that not happened I'd never have met my wife, never have had my children and, quite conceivably, never have become Orthodox either. Without the fall of communism, I'd almost certainly have never met the majority of my family either as they were separated from us by the Iron Curtain, being mostly Czechs and Slovaks. I'd say that what a person considers most historically significant is the event that has the greatest impact upon them and their family, and as the end of the Cold War had both personal and general effects of great importance I'd choose that every time.

James

 

[michel]

Not sure if my first thought is actually the same as yours, james, but I would have thought the knocking down of the Berlin wall, maybe Nelson Mandella being freed and the disolution of apartheit..............

 

[jeffrey]

I would have to say the attack on Pearl Harbor. If that would have not happened, the United States would have not entered the war until much later, and without the attitude we had. A different outcome might very well have happened.

 

[Solon]

I wanted to know what people consider to be the most historically signifigant event of the 20th Century? I would have to say the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but would love to hear what you guys think. I am willing to go into more detail on my pick if anyone wants.

Well, the discovery of Penecillin and Valium. The work of Einstein.

Solon

 

[ALifetimeToWaitFor...]

That's a good pick, Spacemonkey, but how about the rise of environmentalism as a significant event?

Could we even call it a rise, especially in the US. In the last presidential debates the enviroment wasn't mentioned once. Displaying how far from our minds it seems to be.

 

[Valjean]

All right then. Should we add the 1962 publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson to the list, then?
Silent Spring launched the modern environmental movement.