To me, this was the worst case of a military blunder of the first order in US history. On this day, the US Military committed one of the worst atrocities in recorded history (leaving out the holocaust).The Wounded Knee Massacre happened on December 29, 1890, near Wounded Knee Creek (Lakota: Cankpe Opi Wakpala) on the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, USA. On the day before, a detachment of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment commanded by Major Samuel M. Whitside intercepted Spotted Elk's (Big Foot) band of Miniconjou Lakota and 38 Hunkpapa Lakota near Porcupine Butte and escorted them 5 miles westward (8 km) to Wounded Knee Creek where they made camp.
The rest of the 7th Cavalry Regiment arrived led by Colonel James Forsyth and surrounded the encampment supported by four Hotchkiss guns.[1]
On the morning of December 29, the troops went into the camp to disarm the Lakota. One version of events claims that during the process of disarming the Lakota, a deaf tribesman named Black Coyote was reluctant to give up his rifle claiming he had paid a lot for it.[2] A scuffle over Black Coyote's rifle escalated and a shot was fired which resulted in the 7th Cavalry opening firing indiscriminately from all sides, killing men, women, and children, as well as some of their own fellow troopers. Those few Lakota warriors who still had weapons began shooting back at the attacking troopers, who quickly suppressed the Lakota fire. The surviving Lakota fled, but U.S. cavalrymen pursued and killed many who were unarmed
By the time it was over, at least 150 men, women, and children of the Lakota Sioux had been killed and 51 wounded (4 men, 47 women and children, some of whom died later); some estimates placed the number of dead at 300. Twenty-five troopers also died, and thirty-nine were wounded (6 of the wounded would also die).[3] It is believed that many were the victims of friendly fire, as the shooting took place at close range in chaotic conditions.[4]
You mean gettysburg was the high point of US military history in the 19th century right? What with saving the country and putting an end to the rebellion?Gettysburg or Lee's surrender of the Confederate Army.
Gettyeburg turned the tide of the war and gave the Northern Army the momentum.
Lee's surrender of the Army was an utter humiliation one which he, and other southerners, have never fully recovered from.
Hmm well after much thought I will go with Monte Casino, repeated attacks on a well defended target with little if any strategic goal. It was a battle that showed Freybergs weaknesses as a commander something that I think should have become apparent after the Crete debarcle.
Essentially Galipoli while a defeat gave us a national identity, Crete wasnt pretty but in the scheme of things wasnt unexpected but all Casino gave us was a war grave.
Yes, but what exactly makes it a candidate for worst moment in your history? I never considered it as holding any disgrace but as a very fierce proposition- have I missed something?
okay well then i would have to say the Gallipoli evacuation. running from a bit of land that we had gained with the blood of soldiers on what they thought was a "great adventure" (after the hopeless leadership of the Generals may i add) was extremly shamefull
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