Mankind's worst decisions

A Surprise LeftA Surprise Left Posts: 743
edited July 2006 in A Moving Train
I'm currently reading a book by Stephen Weir titled "Mankind's Worst Decisions and the People That Made Them". Its quite interesting how many of the great minds of the sometimes recent past made some terrible errors eg: Winston Churchill and Napoloeon Bonaparte get mentions. It made me think of some of the other great errors that mankind has made. Can anyone think of some terrible ones?

I won't list all 50 but some that got mentions include Churchill's decision to invade Galliopi, Mao's "Great Leap Forward" and it also all the way back to Adam and Eve deciding to take the fruit from the tree, although one may argue they are simply mythical figures (it would depend on your point of view). Decisions that I would have included would be Pol Pot deciding that killing about a third of his population was a good idea and Hitler going into Russia basically cost Germany victory in WW2.
The wind is blowing cold
Have we lost our way tonight?
Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

Feels like were all alone
Running further from what’s right
And there are no more heroes to follow

So what are we becoming?
Where did we go wrong?
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Comments

  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    Hitler going into Russia basically cost Germany victory in WW2.

    True. The fact that 9 out of every 10 German soldiers killed in World war II were killed on the Eastern front speaks volumes. I find it odd that a lot of Americans like to harbour the illusion that they saved Europe in world war II. The Americans lost approximately 500,000 in World War 2, and the majority of these were in the Pacific.
  • Byrnzie wrote:
    True. The fact that 9 out of every 10 German soldiers killed in World war II were killed on the Eastern front speaks volumes. I find it odd that a lot of Americans like to harbour the illusion that they saved Europe in world war II. The Americans lost approximately 500,000 in World War 2, and the majority of these were in the Pacific.

    The Americans did stop the Japanese at the battle of the Coral Sea though........
    The wind is blowing cold
    Have we lost our way tonight?
    Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

    Feels like were all alone
    Running further from what’s right
    And there are no more heroes to follow

    So what are we becoming?
    Where did we go wrong?
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    The Americans did stop the Japanese at the battle of the Coral Sea though........

    he didnt suggest they didnt???

    he said it was incredulous of the americans to think they saved Europe... and that most men were lost in the Pacific.
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • EvilToasterElfEvilToasterElf Posts: 1,119
    Head of programming for Fox Cancelling Family Guy?

    Killing Jesus didn't really work out too well for the world either, though that could just as easily be said for birthing Jesus...which was...God's decision?

    Pearl Harbor didn't really work out the way the Japanese planned...in the end.

    "Let them eat cake" - wasn't the most tactful of phrases

    Martha Stuart losing hundreds of millions of dollars for an insider trade that saved her 30,000 dollars?

    Investments in movies starring Pauley Shore and/or Carrot Top?

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  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    the "Mission Accomplished" banner.
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  • Investments in movies starring Pauley Shore and/or Carrot Top?

    I couldn't agree more about Pauley.
    What movies has Carrot top even been in??????????/
    Anger is a gift
  • EvilToasterElfEvilToasterElf Posts: 1,119
    Investments in movies starring Pauley Shore and/or Carrot Top?

    I couldn't agree more about Pauley.
    What movies has Carrot top even been in??????????/


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  • Riot_RainRiot_Rain Posts: 348
    Inventing money :)
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  • he still standshe still stands Posts: 2,835
    Rachel Carson. She campaigned and was the person who effectively banned the use of DDT.

    She has killed more people than anyone in the history of mankind.
    Everything not forbidden is compulsory and eveything not compulsory is forbidden. You are free... free to do what the government says you can do.
  • cornnifercornnifer Posts: 2,130

    Killing Jesus didn't really work out too well for the world either, though that could just as easily be said for birthing Jesus...

    "

    Works out pretty well for me, actually.
    "When all your friends and sedatives mean well but make it worse... better find yourself a place to level out."
  • thankyougrandmathankyougrandma Posts: 1,182
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  • KarasKaras Posts: 68
    Decisions that I would have included would be Pol Pot deciding that killing about a third of his population quote]


    The worst part about it was Pol Pot didn't kill any 1/3 of the population, he killed the smartest, 1/3 of the population including all with experience in medicine, teaching, and government (espeically). He was trying to take the country to Zero, and start a new. This obviosly sent Cambodia into a dismal third world. The prison camp and killing fields were a moving place to visit. Imagine the holocaust museum in DC, but you are at the actual prison camp...
    I scream in affirmation
    of connecting dislocations
    and exceeding limitations
    by achieving levitation
  • CommyCommy Posts: 4,984
    Karas wrote:
    Decisions that I would have included would be Pol Pot deciding that killing about a third of his population quote]


    The worst part about it was Pol Pot didn't kill any 1/3 of the population, he killed the smartest, 1/3 of the population including all with experience in medicine, teaching, and government (espeically). He was trying to take the country to Zero, and start a new. This obviosly sent Cambodia into a dismal third world. The prison camp and killing fields were a moving place to visit. Imagine the holocaust museum in DC, but you are at the actual prison camp...

    That sort of implies that Cambodia was in an advanced state to begin with. The millions of tons of bombs dropped by the US on the country prior to Pol Pot coming to power sure set the country back a few hundred years as it was.
  • JD SalJD Sal Posts: 790
    President Bush's decision to invade Iraq comes to mind.
    "If no one sees you, you're not here at all"
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Rachel Carson. She campaigned and was the person who effectively banned the use of DDT.

    She has killed more people than anyone in the history of mankind.

    how so? i was under the impression DDT was a bad thing. who did she kill?
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    i'd think the americas first settlers, in time, deciding to try and wipe out the native peoples rather than try to develop a society with them based on some semblance of balance/harmony.
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  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    Killing Jesus didn't really work out too well for the world either, though that could just as easily be said for birthing Jesus...which was...God's decision?

    no dead jesus - no christianity.



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    take a good look
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    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • Purple HawkPurple Hawk Posts: 1,300
    This is off topic since it's mankind's worst decisions but Roe vs. Wade represents the most twisted logic of an elite and unaccountable few to dictate their beliefs to an entire nation (and I'm not really a pro-life fanatic). Regardless of your beliefs, the reasoning behind this decision was pretty ridiculous.

    Another bad decision by humanity...appeasing Hitler. War the spineless elites in Europe.
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  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    Byrnzie wrote:
    True. The fact that 9 out of every 10 German soldiers killed in World war II were killed on the Eastern front speaks volumes. I find it odd that a lot of Americans like to harbour the illusion that they saved Europe in world war II. The Americans lost approximately 500,000 in World War 2, and the majority of these were in the Pacific.
    Yes we suck.. keep pointing it out. :rolleyes:
  • prytocorduroyprytocorduroy Posts: 4,355
    JD Sal wrote:
    President Bush's decision to invade Iraq comes to mind.

    Electing Shrub comes to mind........ Mankind's WORST decision of my lifetime.
  • Killing Jesus ended up being a very good thing (although it was a massive injustice). Who would have thought killing a preacher from Palastine who had barely travelled would set off such a chain of events? Reading this book made it obvious that small decisions can often have shocking effects. Killing Franz Ferdinand comes to mind......
    The wind is blowing cold
    Have we lost our way tonight?
    Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

    Feels like were all alone
    Running further from what’s right
    And there are no more heroes to follow

    So what are we becoming?
    Where did we go wrong?
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    Killing Franz Ferdinand comes to mind......

    WHAT???!!!!
    someone killed that nice inoffensive scottish rock band?
    when? damn i'm glad they're not coming to splendour this year then.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    Yes we suck.. keep pointing it out. :rolleyes:

    O.k, fair point. The truth is, I don't think you - generic America - suck at all. Shit, you only have to look at my record and book collection to see that. There's just a lot of things about your country - mainly concerning your government, media, and military which piss me and most of the rest of the world off. Shit, I'm just as vocal about the wankers in charge of my own country. So, I apologise If I've given the impression of 'America' bashing. It's a shame really that America has become the most hated country in the world largely due to the actions of those goons in the White House. It's easy for people to forget that America and it's government aren't the same thing.
  • WHAT???!!!!
    someone killed that nice inoffensive scottish rock band?
    when? damn i'm glad they're not coming to splendour this year then.

    its what happens when you sing "take me out".......
    The wind is blowing cold
    Have we lost our way tonight?
    Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

    Feels like were all alone
    Running further from what’s right
    And there are no more heroes to follow

    So what are we becoming?
    Where did we go wrong?
  • IndianSummerIndianSummer Posts: 854
    worst decision (in terms of number of lives it cost) = decision of west european nations to colonise/annex other lands, often by genocide.
    I have faced it, A life wasted...

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  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Byrnzie wrote:
    True. The fact that 9 out of every 10 German soldiers killed in World war II were killed on the Eastern front speaks volumes. I find it odd that a lot of Americans like to harbour the illusion that they saved Europe in world war II. The Americans lost approximately 500,000 in World War 2, and the majority of these were in the Pacific.


    But that completely discounts money and aid given. Hitler and co, basically screwed up enough and made enough stupid decisions to "save Europe" If anything it was a team effort no one nation "saved Europe". Russia simply out manned the Wehermacht(sp) and the cold Russian winter was Hitlers waterloo. They didn't do to well in North Africa either. The Nazi's simply got to big for their britches.


    To add to the thread, the behavior of large countries during "The Cold War" I find reprehensible.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • he still standshe still stands Posts: 2,835
    how so? i was under the impression DDT was a bad thing. who did she kill?
    DDT is basically a panacea for malaria. It is the only pesticide that keeps mosquitios, lice and other disease transporting mediums from infecting humans. It is credited with saving 500 million lives before it was eradicated, and since it has been eliminated 60 million deaths can be attributed. It has been rumored that it kills birds, but never definitively proven... but I think a pragmatic decision would have led us in a different direction even if it does kill some birds. 60 MILLION DEATHS vs. a few birds.... I'm just as environmentally conscious or more than most people but that just doesn't make sense.

    http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=9169
    Everything not forbidden is compulsory and eveything not compulsory is forbidden. You are free... free to do what the government says you can do.
  • Solat13Solat13 Posts: 6,996
    The Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
    - Busted down the pretext
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    - 8/2/07, 8/5/07
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    - 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
  • rebornFixerrebornFixer Posts: 4,901
    Byrnzie wrote:
    True. The fact that 9 out of every 10 German soldiers killed in World war II were killed on the Eastern front speaks volumes. I find it odd that a lot of Americans like to harbour the illusion that they saved Europe in world war II. The Americans lost approximately 500,000 in World War 2, and the majority of these were in the Pacific.

    The Americans actually kept the Western powers fighting, through supply efforts and a massive manufacturing base that basically built most of the military equipment used by non-Soviet forces, including all the heavy bombers that took out Germany's capacity to build weapons. If the Germans would have had enough weapons and supplies, the Soviets would have lost, in all likelihood.

    Anyhow, carry on. I don't want to cause your anti-US woody to become too flacid or anything.
  • LazLaz Posts: 118
    I guess it depends on your definition of 'worst' :)
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