Subject: Turning Points of History
Posted by: Cymruambyth
Date: Feb 24 09
What do you assess to be major turning points in history? There are the obvious events, of course, like the signing of Magna Carta, the American Revolution, the French revolution, the establishment of the State of Israel, and so on, but what about other, less well-known events? I submit the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec on September 13, 1759 which saw Canada become a British colony, or the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485 which brought Henry Tudor to the throne, ending 331 years of Plantagenet rule in England.
Posted by: Cymruambyth
Date: Feb 24 09
What do you assess to be major turning points in history? There are the obvious events, of course, like the signing of Magna Carta, the American Revolution, the French revolution, the establishment of the State of Israel, and so on, but what about other, less well-known events? I submit the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec on September 13, 1759 which saw Canada become a British colony, or the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485 which brought Henry Tudor to the throne, ending 331 years of Plantagenet rule in England.
116 replies. On page 6 of 6 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6
jonathanw55 
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the surrender of japan in 1945, ending the god status of their empereor. Reply #101. Sep 14 15, 9:24 PM |
Mixamatosis
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I heard a very interesting historical item on BBC radio 4 today which seems very apt now in having predicted the future. Britain's first attempt to join the European "Common Market" was turned down by France's President General De Gaulle. The reason for his turning Britain down was discussed. It seems (if my attention was sufficient at the time) that De Gaulle did not want to go along with Roosevelt's idea for NATO. De Gaulle thought the bottom line was that countries acted in their own interests and he did not believe Europe should rely on America for defence but it should have its own defence arrangements. Churchill, Roosevelt's ally, then got on the phone to De Gaulle and told him that if it came to a choice, he would always choose the ocean (i.e. the US) over the Channel (i.e. France and Europe). Apparently De Gaulle carried a resentment about this and never forgot it. When it came to Britain wanting to join the Common Market he recalled what had been said to him by Churchill, including the date and the time it was said, and concluded that Britain would always look outwards away from Europe and that it did not share European interests and its economy was different from Europe's being more commercial and less based on farming. So he refused to let Britain join the Common Market. The P.M. at the time, Harold MacMillan, was apparently devastated when her heard the newa as it was his last strategy. Apparently Britain wasn't keen on all the ideas behind the Common Market and only wanted to join it to change it from within, because it had tried to subvert it from outside and had failed. MacMillan didn't have another plan. Britain joined later under Edward Heath's premiership but it's fascinating to see how these same issues have been causing tensions ever since, and particularly in these times of Brexit. Asked what De Gaulle would think now if he were alive, the historian said he didn't want to put words in the mouths of the dead but he thought De Gaulle would probably think he'd been proved right. Reply #102. Jan 29 17, 8:30 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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I've been reading about history around the time of Louis XIV. Louis's reign was punctuated by lots of wars and battles in Europe. A boy called Eugene was born in Paris to one of Louis XIV's ex mistresses (or possibly ongoing mistresses, Olympia Mancini, and the Count of Savoy). Eugene asked for a company command in the army of Louis XIV. Louis turned him down. Several reasons are given; the scandal of the "affair of the poisons" which his mother was said to be involved in, and his own unprepossessing appearance. He was said to be ugly and rather frail. Having been rejected by Louis, he offered his services to the Holy Roman Emperor and ended up serving 3 of them in succession. Along with the Duke of Marlborough, (Winston Churchill's ancestor) he jointly led the forces that beat Louis's French forces at the battles of Blenheim, Oudenarde, Malplaquet and Turin. Prince Eugene of Savoy also won significant battles against the Ottoman Turks. In spite of his physical shortcomings he lived to be 72. France under Louis XIV was practically bankrupt by the end of Louis reign due to all the money spent on war and yet France was not safe from the threat of foreign armies. Louis XIV must have regretted his decision to reject Prince Eugene's request to fight for him. Reply #103. Jan 22 18, 5:00 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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What Prince Eugene looked like https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1901&bih=960&ei=wMRlWuaWM8XDgAa4zpGABw&q=prince+eugene+of+savoy&oq=prince+eugene&gs_l=img.1.1.0l5j0i5i30k1j0i24k1l2j0i10i24k1l2.1032.3907.0.7281.14.9.0.5.5.0.48.327.8.8.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..1.13.350.0...0.pU751l4nJ7c#imgrc=XluCqH4G7j1NyM: It was said that "his nose ruined his face" and that "he had 2 big teeth that were always on display" In portraits of the time it was not the convention to show teeth. Reply #104. Jan 22 18, 5:04 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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Another irony was that one of Louis XIV's favoured generals, the Duke of Vendome ended up having virtually no nose at all as a result of contracting syphilis. Reply #105. Jan 22 18, 9:39 AM |
boxjaw
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November 8, 2016 Reply #106. Jan 23 18, 3:41 PM |
| Mixamatosis
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Why November 8 2016? Reply #107. Jan 25 18, 8:50 AM |
C30
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Something to do with American Presidential Election, Mixamatosis? Reply #108. Jan 25 18, 11:47 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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C30 Doh! (Slaps forehead) Reply #109. Jan 26 18, 4:44 PM |
| boxjaw
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November 7, 2020. : ) Reply #110. Nov 07 20, 12:04 PM |
| boxjaw
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November 23, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQetemT1sWcReply #111. Nov 24 20, 6:12 AM |
| boxjaw
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GY1Xg6X20 Reply #112. Nov 24 20, 6:51 AM |
MiraJane
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December 8, 2020 Safe Harbor deadline in the USA. Novel cornoavirus-19 vaccine given to the first person in the world at 6:31am (local time) Coventry, England to 90 yr old Margaret Keenan. She will be 91 next week and described the vaccine as "The best birthday present". She also advised everyone to get the jab. The second person to get the vaccine is named William Shakespeare. Millions are hoping the vaccine works for them and they have no side effects. Reply #113. Dec 08 20, 1:22 PM |
joecali
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January 30 2020 Wuhan and then the planet closes its doors and the alert is declared from the WHO. Economic, social changes, in relationships and continues... Reply #114. Jan 02 23, 10:45 PM |
Cymruambyth
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I'm going to predict that Tuesday, November 5, 2024 will be the day that the balance of world power could change significantly. Reply #115. Mar 20 24, 1:11 PM |
Qmel
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April 14, 1865 Reply #116. Apr 03 24, 6:09 PM |
116 replies. On page 6 of 6 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6
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