The Greatest Military Victories in History?

[Eric]

In my opinion, and in no particular order, the greatest victories in history are:

• The Battle of Austerlitz - French victory, Napoleonic Wars
  
• The Battle of Agincourt - English victory, Hundred Years' War
  
• The Battle of Cannae - Carthaginian victory, Second Punic War
  
• The Battle of Marathon - Greek victory, The Graeco-Persian War
  
• The Battle of Guagamela - Macedonian victory, Alexander's Wars of Conquest
  
• The Battle of Stalingrad - Russian victory, Second World War
  
• The Battle of Normandy - Allied victory, Second World War
  
• The Battle of Waterloo - Anglo-Allied victory, Napoleonic Wars
  
• The Battle of Trafalgar - British victory, Napoleonic Wars
  
• The Battle of Manzikert - Seljuk victory, Byzantine-Seljuk Wars

Of course, I am much more versed in western military history than I am in eastern, so I am probably missing a whole lot of battles of China, Japan, India, etc. But those are, in my own opinion, the greatest military victories in history. Other opinions?

[Farnan]

Add in:

Battle of Coral Sea - Allied tactical tie, strategic victory over the Japanese and the turning point in the PTO.

Battle of Antietnam - Union victory over Confederacy gave Lincoln the ability to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Battle of Inchon - UN victory of North Korea and ended the North Korean invasion of South Korea

Battle of Issus - Alexander's victory over Darius. Far, far, far more important than Gaugamela as it was this battle that destroyed the flower of the Persian Army and forced Darius to rely upon levies.

Battle of Actium - Octavian's defeat of Marc Antony solidified his position as Emperor of the Roman Empire.

Siege of Babylon - Cyrus's victory over Babylon signified Persia's new role as the leader of the Eastern Mediterranean. Also ensured the survival of Judaism...

Battle of the Trench - Muslim victory over the Meccans ensured the survival of Islam and its dominance over the Arabian Pennisula.

There are more but my mind is blank right now.

[Orko]

Add in:

Battle of Coral Sea - Allied tactical tie, strategic victory over the Japanese and the turning point in the PTO.

Battle of Antietnam - Union victory over Confederacy gave Lincoln the ability to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Battle of Inchon - UN victory of North Korea and ended the North Korean invasion of South Korea

Battle of Issus - Alexander's victory over Darius. Far, far, far more important than Gaugamela as it was this battle that destroyed the flower of the Persian Army and forced Darius to rely upon levies.

Battle of Actium - Octavian's defeat of Marc Antony solidified his position as Emperor of the Roman Empire.

Siege of Babylon - Cyrus's victory over Babylon signified Persia's new role as the leader of the Eastern Mediterranean. Also ensured the survival of Judaism...

Battle of the Trench - Muslim victory over the Meccans ensured the survival of Islam and its dominance over the Arabian Pennisula.

There are more but my mind is blank right now.

These victories were more imactful than great.
the greatest victories in my mind are Cannae, Gaugamela and Australitz.

[Cluny the Scourge]

There was no 'greatness' in Sharpsburg (Antietam) - it was an uncoordinated, messy head-on slogging blood-fest with no decisive results.

[Trax]

There was no 'greatness' in Sharpsburg (Antietam) - it was an uncoordinated, messy head-on slogging blood-fest with no decisive results.

I agree

If we are looking for great victories then as far as ACW is concerned I'll nominate
Chancellorsville. Lee had 60 000 vs Hooker's 130 000 and he won

[Konstantin Alexander]

Battle of living room-kitchen 11.08.2007

OPFOR: A myriard of mosquitos.
Casaulties: Estimated at 12
Home team casaulties: 0

Strategic goal achieved: Noone got stinged in the night.
The defender conquered about 20 square meter and got back access to several decisive strategic resources. (refrigerator, remote control, couch)

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On a more serious note, this would be the part, where i start to tell the thread participants, that they will not get a clear result to such a question. But as the thread starter explicitly asked for opinions, not undeniable facts, you are spared the sermon this time.

(At least as long as noone starts with: "battlz fo azincoort was shite, Hasting rockzord more!!!!!11!")

[jackwei]

Quebec 1759 and plassey 1757 let the foundation of the british empire as a global superpower with the birth of empire in america and in India. it was the defining moment making it the destiny for the british empire to rule the world.

during WWI and even after the capture of the middle east and other areas it was great with the empire getting bigger, however they always say the quebec and plassey was prehaps the greatest victories of empire.

Oh yes Saratoga i have to admit was prehaps one the greatest american victories too since the managed to defeat our better well trained british troops and led to the the end of british rule in the colonies and was the moment when america was meant to be born as a destiny for patriots to be one and believe in liberty. it was the battle that really laid down the brith of the USA.

[therussian]

There was no 'greatness' in Sharpsburg (Antietam) - it was an uncoordinated, messy head-on slogging blood-fest with no decisive results.

It surely wasn't great, but it was definitely influential.


As for Lepanto, which I've seen listed here, it was definitely "great", but it surely wasn't influential

If we're looking for "influential" battles, there's a list that I've posted probably a million times here before of the most influential battles in history (though some entries, and exclusions, are questionable, at best)

[jackwei]

Battle of Chalons

what do you think would of happened if the roman and germanic alliance lost to the huns at Chalons?

Would the western world turnout much different?

Would Constantinople eventually be taken despite the walls of theosius if the western empire fell to Attila?

Is chalons just as decisive as the greeks at marathon and salamis?

Would western civilization been destroyed or turned out different?

This is what John Julius Norwich said :- the entire fate of western civilization hung in the balance" in the campaigns of Attila, and that Chalons was a pivotal turning point in history. He also caustically referred to the assassination of Valentinian by his own guards as an act he brought on himself by his foolish execution of Aëtius, the "Empire's greatest commander."Certainly Aëtius military legacy is defined by Chalons, even though he effectively ruled the western empire from 433-450, and attempted to stabilize the European borders under a deluge of barbarians, including foremost, Atilla and his the Huns.

[Eric]

Very true. Now Gettysburg, that's a different story

[STReetSamurai]

What where those two...Midway was one and I guess you COULD say pearl harbor.

[SonOfOdin]

What where those two...Midway was one and I guess you COULD say pearl harbor.

How was Pearl Harbour a great military victory for anyone? Despite loosing a lot of personnel and a few military ships, the attack didn't really cripple U.S forces at all.

[DarkArk]

How was Pearl Harbour a great military victory for anyone? Despite loosing a lot of personnel and a few military ships, the attack didn't really cripple U.S forces at all.

Yes, yes it did. It prevented the US Navy from doing anything to defend the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies, and gave them months of free reign in the Pacific.

I'd say the greatest naval battle was Midway, given how radically it changed the dynamics of the Pacific War and what a close thing it was for both sides.

[SonOfOdin]

Yes, yes it did. It prevented the US Navy from doing anything to defend the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies, and gave them months of free reign in the Pacific.

Didn't effect the outcome of the war in anyway though did it? It wasn't a great military victory by any means. Attacking thousands of sailors and servicemen while they're still asleep with no previous deceleration of war? Yeah brilliant tactics to overcome opposition! Napoleon Bonaparte would've been proud!

[DarkArk]

Didn't effect the outcome of the war in anyway though did it? It wasn't a great military victory by any means. Attacking thousands of sailors and servicemen while they're still asleep with no previous deceleration of war? Yeah brilliant tactics to overcome opposition! Napoleon Bonaparte would've been proud!

Except it did affect the outcome of the war. It allowed the Japanese to capture and fortify as many islands as they did. It caused the fall of the Philippines and allowed the Japanese to capture critical oil resources. We're talking about the loss of an entire battleship fleet here.

And it was a brilliant tactic. There are no fair rules in war. I fail to see what Napoleon has anything to do with this.

[IndianPrince]

Battle Of Longewala

A very decisive battle on the Western Front during the 1971 war of India & Pakistan.

the Indian 'A' company of 120 odd soldiers of the 23rd Bn, Punjab Regiment, managed to hold a 2000-3000 strong assault force of the 51st Infantry Brigade of the Pakistani Army- backed by the 22nd Armoured Regiment- before the Indian Air Force flew in two decisive days against the invading force to dent and ultimately thwart the Pakistani assault.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Longewala

Prince

[Farnan]

If you want to look for a military victory:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outpost_Harry

One American Infantry Regiment and a Greek Infantry battalion with a small amount of extras defeated an entire Chinese Division.

Better yet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saragarhi

Though the Sikh soldiers were killed, I'd consider the loss of 21 in exchange for 4800 a victory.

[Rapax]

Better yet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saragarhi

Though the Sikh soldiers were killed, I'd consider the loss of 21 in exchange for 4800 a victory.

It's also BS, at least the way wikipedia writes it. I was just thinking how ridiculous it sounds that 21 men could kill 4800 in the course of a day with single-shot rifles. That would be about 228 kills per Sikh and that's just statistical nonsense given the weaponry and the amount of time.
So I checked the source that wikipedia is using and, surprise:

The tribals later admitted to figure of 180 dead and many more wounded.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-F...Saragarhi.html

So whoever made the article apparently thought no one would notice if he'd boost the numbers a little.

[Farnan]

It's also BS, at least the way wikipedia writes it. I was just thinking how ridiculous it sounds that 21 men could kill 4800 in the course of a day with single-shot rifles. That would be about 228 kills per Sikh and that's just statistical nonsense given the weaponry and the amount of time.
So I checked the source that wikipedia is using and, surprise:

The tribals later admitted to figure of 180 dead and many more wounded.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-F...Saragarhi.html

So whoever made the article apparently thought no one would notice if he'd boost the numbers a little.

That number does make more sense. Thats what I get for trusting wiki...

[conon394]

The Battle of Trafalgar - British victory, Napoleonic Wars.

I’m really not so sure about this one. Yeas Nelson certainly made what in any case should have been a victory for England extremely decisive, but be honest against any not completely inept British admiral does the Napoleonic fleet stand a chance?

I would rather pick some victory from Wellington’s Iberian campaign – that England could defeat the French and the also ran Spanish navy with very near parity is hardly surprising – the decisive show of British military superiority on land was however (a somewhat) novel and rather greater event to my eyes… Until than England had relied on financing continual opponents to France – that England could both, main it naval superiority and best the French on land was decisive.

The Battle of Marathon - Greek victory, The Graeco-Persian War

This really needs to be paired with Salamis, by itself Marathon was simply an irritant to Persia. An Athens that trusted just its hoplites after Marathon and ignored Themistocle;s is a very small foot note in historical text books we would be reading in farsi.