Most Inspiring Moment in History

[Capitolinium]

In modern history, certainly the moon landing.

Seconded.

[Choronzon]

Gorbachev actually choosing to tear down the wall is far more inspiring than the leader of the Soviet Union's number one enemy and rival standing in front of a wall and saying "Tear this down!"

Your answer is shameless Reagan worship. Its sort of cute.

Gorbacov leading Russia into an age of poverty, crime and instability.
It's inspiring in a way - inspiring as to "No fuck we'll allow this shit again."

That has no bearing on whether or not Reagan deserves any credit for the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

[Choronzon]

Wait.. I'm having second thoughts..
now I am considering John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry

This one would be one of my picks.

[Upiantstan]

Battle for Helm's Deep.

hell. yes.
also the destruction of the first death star

[Sidhae]

Well, from more recent events, my favourite is the battle of Stalingrad, the ultimate battle in the history of Mankind, the iron will of the Germans meeting the equally fierce determination and ruthlesness of the Russians in defense of the Motherland. The most bloody (pun intended) glorious moment of human history, I think, fearless men matched against fearless men in the bloodiest battle to grace this world to this day, and for that matter, a turning point of the greatest war that Mankind has fought so far.

[Castille de Italia]

Personally, this. Otherwise, as I said earlier, Jesse Owens smoking Nazi Germany's "superior" runner, Ralph Metcalfe, in the 100m at the Berlin 1936 Olympics...

[Nazis in Space]

The following is by no means an exhaustive list.

• Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, by doing something utterly crazy and using his microscope to look at a drop of pure water, becomes the first person in history to see a microorganism
• George Smith translates a bunch of boring cuneiform tablets full of economic statistics, accidentally becomes the first man in two thousand years to read the tale of Gilgamesh, coincidentally discovering that whoever authored Genesis was committing copyright infringement
• Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers a new form of electromagnetic radiation - x-rays
• Paul Ehrlich & Hata Sahachirō develop the first ever 'Magic Bullet', a medical drug to cure syphilis
• Germany wins the 1954 world cup against Hungary
• Jack Johnson TKOs James J. Jeffries
• Dmitri Iwanowitsch Mendelejew develops the periodic table
• Ernest Rutherford breaks the unbreakable - atoms

[Vetalia]

In modern history, certainly the moon landing.

Seconded.

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/news_impa ... anding.JPG

Thirded.

The moon landing was inspiring because it was a peaceful endeavor; it was humanity utilizing its competitiveness to achieve something great and so totally beyond anything we could have even remotely conceived for most of our entire history. It also perhaps more importantly proved that space wasn't an inherent barrier to our expansion beyond this planet...if we could survive on the moon, we could survive anywhere.

And, of course, it left an effectively indelible mark on the universe. Even if we're wiped out on Earth from a war or another catastrophe, the relics of our travels will remain on the moon until the entire solar system itself is destroyed.

[Jinos]

Tough choice, a lot of good examples.

Declaration of Independence?

First Flight at Kitty Hawk?

Moon Landing?

Crossing the Rubicon?

Armistice Day?

The Trinity Test?

Connection of the Transcontinental Railroad?

Opening of the Panama Canal?

The Proclamation of the German Empire?

The Storming of the Bastille?

All good options. Moon Landing is pretty darn inspiring though.

[Delanshar]

Seconded.

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/news_impa ... anding.JPG

Thirded.

The moon landing was inspiring because it was a peaceful endeavor; it was humanity utilizing its competitiveness to achieve something great and so totally beyond anything we could have even remotely conceived for most of our entire history. It also perhaps more importantly proved that space wasn't an inherent barrier to our expansion beyond this planet...if we could survive on the moon, we could survive anywhere.

And, of course, it left an effectively indelible mark on the universe. Even if we're wiped out on Earth from a war or another catastrophe, the relics of our travels will remain on the moon until the entire solar system itself is destroyed.

Darn. You guys are right. The moon landing is probably the peak moment of the 20th century. A century which was in many other ways defined by catastrophe.

I'll add it to the OP

[Sidhae]

Personally, this. Otherwise, as I said earlier, Jesse Owens smoking Nazi Germany's "superior" runner, Ralph Metcalfe, in the 100m at the Berlin 1936 Olympics...

Well, at least Hitler had the decency to not show his displeasure about a coloured man's victory in public. Owens himself remarked that the US President didn't even send him a telegram afterwards.

From that same line, I like the Max Schmeling vs. Joe Louis match, and their follwing friendship despite the wartime rivalry of their nations.

[Greater Nilfgaard]

Personally, this. Otherwise, as I said earlier, Jesse Owens smoking Nazi Germany's "superior" runner, Ralph Metcalfe, in the 100m at the Berlin 1936 Olympics...

Well, at least Hitler had the decency to not show his displeasure about a coloured man's victory in public. Owens himself remarked that the US President didn't even send him a telegram afterwards.

From that same line, I like the Max Schmeling vs. Joe Louis match, and their follwing friendship despite the wartime rivalry of their nations.

The most ironic thing about the 1936 Olympics was that, since Nazi Germany was keen to project itself in a legitimate light on the world stage, African Americans were often treated with more respect than in their home nation.
I heard Hitler, while secretly hating that Owens won, actually smiled clapped and shook his hand after the match.

[Liriena]

I dunno...probably the independence of India, thanks to Gandhi's peaceful methods.

[Castille de Italia]

Well, at least Hitler had the decency to not show his displeasure about a coloured man's victory in public. Owens himself remarked that the US President didn't even send him a telegram afterwards.

From that same line, I like the Max Schmeling vs. Joe Louis match, and their follwing friendship despite the wartime rivalry of their nations.

The most ironic thing about the 1936 Olympics was that, since Nazi Germany was keen to project itself in a legitimate light on the world stage, African Americans were often treated with more respect than in their home nation.
I heard Hitler, while secretly hating that Owens won, actually smiled clapped and shook his hand after the match.

No. He only shook the hands of German medalists on the first day, and the Olympic Committee told him that he had to shake the hands of all medalists, or not do so at all. Hitler chose not to shake anyone's hand. Also, much Nazi propaganda showed racism, along with anti-semiticism, which all was taken down shortly before the Games.

Both President Roosevelt and President Truman did not bother to recognize Owens achievement. It wasn't until the Eisenhower Administration when he was made "Ambassador of Sports."

[Delanshar]

The most ironic thing about the 1936 Olympics was that, since Nazi Germany was keen to project itself in a legitimate light on the world stage, African Americans were often treated with more respect than in their home nation.
I heard Hitler, while secretly hating that Owens won, actually smiled clapped and shook his hand after the match.

No. He only shook the hands of German medalists on the first day, and the Olympic Committee told him that he had to shake the hands of all medalists, or not do so at all. Hitler chose not to shake anyone's hand. Also, much Nazi propaganda showed racism, along with anti-semiticism, which all was taken down shortly before the Games.

Both President Roosevelt and President Truman did not bother to recognize Owens achievement. It wasn't until the Eisenhower Administration when he was made "Ambassador of Sports."

I like Ike

[Greater Nilfgaard]

The most ironic thing about the 1936 Olympics was that, since Nazi Germany was keen to project itself in a legitimate light on the world stage, African Americans were often treated with more respect than in their home nation.
I heard Hitler, while secretly hating that Owens won, actually smiled clapped and shook his hand after the match.

No. He only shook the hands of German medalists on the first day, and the Olympic Committee told him that he had to shake the hands of all medalists, or not do so at all. Hitler chose not to shake anyone's hand. Also, much Nazi propaganda showed racism, along with anti-semiticism, which all was taken down shortly before the Games.

Both President Roosevelt and President Truman did not bother to recognize Owens achievement. It wasn't until the Eisenhower Administration when he was made "Ambassador of Sports."

Oh ok then. I was just writing based on what I thought I read on wikipedia like a year ago. I could very well be wrong.

[The Corparation]

Ham's first suborbital flight, because his lack of piloting skills forced NASA to add an extra unmanned test flight to their schedule and miss the first man into space milestone by a couple weeks. Thus we lost that leg of the race which I think really helped spur the moon race.

[Pope Joan]

People who choose to die for their values without fighting back, that's impressive.

Socrates.

Jesus.

King.

[Srboslavija]

Within the whole context - Obama 2008 would have to be right up there.

In modern history, certainly the moon landing.

Seconded.

This isn't the "Favourite Movie Moment" thread.

[Occupied Deutschland]

Within the whole context - Obama 2008 would have to be right up there.

Seconded.

([url=image]Image[/url])

This isn't the "Favourite Movie Moment" thread.

You're right, it's not.

Hence why he used a photo from the landing rather than from that B-rate movie they made of it.

But...Let's not derail the thread. Feel free to make a thread making your case.

Edit: Picture delete for space considerations (heh, "space")

[Bretonian Empire]

Simo Hayha single-handedly making 505 confirmed Soviet kills.
A hero to snipers and badasses everywhere.

He also got additional 200 with his Submachinegun = 700+ Kills confirmed

[Sidhae]

Well, at least Hitler had the decency to not show his displeasure about a coloured man's victory in public. Owens himself remarked that the US President didn't even send him a telegram afterwards.

From that same line, I like the Max Schmeling vs. Joe Louis match, and their follwing friendship despite the wartime rivalry of their nations.

The most ironic thing about the 1936 Olympics was that, since Nazi Germany was keen to project itself in a legitimate light on the world stage, African Americans were often treated with more respect than in their home nation.
I heard Hitler, while secretly hating that Owens won, actually smiled clapped and shook his hand after the match.

Which is true, according to Owens's own account as well as that of Hitler's contemporaries. While admittedly he was less than happy about his victory in private, he at least had the political sense to play nice in public.

As Owens himself stated, "Hitler waved at him, and he waved back." He wouldn't show up for handing out the medals at all, contrary to some reports which state that he refused to hand a medal to a Black athlete.

Likewise, Blacks from abroad were treated like any other guest by Germans during the Olympics. And, in fact, the few native Blacks of Germany at that time were treated markedly better than the Jews or other unworthy races. As second-class citizens, but citizens nonetheless - which wasn't really anything unusual at the world in that time.



An interesting image, considering the stereotype of the Nazis as fanatical White Supremacists. In reality, political circumstances forced them to concede considerably in these matters.

[Genivaria]

Within the whole context - Obama 2008 would have to be right up there.

Seconded.

This isn't the "Favourite Movie Moment" thread.

Noone mentioned a movie.

[Srboslavija]

Within the whole context - Obama 2008 would have to be right up there.




This isn't the "Favourite Movie Moment" thread.

Noone mentioned a movie.

The whole Moon landing business was nothing more than a Hollywood-esque studio production, but this really isn't the thread for it.

Though I suppose it can still be considered inspiring, in the same way Rocky or Rambo were inspiring to a whole generation.

[Costa Alegria]

[*] Ernest Rutherford breaks the unbreakable - atoms[/list]

And as a result, thousands of people die in various nuclear-related accidents. Nice to see someone from my neck of the woods though (Rutherford).

I'd have picked the Edmund Hilary Ascent of Everest to be at least one of them.