Doesn't have to be the biggest, or the most decisive, but for some reason it was crucially important.

Which one and why?

For the UK I'd go with either:-

Trafalgar (1805) - Ended any hopes of Napoleonic France invading Britain and allowed us to channel much more resources into the Peninsular War offensive. It also began the world naval supremecy we enjoyed for well over 100 years, with the security that brings an island nation.

Battle Of Britain (1940) - Germany was prevented from invading the UK in 1940 as much, if not more, by the RN as the RAF. But after the defeat of all our allies this victory had profound effects upon British morale and the will of the nation to fight on.

Siege of Tobruk for Australia, it was defiantly one of the reasons Rommels Africa Korps didn't take Egypt.

Siege of Tobruk - One German POW said: "I cannot understand you Australians. In Poland, France, and Belgium, once the tanks got through the soldiers took it for granted that they were beaten. But you are like demons. The tanks break through and your infantry still keep fighting." Rommel wrote of seeing "a batch of some fifty or sixty Australian prisoners ... marched off close behind us—immensely big and powerful men, who without question represented an elite formation of the British Empire, a fact that was also evident in battle."

@ Rzecz,

I'm a little surprised you didn't go for Milne Bay - at least as an alternative.

Admittedly not as big and glamourous as Tobruk, but it was the first land allied victory against the Japanese in the Pacific War.

And in defending New Guinea it helped prevent the Japanese from reaching Australia itself.

I'm not criticizing or anything, but I'd have thought it was worth a mention.

Would be weird to go back almost 2,500 years? As I like naval battles I will not mention the battle of Marathon in 490 BC and the battle of Plataea in 479 BC, but the naval battle of Salamis in 480 BC, against the Achaenemid Empire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Salamis#Significance






"War is sweet to those who have never experienced it"
Pindar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gallipoli

Probably Battle of Gallipoli becaused defeat meant the end of Turkish existence. European leaders had decided to partition the Ottoman state and end Turkish existence and Gallipoli was the largest attack on Turkish populated lands(Egypt, Palestine campaignes meant nothing for Turks).

David Lloyd George former British Prime Minister said in 1914 that:

The Turks are a human cancer, a creeping agony in the flesh of the lands which they misgovern, rotting every fibre of life ... I am glad that the Turk is to be called to a final account for his long record of infamy against humanity.

Imagine these people defeating us on the battlefield. Would have been the end of Turks.

---

LatinAmerica, China, and Africa. From all these continents, under whose eyes Europe today raises up her tower of opulence, there has flowed out for centuries toward that same Europe diamonds and oil, silk and cotton, wood and exotic products. Europe is literally the creation of the Third World. The wealth which smothers her is that which was stolen from the underdeveloped peoples. The ports of Holland, the docks of Bordeaux and Liverpool were specialized in the Negro slave trade, and owe their renown to millions of deported slaves. So when we hear the head of a European state declare with his hand on his heart that he must come to the aid of the poor underdeveloped peoples, we do not tremble with gratitude. Quite the contrary; we say to ourselves: "It's a just reparation which will be paid to us."

Frantz Fanon (The Wretched of the Earth)




"Zur Hölle mit der EU!"

Quote: Imagine these people defeating us on the battlefield.

I don't have to imagine it, we did beat you on the battlefield, it just didn't happen at Gallipolli.

Quote: I don't have to imagine it, we did beat you on the battlefield, it just didn't happen at Gallipolli.

Brits did defeat Turks with Arab help on Arab lands. If you had read my post, I mentioned it meant nothing for us. It was Arab land, we left. However Brits and other European leaders attacking the Turkish population and defeating us may have been the end for us. Gallipoli represented that it wasn't that easy for Europeans to destroy us totally as they had wished.

---

LatinAmerica, China, and Africa. From all these continents, under whose eyes Europe today raises up her tower of opulence, there has flowed out for centuries toward that same Europe diamonds and oil, silk and cotton, wood and exotic products. Europe is literally the creation of the Third World. The wealth which smothers her is that which was stolen from the underdeveloped peoples. The ports of Holland, the docks of Bordeaux and Liverpool were specialized in the Negro slave trade, and owe their renown to millions of deported slaves. So when we hear the head of a European state declare with his hand on his heart that he must come to the aid of the poor underdeveloped peoples, we do not tremble with gratitude. Quite the contrary; we say to ourselves: "It's a just reparation which will be paid to us."

Frantz Fanon (The Wretched of the Earth)




"Zur Hölle mit der EU!"

The Battle of Saratoga.




Provost

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States 1924-1929

The Battles for Independance from the Enslavement of Ireland by the british crown. it took us 800 year but we got home rule in the end.
We are now the best of friends,forgive and forget is the best policy

I haven’t read about the battle of Saratoga but the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776, with Washington is stunning.




"War is sweet to those who have never experienced it"
Pindar

"We are now the best of friends,forgive and forget is the best policy"

Amen to that!

The people battle to democracy.
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=Z95tAcaiRZE&feature=related

Franco-German War and the battles of the era...

Either Queenston heights, or Chrysler's Farm, both battles severely outnumbered Canadians managed to repel invading American armies, after both battles, American forces on those respected fronts collapsed completely, thus foiling any invasion attempts.

Chrysler's Farm also showed that the three founding groups of Canada could work togethar if the need arose.







.

Brendan

Quote: Either Queenston heights, or Chrysler's Farm, both battles severely outnumbered Canadians managed to repel invading American armies, after both battles, American forces on those respected fronts collapsed completely, thus foiling any invasion attempts. Chrysler's Farm also showed that the three founding groups of Canada could work togethar if the need arose.

Both terrific battles and both clearly showed the Canadian fighting man at his finest.

One or two Brits there too if memory serves.

Here's a good book that covers both the battles.

The Incredible War of 1812 by J. Mackay Hitsman.

Either Vedun or Marne.

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De Gaulle to the General Koenig, Norman hero of Bir Hakeim: "Hear and tell your troops: the whole of France is watching you, you are our pride."[

The Battle of the Golden Spurs

Fought on July 11, 1302, near Kortrijk in Flanders. The date of the battle is the official celebration day of the Flemish community in Belgium.
The reason for the battle was a French attempt to subdue the county of Flanders, which was formally part of the French kingdom.

After being exiled from their homes by French troops, the citizens of Bruges went back to their own city and murdered every Frenchman they could find there on May 18, 1302, known as the Brugse Metten. According to legend, they identified the French by asking them to pronounce a Dutch phrase, schielt ende vriend (shield and friend), and everyone who had a problem pronouncing this shibboleth was killed.

After this event the French King sent a group of around 8000 soldiers (including the famous French cavalry)to Courtrai (Kortrijk), there they clashed with around 9000 Flemish soldiers in an open field near the city. The biggest difference from the French and other feudal armies was that the Flemish force consisted solely of infantry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Golden_Spurs

Either Vedun or Marne.

I like particullary Marne 2

Losses
French: 95.000 deads or wounded
Germans: 170.000 deads, wonded or captured. 790 guns captured (huge)
Kuddo to the Americans and Brits too: 12.000 and 13.000 lost.

But the main point is that it's the first time masses of tanks and planes were used en masse such a scale. 500 tank, 800 planes - 25 secret reserve divisions the germans just didn't knew they ever existed - storming at them in one single offensive which massacred their patiently built Stosstruppen and kicked them back to where they were comming from in 15 days (they've need 4 month to get there during their "offensive of peace")

Famous General Girault appeal to his force before the battle on 16th of July 1918:

Every man will have but one thought - "Kill them, kill them in abundance, until they have had enough."

Lundendorf: "On July 18th the enemy attacked after a short, sharp artillery preparation and under shelter of a screen of smoke. He employed masses of infantry and a greater force of tanks than had ever before been concentrated in one drive."

Hindenburg to the Keizer: "Your Majesty knows that they attacked us with several hundred whippet tanks. These are apparently a newly perfected type of small, speedy tank which rush behind our lines and convert themselves into machine gun nests. The result was that almost immediately our front lines were broken at several points."

LINKS

Renault FT17:

I have thought hard of it, but just cannot name the most important battle the Netherlands fought. I'll post the one battle that Dutch people in the 17th century traced back as the beginning of their history as a people. From a historic point of view, it's big nonsense. However, it's a fine story and it also led to one of the greatest paintings in history ever.

The Batavian Revolt (69-70)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batavian_rebellion

@Vin
Intresting story.
Reminds me of the battle we fought around that time period.
It's known as the battle of Ambiorix, he's a famous figure in Belgium, he has a statue in the city of Tongeren.
Those Romans were real b*itches back then lol.
I love those years though, must have been fascinating.

From Wiki:
In 57 BC Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and also Belgica (modernday Northern France, Belgium and a southern section of The Netherlands to the Rhine River; and the north-western portion of North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany.) There were several tribes in the country who fought against each other regularly. The Eburones were ruled by Ambiorix and Catuvolcus. In 54 BC Caesar's troops urgently needed more food and thereby the local tribes were forced to give up part of their harvest, which had not been good that year. Understandably the starving Eburones were reluctant to do so and Caesar ordered that camps be built near the Eburones' villages. Each centurion was ordered to make sure the food supplies were delivered to the Roman soldiers. This created resentment among the Eburones.

Although Julius Caesar had freed him from paying tribute to the Atuatuci, Ambiorix joined Catuvolcus in the winter of 54 BC in an uprising against the Roman forces under Quintus Titurius Sabinus and Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta.

The Revolt

Ambiorix and his tribesmen attacked and killed several Roman soldiers who were foraging for wood in the nearby vicinity. The survivors fled back to their camp, followed by Ambiorix and his men. There he realised there were too many Romans for his troops to fight and he decided to negotiate with them. Ambiorix explained to the Roman camp leaders, Sabinus and Cotta, that he had no problems with them and in fact, was very happy with them, because now he had no troubles with the other tribes. He warned the Romans that a coalition of other tribes were planning to attack them and would get the support of the German tribes who would cross the Rhine. Ambiorix advised them to relocate to another Roman camp so that they would be stronger to battle these troops. He also promised them he would leave them alone when they made this crossing.

Sabinus and Cotta debated the whole night on what they should do. Sabinus trusted Ambiorix and considered it would be wise to do what he had advised them. Cotta thought it would be better to stay and try to fight back when the attacks would happen. Ultimately, Cotta decided they would stay, but it wouldn't be his fault if they all got killed by doing so. This made the Roman troops very unsure and therefore they decided to leave anyway. The two closest Roman camps were behind hills and in the other option behind a plain near a valley. Sabinus and Cotta chose for the easy solution and crossed the valley. While they crossed the valley Ambiorix and his men attacked them from up the hills and slaughtered them. Sabinus, Cotta and their troops were massacred.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiorix

@Mistral

I knew about Ambiorix. Nice story. Ha, we both have a historic leader that kicked some serious Roman arse! Notice the interesting difference in artist's interpretation of both men: Ambiorix' statue shows quite a well-built civilized person, while Rembrandt's painting of Claudius Civilis shows a one-eyed barbarian.

The "outrageously" barbarious depiction of the oath was the reason why the townhall of Amsterdam rejected the painting. Attempting to create a Dutch identity, the rich merchant elite could of course identify themselves with the bravoure of the Batavians, but certainly not with the ordinary barbarians they actually were!

The creation of national identity, and later nationalism, has always interested me much. Ambiorix was nominated for the title "Greatest Belgian" and after the Batavians a short-lived Dutch republic was named, as well as the capitol of the Netherlands Indies (today's Jakarta). But whether both men were actually Belgian and Dutch...

Yeah exactly, noone really knows if Ambiorix and his tribe really were our Belgian ancestors, they do think so but nothing is certain, it's very hard to do archeological research on that time period. We don't even know how Ambiorix looked like, the only actual reference we have to Ambiorix is what Julias Cesar wrote about 'The Belgae Tribe' in his diary.

And yeah seems like we both kicked some Roman ass back in the day! Although we have to admit we got butchered after that lol, he murdered 90% of the tribe hehe.
But it's fun to have some myths eh?

Quote: I like particullary Marne 2 Losses French: 95.000 deads or wounded Germans: 170.000 deads, wonded or captured. 790 guns captured (huge) Kuddo to the Americans and Brits too: 12.000 and 13.000 lost.

The first battle of Marne is way more important historically, not just for France but for the entire world. This was where the French army of 1 million stopped a seemingly unstoppable german army of 1.5 million. Basically the fifth french army saved France by entering a gap in the German army and forced them to retreat.

Had France lost that battle the entire Europe would have been under German dominion. The USA was still a child in those days when France and Germany were by far the only military juggernauts on land. And that happened only 100 years ago. How strong both France and Germany would have been now if we hadn't killed each other?

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De Gaulle to the General Koenig, Norman hero of Bir Hakeim: "Hear and tell your troops: the whole of France is watching you, you are our pride."[

Sure, the battle of the Marne is one of the most important in history (and probably one of the most bloody btw: 500.000 losses!)

One anecdote: the gap in the german line was spotted by a recco plane which in 1914 was very new and unusual. A calculated risk of the german command turned out to be a disaster.

Also general von Moltke suffered a nervous breakdown after he realized his mistake and it's surprising to see that General Gamelin suffered a nervous breakdown too after the as catastrophic Sedan blunder in May 1940...

... hard job to be a stupid general it seems...

Nevertheless, Marne 2 is important too because it's the turning point of the war and it's the first time we witness this new kind of war with masses of tanks and planes working with a perfected coodinated tactic.

You know they could have encircled the entire German army in the first battle if only the British had sent more troops. Germany had about half a million more men. If France (with a small BEF force) had about a hundred thousand more men to send into the gap, the German flanks at the gap would have collapsed and the entire would have folded on itself like dominos and the war would have ended. A shame the German commander had a nervous breakdown and was replaced by a more competent one that choose to retreat. but it all amounted the same. The German basically lost the war at Marne. The German are usually better when prepared but the historically France had proven extremely adaptable. Same thing would have happend during WW2 if the german hadn't executed the Ardenne maneuver.

But if I were the commander and didn't have that much troops, I would have taken a division from each army (there were 6 or 7 if I remember correctly) and sent them into the gap. 50,000 men would have been enough. Of course easy to say this now, when you have all the information.

---------------------------


De Gaulle to the General Koenig, Norman hero of Bir Hakeim: "Hear and tell your troops: the whole of France is watching you, you are our pride."[

Interestingly when Foch was elected to the academy in the same seat as marshal Villar, he compared the two battle of the marne with the battle of Malpaquet and Denain
Malpaquet and Marne 1 were as he said the most blody battle of their time, at this time the french army was in bad moral state and evrybody was expected it collapse or run away and certainly not to stand firm and fight back. On a strategic perpective both battle prevented the collapse of france
Denain and Marne 2 were great and unexpected victory that helped to end the war

Now for me important battle are:
Formigny or Castillon, those two battle effectively ended the 100 war they also ended the end of the english presence in france before those battles there were english domination over some french area (south west, calais area) after that it was over. It also stabilised the central power in the presence of the king

Valmy: ok it was perhaps not even a real battle but people feel like it, It established the french republic and the fact that citizen army could beat profesional army. After this battle this idea of democraty in france was stronger than ever

Verdun for the only reason that over 70% of the french army fought at Verdun at one time or an other, that mean that statisticly over 90% of the actual french population got a direct ancestor (3 generation) that fought at Verdun. This battle also contributed more than any other to pacifism and is now a symbol of the horror of war, it is the only place on earth were 90 year after the land still got scare from the battle and every month the soil of verdun give back the body of one of the combatant, I have visited battlefield but verdun is the only one were I nearly cry.

Now on a personam metter I am a big fand of the polish campaign of 1806 and 1807 and the battle of Friedland bring to the peace of Tilsit but I do not beleive they were the most important for france

The Battle of Platea is the most important battle in Hellenic history. 115,000 Hellenes, the largest Hellenic army ever assembled, from many city states gathered at Platea to give the Persian armies the final deathblow in their hopes of enslaving Hellas.

1821, 1912, 1987, 1996...the OWNAGE Continues!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest

Another historically important one would be:


Vienna 1683, ( Polish-Austrian-German Alliance beat the Turks at the gates of Europe)

And of course: Waterloo




Not decided yet on 1800 - onwards

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A German Soldier doesnt die, he goes to hell and regroups !

But is it the Battle of Teutoburg Forest important for Germans? If you were defeated, you could have been civilized a little bit earlier... ????






"As in the daytime there is no star in the sky warmer and brighter than the sun, likewise there is no competition greater than the Olympic Games". Pindar

It became important later when Germans needed something to build a national identity when the German states were all seperated and waging war among each other, and only held together against foreign enemies.

---------------------------------------------
A German Soldier doesnt die, he goes to hell and regroups !

Battle of Teutoburg Forest
This battle is defently among the top in German history...

Then the battle of Tannenberg where the Russian empire suffered a catastrofic defeat is also immportant.This battle also contributed much to the French vicory at the first battle of Marne!

Also the Franco-German war and all Wars of the era wich finaly unified Germany(altought without Austria)and under Bismark made it into a Powerhouse of Europe.