The world today has been formed by influential battles that changed the tides, won wars, and defined global power structures for centuries.
Humanity has been engaged in wars since we were hunter-gatherers. As civilizations expanded and grew into cities and then empires, conflicts between different peoples began to have more repercussions including on a global scale. Battles began to define borders and the independence of a country’s people. The most influential battles echo through time, being remembered as turning points in geopolitics.
The influential battles that made their mark on history
Many battles had significant impacts on the world. Some in particular will long be remembered for their impact in changing the course of human society.
The Battle of Marathon
In 490 BC, one of the ancient world’s most infamous battles took place in the Greek town of Marathon. The Persian King Darius I wanted to expand his powerful empire further into Greece, exerting his influence over its various city-states as a way of punishing Athens and Eretria for supporting the Ionian Revolt against the Persians from 499 to 493 BC. The Persians attacked Marathon, which was 26 miles away from Athens, with an army of 25,000 soldiers, against Marathon’s 10,000.
Against all odds, the Greeks won, in a victory which went on to significantly impact the trajectory of the region. Had the Greeks been conquered by the Persians, the incredible cultural and artistic feats of the ancient Greeks would have been suppressed and might never have been created. The Greeks’ victory at Marathon ensured the survival of Athenian democracy, which laid the foundations for modern-day democracy.
The Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was perhaps the most influential battle in European history. It set the stage for Norman rule in England, which had profound political, cultural, and social changes that echoed through the continent. The battle came about as a succession dispute between the powerful noble Harold Godwinson, The Duke of Normandy William the Conqueror, and the King of Norway Harald Hardrada.
The battle between William and Harold’s forces took place at Hastings in the South of England as a response to William’s arrival in the country. William won the battle when Harold was reportedly shot in the eye, allowing him to conquest England. The subsequent Norman rule in England – which evolved into Anglo-Saxon rule – brought about profound changes including introducing the feudal system to England and bringing French influence to the English language, setting the building blocks for the contemporary English of today.
The Battle of Hastings also led to geopolitical changes, since both the Anglo and Norman kings had the right to rule. This led to tensions that would eventually spark the Hundred Years’ War. Norman rule also led to the creation of English common law, which evolved into the parliamentary democracy England and other nations use today.
The Battle of Saratoga
In Saratoga, New York, in 1777, the most decisive battle of the American Revolution took place. The British sought to crush the revolution by isolating New England, the heart of revolutionary activity, from the southern colonies. British General John Burgoyne planned a three-pronged invasion which failed due to lack of communication and fierce resistance from the continental army.
The American Victory at Saratoga completely turned the tide of the conflict, shattering Britain’s hopes of using a divide-and-conquer strategy to neutralize the colonies, thus forcing them to rethink their whole approach to the battle. The win also secured the French as allies, which was exactly the fuel the Americans needed to realistically push back against the British and win the war.
The Battle of Stalingrad
Taking place from 1942 to 1943, this battle between the Germans and the Soviets was one of the most tense of World War II. In 1941, the Nazis began Operation Barbossa, which was their plan to invade Russia. They were successful initially but met fierce resistance as they ventured further into Russian territory. Russia’s scorched Earth policy – which saw the Red Army destroying anything that could be of use to the Germans – scuppered the Germans’ plan to feed off the land as they extended deeper into enemy territory and forced them to overextend supply lines as they moved into Stalingrad.
The city of Stalingrad, a key hub between Russia and Europe, was extremely important to the Nazis’ hopes of conquering Russia. Following orders from Stalin, Russian troops defended the city at all costs, not relenting to the invading force. The Nazi loss at Stalingrad was Germany’s first major loss on the Eastern front and led to a turn a decisive counteroffensive from the Soviets.
The failed invasion of Russia as a whole severely wounded Germany. The country lost many men, and was unable to obtain the vital resources that would have strengthened the army. Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad was the beginning of the end for the country, and the Nazis would feel the effects of the loss bit by bit as they were forced to retreat on the Eastern front. The symbolism of the Soviet win inspired the Allied troops, changing the trajectory of World War II and the fate of Europe.
The Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo, which took place in 1815, was a decisive confrontation that marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign as Emperor of France. It took place after Napoleon returned from exile and attempted to win a quick victory to fracture the coalition of European armies that had united against him. These armies included Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia, all of which did not want Napoleon in power.
The British and the Prussians confronted Napoleon’s 70,000-plus men at Waterloo. The Coalition forces outnumbered those of Napoleon and as such, they were able to attack the French flanks while still presenting a strong force on the front lines.
The loss marked the end of Napoleonic influence over Europe and led to the establishment of the Concert of Europe, which enabled peace on the continent until World War I. The defeat of Napoleon created a unified Europe, an idea that persists to this day. However, Napoleon’s ideas, and the revolution’s ideals of independence and freedom, also prevailed.