A defining moment in American History

[Tommy Fedora]

Yes, 911

Also Pearl Harbor.
That put US manufacturing into high gear.

 

[renor27]

have to agree with 9-11

9-11 is one of those events that people will remember
The question is how will history play its self out following it?
We know what the country did after the attack @ Pearl Harbor just wondering what do we have the same hutspa that they had in '41 to see the aftermath of 9-11 to the end?

 

[reetpleat]

9-11 is one of those events that people will remember
The question is how will history play its self out following it?
We know what the country did after the attack @ Pearl Harbor just wondering what do we have the same hutspa that they had in '41 to see the aftermath of 9-11 to the end?

Question seems to be though, do we hve the hutspa to handle it right. Which begs the question of how is right. I would suggest that we must find the strength of spirit to deal with the hundreds of years old issues and brig a peace between many conflicting ideas nd people. I do not think it can ever be solved with force. which will doom us to many more years of the same.

I think 9-11 may have been a watershed moment. But on that transformed this country in a way that will turn out not to be in our or the worlds best interests. I hope I am wrong.

 

[plain old dave]

Belleau Wood.

The Huns were closer to Paris than at any time in the entire War.

The Corps stopped them cold in their tracks.

The Argonne is a close second place.

American arms did what the Triple Entente couldn't; whip Germany.

The American Expeditionary Force's performance in France shifted the balance of power in the Western World to where it remains today; America as the sole superpower and the UK and France as a relatively major powers.

IMHO, this is the defining moment of the 20th Century...

 

[Samsa]

9-16-1982

 

[dhermann1]

9-16-1982

Sabra and Shatila Massacre?
Or your DOB?

 

[Samsa]

Sabra and Shatila Massacre?
Or your DOB?

My birthday, of course!

 

[Absinthe_1900]

December 17, 1903

Two brothers made the world much smaller.

 

[Feng_Li]

June 30, 1948:

 

[BillTyre]

My two cents

Samsa, first of all, 9/16/1982. I'm right there with ya. So is my twin brother. A great day.

I would say the defining moment of the last century, and one particularly relevant today was the U.S. annexation of the Philippines at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1899. It marked the first time that the United States ruled territory without the intention of incorporating it into the union, and specifically sought to rule subjects rather than citizens. It marks the dawn of extra-constitutional foreign policy trumping Republican virtues.

Great thread!

 

[reetpleat]

I got a good one. The signing of the legislation opening the country to immigarton in the 1800s. Built the economy, populated the expansion of the country and diversified the populace making the US truly unique. Second would be the opening US to non european immigration in the 60s. The Kennedy administartion actually believed few people from the rest of the world would actually want to come here.

Immigration has had a major impact on who we are as a country.

 

[Diamondback]

THE defining moment in American history is the ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America. That one moment in our history and in the history of the world is a melding of political, philosophical, and spiritual principles that is miraculous, to say the least.

Second to that, the ratification of the first ten amendments to that great document, The Bill of Rights.

Without that, all else pales and seems as minor footnotes in American history. For it is the Constitution that created this United States, this Constitutional Republic in which American history unfolds.

Now, that's not politcal expression or opinion - that's fact!

+1, sir--without the freedom to innovate, would any of the wonderful toys we take for granted everyday have even had a chance to happen?

 

[Zemke Fan]

Dixon is correct...

Ratification of the Constitution was definitely number one. The other events were clearly defining moments, too, but pale by comparison.

 

[reetpleat]

THE defining moment in American history is the ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America. That one moment in our history and in the history of the world is a melding of political, philosophical, and spiritual principles that is miraculous, to say the least.

Second to that, the ratification of the first ten amendments to that great document, The Bill of Rights.

Without that, all else pales and seems as minor footnotes in American history. For it is the Constitution that created this United States, this Constitutional Republic in which American history unfolds.

Now, that's not politcal expression or opinion - that's fact!

-dixon cannon

While I can be cynical about modenr government, I am down with the ideas put forth by our founding fathers. Anyone can decided they wnt to be free from their current leaders or affiliations, and declare independance. But the vision with which the new country ws formed was truly a defining moment for the country and the world.

 

[Harp]

Let's face it...

THE defining moment in American history is the ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America. That one moment in our history and in the history of the world is a melding of political, philosophical, and spiritual principles that is miraculous, to say the least.

Second to that, the ratification of the first ten amendments to that great document, The Bill of Rights.

Without that, all else pales and seems as minor footnotes in American history. For it is the Constitution that created this United States, this Constitutional Republic in which American history unfolds.

Now, that's not politcal expression or opinion - that's fact!

-dixon cannon

Over a glass of wine the other night @ a sidewalk cafe the discussion of a ( one ) defining moment in American history can up.

I thought the action at Little Round Top, on the second day of Gettysburg (2 July 1863), when then-Colonel Chamberlain and the 20th Maine held the extreme left flank of the Union line against the Confederate attack was that one moment.
what say the rest of you?

Today marks the 158th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. And tomorrow, July 2nd dates
the defense of Little Round Top where the 20th Maine and 83rd Pennsylvania under command of
Col Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain fixed bayonets against the 4th; 15th; 47th Alabama accompanied
by the 4th and 5th Texans on a downhill drive to cover and secure the left flank. Close quarter fighting
is horrendous barbarity, Chamberlain lost 134 men; Confederate dead is estimated at 1,185 with
a further cost of 219 missing and presumed dead. A defining moment in American History.
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The US Constitution survives today because of sacrifices incurred past and present.