What Is Each Nation's Greatest Moment of Military Glory?

[Colin Williams]

Germany: Verdun in 1870, without it there wouldn't be a unified Germany(at least not then), OTH Tannenberg&Masurian lakes in 1914 aren't bad either from a military POV

 

Xavier, Do you mean Sedan?

 

For the Brits, it seems to me that one has to go with Trafalgar for the Navy, the Battle of Britain for the Air Force, and Waterloo for the Army. In earlier times, there are any number of heroic stands by the Anglo-Saxons that are symbolic of the idealized English character.

 

For the Americans, I think it's hard to beat Lexington and Concord as symbolic of American citizens and their willingness to take up arms in the fight for freedom.

 

For the French, in some ways I think the heroic resistance of Paris in 1870/71, the Marne and Verdun show the determination of the French people to fight for their nation (as opposed to the failure of the "professional" soldiers and generals in 1870 and 1940). I also bet that even the most determined Vichyist rooted for Koenig and the Free French brigade at Bir Hakim.

[Brummbaer]

For Italy I pick the Piave defensive battle of June 1918; another one, in a slightly different perspective, is the Alpine Corps retreat in Russia in January 1943, culminating in the battle at Nikolajewka on 26 January.

[DKTanker]

I agree with OT that for the US it's Midway. The narrative has a lot of characteristics that we like to think are emblematic of the US national character -- technical wizardry (the codebreaking), a can-do attitude (fixing up the Yorktown early), laconic and un-show-offy courage (Torpedo 8), personal initiative (McClusky's dive-bombers), etc.

Hmmm, Battles of Trenton and Cowpens come quickly to mind. Both also emblematic of US character and more importantly, much more important in an historical perspective.

[Xavier]

Xavier, Do you mean Sedan?

oops

comes from posting when you're half asleep

[KingSargent]

Tut-tut. 5th-9th September 1781 should have come to mind.

Strategically important, at least to the US, but not much of a battle. There was little fighting, the British couldn't get their act together and left.

 

Ennyhoo, I don't recall the French Navy having any ships named Chesapeake Bay, although DeGrasse is certainly represented.

[SALADIN]

One last stand claimed by two countries (Malaysia and Singapore)

That is the battle for Pasir Panjang in 1942 where the Malay Regiment under British command gave a good account of itself and held up for a short while an elite Japanese division advancing deep into Singapore.

 

The malay soldiers had actually first been approached by turbaned dark skinned soldiers whom most would have mistaken for Sikh soldiers of the British army.But the Malay Regiment opened fire on them .Why? .They were marching in columns of four instead of the normal three .They were right in their suspicions , it was a japanese ruse using their tanned soldiers putting on turbans.Japanese took a number of casualties and retreated but eventually came back and with the force of numbers and firepower took the position.Many of the prisoners including the malay officer who had put such a fierce resistance were treated in time honoured japanese army way of being tied to trees and being bayoneted.

 

Both Singapore and Malaysia claim the battle as part of their heritage and the malay officer who was bayoneted (Adnan Saidi) is considered a hero in both.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pas..._Japanese_Trick

[Rich]

I'd say france would be Austerlitz,

 

Wait a minute! Wasn't that Corsica's finest hour?

 

For the US, at least as far as the Regular Army goes, I think Chippewa and Lundy's Lane are the defining moment.

[DemolitionMan]

Probably overlooked, but for Germany the Battle of Königgrätz 1866 might stand out for it´s affect on history.

[BillB]

For Britain:

 

11 November 1918/ 10:20am, 16 December 1918 - units of the British 1st Division cross the German border near Aldringen, Belgium with fixed bayonets and Colours unfurled

 

18:30, 4 May 1945 - Monty takes the surrender of German forces in Holland, NW Germany & Denmark from General Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg at Lüneburg Heath

 

BillB

[Olof Larsson]

Ennyhoo, I don't recall the French Navy having any ships named Chesapeake Bay, although DeGrasse is certainly represented.

 

Well the germans and the israelis have precisely 0 tanks named after generals,

but it doesn't mean that the german and israeli histories lacks succesful generals,

it simply indicates that they don't name their tanks in the US fashion.

 

BTW I find it hard to recall any non anglo-saxon ship named after naval victories.

I can't recall any japanees, dutch, spanish, swedish etc. ships named after naval victories.

[T19]

Glory is something I wouldn't associate with it. What Stauffenberg and the resistance movement did was a glorious moment in German history.

Unfortunately it was a failure.

[hojutsuka]

Probably overlooked, but for Germany the Battle of Königgrätz 1866 might stand out for it´s affect on history.

That should be Prussia. The majority of German states sided with Austria, and the Saxon army formed a significant part of the forces under Austrian General Benedek at the Battle of Königgrätz.

 

Hojutsuka

[p620346]

BTW I find it hard to recall any non anglo-saxon ship named after naval victories.

I can't recall any japanees, dutch, spanish, swedish etc. ships named after naval victories.

 

The Imperial Russian Navy named ships after victories, Borodino, Sevastapol, Poltava.

[DB]

BTW I find it hard to recall any non anglo-saxon ship named after naval victories.

I can't recall any japanees, dutch, spanish, swedish etc. ships named after naval victories.

The Dutch name at least some vessels after famous Admirals - Tromp comes to mind.

 

David

[Olof Larsson]

The Imperial Russian Navy named ships after victories, Borodino, Sevastapol, Poltava.

 

Forgot them ruskies.

 

The Dutch name at least some vessels after famous Admirals - Tromp comes to mind.

 

David

 

As does (or did) Sweden, Denmark, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Argentina and probably others.

[KingSargent]

The Dutch name at least some vessels after famous Admirals - Tromp comes to mind.

 

David

[/quote]

USS Nimitz, not to mention a whole bunch of DD types.

[Xavier]

The Dutch name at least some vessels after famous Admirals - Tromp comes to mind.

 

David

USS Nimitz[/i], not to mention a whole bunch of DD types.

 

at least most navies are sane enough not to call ships after freaking politicians

Edited November 18, 2007 by Xavier

[Old Tanker]

USS Nimitz[/i], not to mention a whole bunch of DD types.

 

at least most navies are sane enough not to call ships after freaking politicians

 

Yea , we even named one after Churchill .

[KingSargent]

USS Nimitz[/i], not to mention a whole bunch of DD types.

 

at least most navies are sane enough not to call ships after freaking politicians

Haven't looked at a French Navy list lately, have you? Or German....

[RETAC21]

Haven't looked at a French Navy list lately, have you? Or German....

 

Or the Soviet navy, specially the late one, Yuri Andropov, Brezhniev...

[Tomas Hoting]

Haven't looked at a French Navy list lately, have you? Or German....

 

The modern German navy didn't name ships after politicans. The three Charles F. Adams class destroyers were named after soldiers (Mölders, Rommel, Lütjens).

 

The new F124 class frigates are named after German states (Sachsen, Hamburg, Hessen).

Same thing goes for the F123 class friagtes (Bayern, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg).

The older F122 class frigates are named after states and cities.

 

No politicans. Good idea anyways.

[sunday]

Well the germans and the israelis have precisely 0 tanks named after generals,

but it doesn't mean that the german and israeli histories lacks succesful generals,

it simply indicates that they don't name their tanks in the US fashion.

 

BTW I find it hard to recall any non anglo-saxon ship named after naval victories.

I can't recall any japanees, dutch, spanish, swedish etc. ships named after naval victories.

 

A minor nitpick. In Spain there is no very much of a tradition of naming ships after battles, with only one exception: Lepanto.

 

Some Armada's ships were so called:

 

- Protected cruiser of Reina Regente class (1898-1910).

- A Churruca class destroyer, service from 1930 to 1957, that fought under the Republican flag in SCW.

- A Fletcher class destroyer, named Capps DD-550 in USN service, namesake of her class in Spain, in Spanish service from 1957 to 1985.

Edited November 18, 2007 by sunday

[sunday]

It's knowing where to start...

 

BillB

 

Perhaps with Boadicea...

[vardulli]

Perhaps with Boadicea...

 

 

well if you mean by the ability to generate high expectation following a couple of minor victories, which ends with a runners-up medal when defeated by a team who has spent years training for the moment..............................

 

[DemolitionMan]

That should be Prussia. The majority of German states sided with Austria, and the Saxon army formed a significant part of the forces under Austrian General Benedek at the Battle of Königgrätz.

 

Hojutsuka

 

The question was about Nation´s Greatest Moments. Prussian history is part of German history, therefore Germany is correct.