WW1, Most influential event of 20th cent?

[therussian]

Alright, I have a project to do for World History and I have to pick a topic and ask several questions about that topic as a poll or survey. There will be 2 or more of these questions. Vote away!

I need at least 200 people to vote by May 20th

Oh and please, if you vote in this thread, vote in the other ones too. Thanks

Edit: Come on people. Even if you look at this poll, please VOTE!!!

[OTZ]

without doubt - the defining moment of the 20th C

[ajimenez3]

The event at the beginning of the century that setup almost every event up until the end of the century.


Semper Fi

[Time Commander Bob]

Well, without WWI there probably wouldn't be WWII, so yes. It was the beginning of modern warfare, cavalry was replaced with tanks and open plain battles replaced with trench warfare.

[BeastG33]

The event at the beginning of the century that setup almost every event up until the end of the century.


Semper Fi

Exactly.

[Gelatinous Cube]

Without WWI there wouldn't have been a WWII, but I think it's clear that WWII changed more things, and affected more people.

[Seleukos]

With the fact that without a WWI there would not be a WWII. The technological advances during this time period were enormous. Introduction of the tank, new weapons. There are countless advances that happened at this time. But there were also countless losses. Without a doubt, World War One was the most influencial event during the 20th Century.

[Orretje]

Without WW1, no WW2, Europe would probably still have its colonies, the US would not be a significant power, maybe Russia would not have become Communist, no cold war, etc. so WW1 was the most important. WW2 was like WW1 again but even more cruel.

[John I Tzimisces]

Not exactly the war itself, but perhaps the assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand...it was completely BY CHANCE the assassin had gone to that bar, after, I believe, he thought he failed his mission, only to see the leader outside the bar...
A single assassins bullet leading to a century of warfare. Yowza.

[Comrade Alexeo]

Originally posted by eXc|Imperator@May 13 2005, 03:57 PM
Not exactly the war itself, but perhaps the assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand...it was completely BY CHANCE the assassin had gone to that bar, after, I believe, he thought he failed his mission, only to see the leader outside the bar...
A single assassins bullet leading to a century of warfare. Yowza.

He was actually getting a sandwich :grin

Plus you gotta also factor in the fluke wrong turn... the fluke stall in front of the sandwich shop...

-Comrade Alexeo

[Trajan]

Besides "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Lost Battalion" how come Hollywood rarely makes WW1 movies?

[S.P.Q.R.]

Originally posted by samurai121@May 13 2005, 10:04 PM
Besides "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Lost Battalion" how come Hollywood rarely makes WW1 movies?

Simple......It was dominantly an Europian affair :getlost
I suggest also "Behinde the Lines" my favorite WWI movie......or better the Great War.

The Great War set and defined all the confusion in Europe...dying empires, new expansionistic ambitions, the will to show to the world something.

In terms of "Influential", I don't think so: the most influential thing in the 20th century is " Who are the nation with WMD" that's the only thing that people really fear and that's were the games of power comes into one issue: "Who's got the bomb?" ...and that is pretty Influential.

[Americanus Supremus]

I have to say no. But WWI is definatly linked to almost all new technological advancements in so many fields its not even funny. So in that way it can be seen as the most influential. But I agree with S.P.Q.R., the advent of nuclear weapons is the most signifigent event or events in the 20th century in my opinion. It is a issue that has long haunted civilized nations, and will continue to do so until something even more destructive is unleashed, all nuclear weapons are destroyed (and nothing is developed to replace them), Humans start acting like we all have a stake in general health of the EARTH, or we kill each other until its all over. Though it can be said that without WWI there is no WWII, which I do agree with to an extent. I believe if it wasnt Hitler it would been another dictator or country that would have started a world conflict. There were to many unsettled issues over (European) colonies, the rights of man, Freedom or some other cause that unites like minded countries to wage war against those who they disagree with but have no other alternative to get the other party to come around to the like minded counties way of thinking. (lets not kid ourselves, diplomacy rarely solves the problem, it more often then not only delay's the inevitable)

[Erik]

IMHO the argument that WWI was the most influential event because it lead to WWII is B.S. (pardon my French).
Because according to the same reasoning the event that lead to WWI would be even more influential.

Plus, how can something my country didn't take part in be so influential? :lol

[Garbarsardar]

I feel that one day the Internet will be considered the most important event of this century.
That said, I think that it a dangerous simplification to isolate "events" in the historical process. Even in the arbitrary division that a "century" is (a century or any defined period is historically meaningless, it functions only in psychological terms), WW1 was an event less global, then say, antibiotics...

[Xiaodun]

Originally posted by Garbarsardar@May 14 2005, 10:34 AM
I feel that one day the Internet will be considered the most important event of this century.
That said, I think that it a dangerous simplification to isolate "events" in the historical process. Even in the arbitrary division that a "century" is (a century or any defined period is historically meaningless, it functions only in psychological terms), WW1 was an event less global, then say, antibiotics...

By using the, "WWI caused WWII" logic. WWI caused WWII, that caused the creation of nuclear weapons, that caused the cold war, that caused the American military to put strength into informational technology, thus causing the creation of the internet. Taddah!

[Garbarsardar]

@Deathdoom.
you would be right if history was charachterized by linearity. Or confined in centuries. (WW1 per se did not cause WW2. The treaty of Versailles and the 1929 crach were major factors.)
With this logic there is nothing you cannot attribute to WW1.
Including this post. *wink*

[Kake]

Hi everyone. I'm new. There, enough of the chit-chat

I think you could say WW1 was the most influental event of the 20th century because the Soviet Union came into existence because of it. And it should be obvious how important that was when you look at the 20th century as a whole.

[mogred]

Well for one thing it was the unfairness of the treaty of versailles that led to the point where someone could rise up in germany like hitler? Also wasn't the russian revolution strengthened by not only the soldiers away from home but the soldiers dying and the soldiers deserting and coming back?

[therussian]

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