Most impressive military achievement in the 20th Century?

[Dark_Mark]

The Mujahidin 1979-1989. The Soviet forces arrayed against them were overwhelming, and they managed to use guerrilla tactics to deadly effect.

 

[Easy-8]

Or is it the third?

I am pretty sure it the is the "Second Chechen War."

 

[LeEnfield]

I think that Hitlers conquest of western Europe in 1940 should be up there amongst the all time great achievements

 

[Mohmar Deathstrike]

I think that Hitlers conquest of western Europe in 1940 should be up there amongst the all time great achievements

True. Nobody expected Germany to own France that quickly. What about the Afrika Corps victories against numerically superior allies?

 

[chronoserpent]

Wow, that's a tough question! All of those battles have had great impacts on history. If you were to remove any one from time, then the world today would be very much different.

But since I'm a Navy fan, I just had to choose a naval battle: the Battle of Tsushima Straits (Japan's defeat of Russia in 1905). Even though the Japanese were technologically equal, the Europeans of the time still considered them to be greatly inferior. Thus, Russia went to war fully confident they could beat the "little yellow monkeys". Furthermore, the Japanese fleet was smaller than the Russian one.

Even so, through better ships, crews, and strategies, the Japanese easily won and crushed the Russian Navy. The Japanese finally won some respect from the Western powers. The use of heavy cruisers alongside their battleships by the Japanese led to the rise of the Battlecruiser (which was a bad idea). The fact that the Russian fleet was incapacitated in Port Arthur by Japanese torpedo boats was an early indication that the age of the Battleship was coming to a close. This battle also defended Japanese holdings in Korea (contributing to still-present friction between the two nations) and Manchuria (a foreshadowing of the later invasion in 1937).

And probably the most important effect of all was that this gave the Japanese confidence in their naval skills for much more ambitious outings later in history, particularly in the Second World War.

 

[Mohmar Deathstrike]

Yeh it was the first time a European power was defeated by "pagan subhumans" or whatever they called non-whites back then.

 

[oRTouCH]

Turkish Victory against British,Anzac and Greek Forces in the 1st WW... For Turkey this war is called Turkish Independence War...

 

[zander_0633]

Oh The Vietnam war too!

 

[LeEnfield]

Mohmar Deathstar.....Re North Africa, when Rommel arrived in North Africa many of the Commonwealth troops and equipment had been sent to help Greece and other places. Had Wingate been left those troops he might have taken the whole of North Africa before Rommel had arrived. Then later a large section of the Army was withdrawn to fight in the Far East which led to Rommel's second big charge across the desert. I notice that you did not mentioned that when British and the Commonwealth troops were out numbered 30 to one by the Italians, that the Commonwealth routed the Italians

 

[AussieNick]

Turkish Victory against British,Anzac and Greek Forces in the 1st WW... For Turkey this war is called Turkish Independence War...

And well fought it was too!
Funny the link it's created between Turks and Aussies ever since.

 

[FO Seaman]

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.

Defeated us? Politically sure, tactically? Give me a break.

 

[Gator]

Just a note about Vietnam, the War lasted from 1959 to 1975, 15 years, not 11 years.

 

[Easy-8]

Just a note about Vietnam, the War lasted from 1959 to 1975, 15 years, not 11 years.

If you wanna go from the first Viet Minh/French firefights to the fall of Saigon then it is 1945 to 1975 meaning that it when on for 30 years.

 

[phoenix80]

The Allied victory in WWII, 1939-1945

It shaped our world as we know it

 

[senojekips]

And well fought it was too!
Funny the link it's created between Turks and Aussies ever since.

Probably our last honourable enemies.

We attacked their homeland, but they treated our fighting men and dead with honour and respect, they were truly magnanimous victors.

What a pity other Muslims didn't take a page out of their book.

Mustapha Kemal is one of the world's greatest unsung statesmen.

 

[Gator]

If you wanna go from the first Viet Minh/French firefights to the fall of Saigon then it is 1945 to 1975 meaning that it when on for 30 years.

I go by the Federal Government guidelines for the Vietnam War, for benefits and such, for being involved in the Vietnam War in relations to ones benefit package, or for benefits for being in the US Military during the Vietnam War, for ones benefit package.
It is generally excepted that the War in Vietnam officially started in 1959 as that date is used for the listing of Service members KIA in the Vietnam War, besides that date being picked for general benefits.
Even though some Service members were lost in the Vietnam War before that date, an official start date had to be set however.

The DVA sets a TBD (To Be Determined) status on anyone in Vietnam prior to 1959 dating back to 1955 for Vietnam War Benefits, it is person to person specific, even if one were shot at, hell, even if one were shot.
Logic dictates that most if not all the people on the ground during the 1955 to 1959 window would be covered by the Korean War for their Wartime Benefits Package, as the type of Troop used would have been those already tested in Combat.
I believe the VFW goes back to 1958 for Vietnam War Eligibility with 30 consecutive, or 60 non-consecutive days of duty in Vietnam.

 

[Bob]

UN and USA victory in the first Gulf War can be rated one of the greatest military victories of all time, because it was achieved within a 100 hours after it commenced. Hence the name the "lightning war."

 

[KJ]

The Finns supported by a few Swedish volunteer batalions took on the entire Russian army and kicked their arses.
The Finns singlehandedly stopped Russian domination of the European theatre by stopping Stalin cold.

At a time in history when GB and a few more nations declared war on the Finns for doing so.

Impressive.

 

[Doppleganger]

Whilst the Finnish victory in the 'Winter War' of 1940 was very impressive it was achieved..

1. neither against the entire Russian Army nor did it
2. stop Russian (Soviet) domination of the European theatre

It has to be said that nothing eventually stopped Soviet domination of the European theatre, though they paid a very high price indeed with nearly 30 million battle casualties of all types. I also think it's important to have a sense of objectivity and perspective when discussing the subject at hand.

 

[I Love Guns]

I'd say the Iraqi insurgents are doing a pretty bang-up job of expelling their occupiers.