Most humiliating defeats in History

I just though id start this to see what ideas people have and why they think so.

Ill start.
I think that the German flanking of the Maginot line is a good example as it was a total and utmost destroyer for French morale as the Maginot line was what kept the population happy and with a feeling of safety from another attack from Germany. I would say the irony of this defeat brings it in the top area of the list.

 

Although it was not technically a loss, what the Spartans did to the Persians at Thermopylae has to be among the more humiliating military endeavours. The Persians were spanked royally!

 

Having the strongest group in the Army at the time (6th Army), plus parts of 4th Pz Army, plus Italian 8th Army and Romanian 3rd and 4th Armies all caught in one bag by subhumans seems pretty bad to me.

 

Singapore.
Simply dreadful.

Cheers,
Adam.

 

You got there before me, Adam. It's embarrassing to read about even today.

On a much smaller scale, the mass surrender on the Schnee Eifel in the opening phase of the Ardennes Offensive was humiliating, but was of course soundly avenged by other US forces.

 

Hastings 1066...No need for the battle to have lost what could have been a longer war.
And no need for Harold to have even taken part in it.

 

Father-in-law was there....he never ever spoke about it.

I'm with Za

Dunkirk was pretty humiliating, although I guess doesn't count, since we went on to beat them in extra time..

 

I think you have to classify it as Battles, not Wars.

My addition to the list comes from the Zulu Conflict: Battle of Isandlwana where a Zulu Army of 10,000 Zulus armed with spear and shield defeated a mixed British/African force of 2,000 armed with guns and artillery.

 

The 1918 Armistice was pretty humiliating for Germany.

 

Well, Skipper, the Armistice was a Treaty, not an actual battle.

Perhaps this thread should be renamed "Most Humiliating Battle Defeats" and perhaps another thread be called "Most Humiliating Treaties"?

 

got that right Muss, in that case I'd go for the Battle of Fance

 

Operation Spring Awakening 1945 in Hungary

Hitler´s great victory in front of Berlin late April 1945

Operation Goodwood

Loss of Tobruk 1942 ( Rommel´s victory )

Battle of Taranto 1940

Kursk 1943 for Germans

 

Can I have one more....ww2 related this time....Leros.

 

finlands defeat and loss of its largest city and approx 10percent of its land to the soviet union.
siding with germany,who had been defeated in the west,in the b.o.b was in my opinion,nothing but stupid.cheers.

 

Thanx for reminding of the big one...

Winter War for Russia. 1 million casualties incl 200,000 dead for the USSR. Not bad from the 5 million vs 200 million war.

 

Excellent choice Kai!

 

Viet Nam for both the French and the US.

And soon to be Iraq. After the British and US pull out they will go right back to the tribal way of doing business and poltics.

 

I didn't think it was that bad a defeat for the German's ???????

 

You have to include Singapore. The complete humiliation of the white people.

But I would say the worst was the Greek defeat of the Persians. Marathon and Salamis. It's why our civilisation is the way it is.

 

Kasserine Pass '42.
The Suez Crisis in '56.
Goose Green '82.
Sinking of the Belgrano '82.
And if I might stir things up- the Tet Offensive. Major military success/spectacular public relations humiliation for America. Discuss.
Amiens 1918.
Spion Kop 1900 (?)
Note I included a couple of British ones to avoid accusations of bias!