Most impressive military achievement in the 20th Century?

Most impressive military achievement in the 20th Century?


  • Total voters
    178

SHERMAN

Active member
Which one do you think wasmost impressive achievement by military forces in the 20th Century. If you choose "Other", please specify.
 
The most impressive? it isnt even on the list.

A military doesnt just go to the slaughter, although it can. In actuality, there are two civil engineering achievments directly inspired and performed by units of the US Military. and yes both are defense related.

The first is the finishing of the Panama Canal. If it wasnt for the public health aspects and disease control efforts of the US Army Medical Corp and Col George Washington Gobbels that ditch would have never been completed. Remember, the French had the plan, and used a lot of men only to fall to failure because of disease and engineering problems were too much. The US Army came through by conquering the yellow fever mosquito and its breeding areas, enabling the big ditch to continue to completion.

The second item was the building of the ALCAN Highway, from Alaska to the US through Canada, some say the further extension of the road to south America really completed the project. read about the ALCAN sometime, or better yet, drive it. it is a totally nerve wracking experience.

:D
 
finland again, a country of under 10 million people against the largest army at the time, with limited support! impressive
 
I voted for the Allied Victory. With great loss on all fronts, we were able to free the European nations which Hitler stampled upon, stop the genocide of the Jewish Europeans and other people (Catholics etc.) and finally put a stop to the Fourth Reich. Also the victory in Asia.
 
I was going to vote for the Allied victory first, but I changed my mind and voted for the Finns.

Winning World War 2 was of course the greatest achievement, but there were so many involved parties, and a lot of the things the Allied did could have been done much better. (but we did win anyway.. :) )

But what Finland did achieve against the Russians has always impressed me very much..
I've been in Finland and had some guided tours there by a veteran who participated in the battles (Kajani area), and the stories are absolutely breathtaking..
They used the cold weather to their advantage, attacked Russian supply elements (field kitchens, fuel, food etc..) instead of the Russian combat elements, and introduced their famous "motti" tactics...

Read more yourself: :)
http://www.google.com/search?hl=no&ie=UTF-8&q=winter+war&lr=
http://www.winterwar.com/mainpage.htm
http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/war1.html
 
I voted for Israel in 1973. :D

I hesitated between Finland and Israel but decided on Israel as it was a suprise attack and the Arab forces weren't in such a bad shape than the Soviets. Also Finland in the end did loose, Israel didn't.

I don't consider the Allied victory such an achivement due to sheer numerical superiority.
 
Yay! I got to redo my vote! Yeah, Finland withstood the biggest army in the world. I don't care what some might think of the Soviet Army of the late 1930's, it was freakin scary by any measurement! Israel and the Axis victories early in WW2 were all very impressive and its tempting to go with the Israeli War of Independence (when they didn't have decent equipment, etc), but I'm sticking with the Fins.

If history had left the situation alone, Finland wouldn't have "lost" in the long run. Now having survived being literally raped by the Soviets, who can argue with their decision to side with Germany?

I'm puzzled by the results of the voting so far though. The Allies Victory in WW2? What's so impressive about winning a war with overwhelming numbers on your side? Granted, its the most historically important of course.
 
Definitely WW II

Reasons: 1. WW2 saw the largest military buildup the world has ever seen, with more men, tanks artillery pieces, ships, aircraft, and supplies produced and fielded than any other conflict.
2. The conflict and it's end shaped world history right into the present time.
3. It resulted in more casualties, both military and civilian than any other war in human history.
4. The colossal amounts of money spent dwarfed anything that came before and the military industrial complex that resulted from the war ended up shaping the world economy for decades afterwards.

I could go on, but these reasons alone should suffice.

Dean.
 
It has to be the German victories of 1939-42. Note I say German because it would be unfair to Germany to give any of the other Axis partners joint credit.

Why?

Well because it changed the face of warfare forever. Now, for the first time since the Mongol armies thundered across the plains of Asia 800 years ago we had an army that began to move faster than the speed of the marching man. Anyone who's ever read 'Panzer Leader' by Heinz Guderian will realise what a struggle it was for the German Panzer arm to get started. Without Hitler's favour and Guderian's brilliance and perseverance against the odds the Germans would have lost the initial Battle of France and a new dawn of trench warfare would have set in. But it didn't. Instead, Germany's armies with Panzers at their spearheads crushed every army in their path in the first three years of war. The great Allied victories in Europe took their cue from those first three years and all modern armies today take their cue from Blitzkrieg.
 
Winter War, even I first was thinking the final clashes of the Continuation War in summer 1944, when Soviet forces were more trained, had much better commanders and still superior forces in both numbers and supplies. In winter war they had even greater superior in supplies, because Finnish army in 1939 didn't have even gun for all men or uniform. The "uniform" of usual civilian winter equipment and cockade is famous known as "Model Cajander" by our then-in-charge Prime Minister Cajander.

In winter war we truly were alone, with even Swedes staying out of war and giving just limited support. Western Allies couldn't help and it is much doubted that if they ever wouldn't come to fight to support us. With certain lose in sight, the thing that saved us was time. With Stalin shamed he over-thrown "The Goverment of Terijoki", which was supposed to become Stalin puppet-gowerment in Soviet regime of Finland, including fanatical communists who had escaped into Soviet Union after Civil War in 1918 and who survived Stalin's massacre in 1930's. Even treaty was hard for Finland and usually called as "Häpeärauha" (~shamed peace) our highest leaders were then informed by Göring that Germany may give us our revenge in time.

After Winter War, when Germany took control of Denmark and Norway, we had to either be finally annexed by Soviets or seek support from Germany. And in 1944 support from Germany was one thing that supported our brave soldiers to stop Soviets advancing into our homeland.

Also I have to mention that Mannerheim lead us in our all wars, in Civil War as leader of White Army and in Winter War anf in Continuation War as Commander-in-Chief. At the end of Continuation War he was elected as President of the Republic of Finland, still staying as Command-in-Chief until end of 1944 and so during a Lappland War.

Also I have mention that our national population during WWII was much less than 10 million, it was less than 4 million. I remember that my history teacher onced mention that we raised the Greatest Army in propotion of population, more than a half million and with best quality 8)
It is also always nice to speak with veterans, I have meet lot of them during my short life. My own grandmother also sometimes talk about wartime. She was in Lotta-organization (women in homefront did very much important work in peace and in war).

Well, about that's it this time. German efforts in the beginning of WWII have always had great impact for me, but at least they hadn't took a fight against opponent which one has almost everything 1:50 against them ;)
 
I voted for Israel in the 1967 Six Days War. All alone against what was it? 14 Arab nations? They fought against modern Soviet tanks with upgraded Shermans and still pulled off a decisive victory. You gotta hand it to them for that.
 
chinese civil war

1 million peasant army destoryed 10 million well armed american fed nationlistic army

as well, the battle of huai hai

some 600,000 peasant army destoryed the crack troops of kmt: 800,000 elite units
 
Came as a toss up between Israel 1967 and Finland and in the end I went with Finland for pretty much the same reasons others appear to have chosen the Finnish option.
 
I think i'd vote for Vietnams effort in fighting, and eventually defeating, France, and the U.S.A. [the most advanced industrial nation in world,] over thirty years of almost non stop fighting, and finally freeing their country from colonial rule and outside interference.

They could certainly go the distance.

The victory had been at a terrible cost, with casualites running into millions, [civilian and military] and the country largely destroyed by over three times the amount of bombs dropped throughout the whole of the Second World War, [which worked out at approximately 1000 lbs. for every man, woman and child living in Vietnam].


Not many great battles, or famous victories [Dien Bien Phu was small compared to other battles, but it Broke the French] but their will to win, staying power, and the guerilla tactics employed by General Vo Nguyen Giap, in the end, won the war against advanced military powers.

It must be one of the most impressive military achievements in the 20th Century.


A FEW VIETNAM WAR STATISTICS

Longest war in US history (11 years)

"War" was never officially declared by the United States

A Cornell University study placed the over-all total U.S. cost
of the Vietnam war at $200 Billion

Total U.S. bomb tonnage dropped during:
World War II = 2,057,244 tons
Vietnam War = 7,078,032 tons (3-1/2 times WWII
tonnage)

Bomb tonnage dropped during the Vietnam War amounted to
1,000 lbs. for every man, woman and child in Vietnam.

An estimated 3 million people were killed by the war,
and over 1 million were wounded.

2,594,000 U.S. personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan.1, 1965 - March 28, 1973).

U.S. Casualties were 361,887. Missing in Action 2,338.

USMC had more casualties in Vietnam than in WWII! 101,000 vs. 91,000.
 
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