Deciding on the 10 most important battles in history

This is a continuation of this thread:
http://www.ww2f.com/military-history/18533-top-ten-battles-all-time.html

Please refer to the previous thread for additional information on each battle. Also, there is a wiki page for each of the included battles. I know wikipedia isn't always reliable but it should give you a overview of the battle in question.

Remember this is based on importance. Please provide a quick thought as to your selection. I will allow the poll to remain open for 1 month before compiling the list based on number of votes for each.

If a battle you want isn't on here than I apologize if i missed it in the previous thread.

EDIT: I have made the option available to vote multiple times. The Poll is open so anyone can view who voted for what. PLEASE REFRANE FROM VOTING FOR MORE THAN TEN OPTIONS. Select your ten choices before you select vote now

 

As per my own request of providing short explanations as to why you chose what you chose:

Marathon – 490 BC
The Persian defeat at Marathon ended the first Persian invasion of Greece. It showed the Greeks that the Persians could be defeated and subsequently led to victory in the Greco-Persian wars.
Salamis – 480 BC
With the defeat of the Persian navy at Salamis, Xerxes would retreat to Persia leaving the conquest of Greece to his generals. The battle marked the turning point of the Second Persian invasion of Greece and guaranteed the development of western civilization
Teutoburg Forest – 9 AD
The Roman Defeat at the Teutoburg Forest marked the end of Roman expansion into northern Europe. The Romans would become content with a boarder at the Rhine and would become an integral part in the mythology of German nationalism
Tours 732 AD
The Battle that stopped Muslim expansion into Europe and influenced the future of the continent
Hastings – 1066 AD
The result of this battle influenced the entire History of Britain, and thus, Europe and to a lesser degree America.
Agincourt – 1415 AD
The battle would become the centerpiece of Shakespeare’s play Henry V. Also a prime example of using ones army to it’s strengths, while denying the same to the enemy.
Vienna – 1529 AD
The failed siege by the Ottomans would become the beginning of the long slow decline of the Ottoman Empire.
Yorktown – 1781 AD
After the defeat at Yorktown, Britain would recognize the US as a country, leading to the world power we see today.
Trafalgar – 1805 AD
With Napoleon’s fleet defeated it would only be a matter of time before ultimate victory could be achieved by Britain and her allies.
Waterloo – 1815 AD
The end of Napoleon. The battle of Waterloo would become the watershed example of absolute defeat.

 

I'm suprised at the lack of interest for this. If I posted a list of the top ten, I'de catch all kinds of flak for excluding something. Oh well, it's the way things go sometimes. Still about a week left to vote, so please do so.

 

I'm getting poll results! but not able to vote?

 

I opted for BoB.

Don't care for these things, but in an effort to make an effort in doing that I narrowed it down to the decisivness of the battle.

So it would be a battle in one of the World Wars. The other battles of WW2 would not spell the end of europe if lost, but BoB would.

 

I think that a BC Persian empire wreaching into the Balkans would really have created a different Balance of power today. Likely not for the better.

 

I havent even heard of halve of the battles

 

Thermopylae.

Had the Greek soldiers not been able to hold up the Persian Advance, democracy itself may never have been fully developed and become probably the most dominate type of Government there is.

 

Thermopylae – 480 BC Important both as an example of a small force heroically sacrificing themselves for the greater good and for the later impact on the wars with Persia.

Zama – 202 BC The beginning of the acendancy of Rome, speaks for itself.

Teutoburg Forest – 9 AD The beginning of of the end of Roman acendancy, it began a massive change in attitude throughout the empire. Also important in the history of Germany.

Hastings – 1066 AD Significant for Britain and France, therefore the rest of Europe

Poitiers – 1356 AD More significant than Azincort, bankrupted France and set a trend in European warfare for quite a while to come.

Siege of Vienna – 1529 AD Halting the Islamic incursions into Europe in the west seems pretty significant to me.

Yorktown – 1781 AD Securing the place of the US as an independant nation, pretty significant repercussions for all of us.

Trafalgar – 1805 AD The beginning of the end for Napoleons, ended any plans for an invasion of Britain, helped begin an offensive war on the continent.

Battle of Britain – 1940 AD As has been said, one of the few battles of WW2 which, if lost, would have probably led to German victory in the west.

I also accidentally clicked 'Stiklestad – 1030 AD' which whilst I'm sure it is significant, I know nothing about so can't really comment on.

 

Stiklestad 1030. King Olav dies whilst converting us heathens to christianity, and becoming our first saint.

 

Yeah, read that on Wikipedia, sounds like he got what was coming to him

 

Last chance. Get your votes in before it's too late.

 

Im surprised that there are none from the "Golden Horde" and only one vote for Leipzig.

 

Marathon - The battle that checked Persia and saved Western Civilization as we know it.

Salamis - See above.

Tours - The battle that checked the Muslim expansion and saved Western Civilization as we know it.

Agincourt - Decisive battle that destroyed much of the French Army (and nobility knights)

Siege of Vienna -The battle that checked Ottoman expansion and started the slippery slide down to second-class power.

Lepanto - The last gasp of the Ottoman military pride.

Yorktown - Culmination of the defeat of the British, probably the premier military at the time, by a rag-tag force of militia (Oh yeah, with the French ). And the defeat of the Royal Navy at Chesapeake was one of the few Navy failures of the time.

Waterloo - Stopped Napoleon before he could get started again. Prevented another Napoleonic Wars.

Battle of Marne - Saved France again.

Stalingrad - Turned around the Eastern Front...yada yada...if you don't know what this is you may be on the wrong forum.