[–] WORF_MOTORBOATS_TROI 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
Failing to contain islam when it was in its infancy.
The Byzantines and the Persians had beat each other up that neither both lost trying to fight the arabs on their own. They should have put aside their differences in the 7th century and driven the arabs back into the arabian desert for good.
[–] Oswy 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Good one, though our Western civilisation only encountered Islam when it hit Spain. We weren't really ready to deal with such a big problem then. I'd say that the discovery of America in 1492 was an unfortunate moment - without it, the reconquistadores would have continued on through North Africa, eventually to reach Jerusalem. Just imagine the effort that was put into conquering America having been used for this instead. We could THEN have turned west, just with a bit of a delay. The experience would probably have made lots of changes to how we dealt with the colonies, though it's impossible to say how this might have turned out.
[–] WORF_MOTORBOATS_TROI 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
Incorrect, the byzantine empire fought some of the first wars against the muslims in the 7th century as it was starting to expand out of the arabian peninsula. That was why I mentioned it. Europeans could have continued to dominate the entire meditteranean even up to the modern day if the arabs had been contained at that point
[–] Joe_McCarthy [S] 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago (edited ago)
You should probably consider how much events after 1492 strengthened Habsburg Spain and how not having the power gained through the acquisition of wealth in the Americas would have compromised it in a time when the Ottomans were at the zenith of their power.
These Atlantic maritime powers were more or less middlin' backwaters before 1492. Columbus heralded one of the great triumphs and expansions of power in Western history. Very possibly the greatest even. I can't think of a better takeoff point. Western rule has been of the last 500 years.
[–] PuttsMum 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
The failure of the Allies to carry on to Berlin and beat Germany into unconditional surrender in WW1 meant WW2 was inevitable. That was a bit of a disaster.
[–] Oswy 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
They did surrender. It would've been no different had we pressed more into German territory. We fucked them up good and proper afterwards anyway. It was THAT disgusting mistreatment of Germany which made the sequel guaranteed.
[–] PuttsMum 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
The Allies did not push for unconditional surrender, that's an historical fact and that was their biggest mistake because the German army never considered itself beaten in 1918. Round two was always going to happen.