July 4th 1776 started the ball rolling. Declaration of Independence layed the ground work of America's frame of mind which in turn led to its war machine.
For anyone who is not American (including me) post memorable military dates for your country and get them in a poll to!
Re: Most impact by US on world military history...(Score: 1) by ronson on Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:01 pm (User Info | Send a Message)
The Civil War with its radical changes in government of the US and the expansion of industrialisation is for me the starting block of the US becoming a World Player 50 years later and subsequently the superpower of today.
Prior to the Civil War the US was a loose confederation of individual states lead by a conservative minded government, apeing to some extent the Georgian England that it had so recently divorced itself, dominated largely by the agricultural minded Southern gentry.
Afterwards it had a strong central government and was firmly commited to industrial expansion and forward thinking.
So maybe Americas most costly war in human lives had a point after all?
Re: Most impact by US on world military history...(Score: 1) by Blackstump on Thu Apr 15, 2010 1:27 pm (User Info | Send a Message)
United States of America entering the 2nd world war was the most important date for Australia...and thanks for that too!!
Re: Most impact by US on world military history...(Score: 1) by dj on Sun Oct 31, 2010 10:38 pm (User Info | Send a Message)
Trick question. The U.S. Civil War did have significant impact in overall military history as it would eventually cause tactics to change. Towards the end trench warfare began and primitive battleships fought it out. Most people don't realize the Civil War was extremely bloody with nearly 1 million KIA / wounded. Many of the wounded would not survive. Casualty rate was 25% average on both sides among troops that served. This was about as many American casualties during WW II but that only had 6% casualty rate. 2001 is too early to tell but 9/11 did cause U.S. military expenditures to nearly double to rates that now exceed spending during the peak of the Cold War. Plus the Iraq and Afganistan wars were unfunded and America is paying a fortune on the interest alone for the debt it contributed to. To spend 2x the resources against a group of maybe 1000 civilians that hide in caves or mud huts is a phyrric victory at best. Plus this unconventional war is not likely to ever end.
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