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Turning Point: Fall of Liberty Contest


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If Lee's battle plans were not found by Union forces, there is a chance the Confederacy could've held out long enough to get foreign aid in the Civil War and fought the Union to a bloody stalemate.

 

Nothing would have changed, though, as slavery was highly unlikely to have survived an additional 20 years before going away.

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if the germans would never have attacked american ships during ww1 then u.s. would never have entered which would have led to the central powers winning making gemany a world power possibly becoming more dominant than the u.s. and hitler might have taken over the entire continent of europe possibly more

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What happened…?

On September 11, 2001, at approximately 8:46:30 a.m. est., the world stood still in disbelief as the news reported a terrorist attack on the United States. The attack on the world trade centers was the 16th act of terrorism in the United States since the 1920's. For many, this was possible the most successful and memorable.

 

If you ask anyone, I guarantee that they can tell you where they were on that day. For me, I was in 6th grade health in the seat closest to the door when the loudspeaker turned on, calling kids out of classes to tell them that their parents may not be home when they get there. This is the first big act of violence that my generation has had to face.

 

Shortly after the events of 9-11; we went, and still are in a war with Iraq. This came about after the accusation from our president, George W. Bush, saying that Iraq posses and is developing "weapons of mass destruction". This accusation sent roughly 300,000 troops to Iraq in search of these weapons. Now with nearly 4000 U.S. Soldiers casualties on our hands; it can only make you wonder, was this a mistake?

 

What if it didn’t…?

If the 9-11 attacks never happened and neither did the Iraq war, we wouldn't have these unnecessary deaths that they have caused. Everyone who has been affected by the outcomes of these events suffered for now reason. The innocent lives of the people in the airplanes and the WTC would be home with their families and the same for the soldiers. All it takes is a hand full of people to affect the outcome in the world we live in.

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Turning Point-In the winter of 1891 a Canadian physical education instructor gets killed on his way to a local YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts and Basketball was never invented.James Naismith was killed by a horrible accident when a bridge he was crossing collapsed on top on of killing him instantly. Would basketball be invented and if so when and by who? and what would the rules be?

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imagine if the meteor had never killed the dinosaurs. we would probably have evolved more slowly, but we would have regarded the first computer as the pinnacle of technology. we would learn to use prehistoric creatures to our advantage, just like a modern-day flintstones. except using them to power generators or home televisions and such

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Turning Point: 1973

 

Bill Gates enrolls in pre-law at Harvard. He has a score of 1590 on 1600 on his SATs. History has Gates left without a degree to pursue other interests. Imagine if Bill Gates remained at Harvard and finish his studies at Harvard.

 

Not only would it have sent the personal computer era many years back, it would of also eliminate the possibility of the original xbox & obviously the xbox 360. By doing so, it would also eliminate the term "achievement point", which is the Holy Grail to all of us here. Therefore eliminating the term achievement point also eliminates http://www.x360a.org from ever existing, and me posting on this forum at this very moment.... and more importantly not ever having the chance to play Turning Point

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I don't want to be apeing anyone, but my Turning Point has already been started, so let me go in a bit of a different direction.

 

The Cuban Missle Crisis has created paranoia throught the majority of the globe and pressure has been building and building with no release. Back room talks between Kruschev and Kennedy have completely broken down, and in a show of unrelenting military strength, Moscow decides to nuke America's East Coast, knowing that the US will pick up the warheads who will then fire their own at the USSR. The only problem is that the USSR has a much larger land area compared to the States, and has built bunkers through out the frozen tundra, meaning that while America will strike back, now knowing where to hit, as well as having their military & political headquarters destroyed shows victory for the great motherland. As predicted, the Americans do pick up the incoming warheads, and they do the only thing they can think of to retaliate, send their bombs to strike strategic locations in the USSR and Cuba. Only, their timing is off. Not in terms of being too late, but when the warheads hit. Being that the US has sent their warheads to hit strategic locations, the force of their bombs are spread over a large area. The USSR's warheads are all aimed along the East Coast, and along with the USA's hit on Cuba, enough force is centralized on one corridor that creates a huge amount of pressure, enough to actually ever-so-slightly, move the Earth. This may not be a problem if they stirke evening or night, as the earth may stay in it's solar orbit, but the Russians know that the best way to hit the Americans and get the most of their bomb is to hit during the day, when the most people are at the intended targets...The hit sends the Earth slightly out of orbit, where even at losing a millionth of a degree of it's solar orbit, the Earth slowly starts to move away from the sun. Within 10 years the combination of our degrading orbit and the clouds of dust still swirling around the globe has sent humanity's numbers in a downward spiral that shall never recover. There is no Xbox 360, there is no Microsoft, and there is no hope.

 

Even though this has been floating around in my head for years now, if there's anything wrong with taking someone's central Turning Point, let me know...I've got 3 or 4 more left ;)

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Well done fragbot, excellent choice.

 

My idea is based around Americans losing the war of 1812 to the British. Despite winning our independence several decades before, the counterattack did more than burn DC to the ground and America once again found itself under the rule of the old empire. This would entirely reshape the landscape of the 19th century, as the Napoleonic wars cross the atlantic after France sees Britain as a threat. How would English colonialism play out in the west? Would the massive land grab still have occurred?

The easiest conflict to base a game around would be the inevitable French invasion of America. At the time, the French were actually a military might, and owned Canada. American loyalists would team up with the froggies to fight the redcoats, only to inevitably turn on each other. As a New England farmer, you load up your musket and retake the still developing eastern seaboard. The reloading minigame would be intense, making Gears of war pale in comparison.

With his focus on the Americas rather than Russia, the French army remains strong and does not send millions of troops on a suicide run to the cold. the Napoleonic empire would not have failed, and dissent would have built up over the 19th century, still in all likelihood a trench war would have occurred, but for all the stuff that happens until now, I have no idea. There may be an America once again, there may not be. I don't know political science well enough to say this, but there would be more wars between Britain and France, they hate(d) each other.

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The Battle of Gettysburg.

Its generaly regarded as the turning point of the Civil war, the point at which it became impossible for the south to win. If the CSA had won, they would have gained much needed supplies for the troops as well as a launching point for attacks on the union. They may have still lost the war in the long run, but it would have been much later.

 

Also the Battle of Thermopylae.

If the spartans and other soldiers would not have held up Xerxes army, the persians would have taken over the greek world and western civilization as we know it would probably not exist.

 

Gamertag: Dragonmaster700

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If the accident at Chernobyl didn't happen:

 

-There wouldn't be over 500.000 people exposed to radioactivity

-300.000+ people wouldn't have to find a new home

-It would still have been a busy place over there

-Call of Duty 4 campaign wouldn't have had the coolest single player level ever

-There would be no S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game

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My turning point in time would be:

What if Germany hadnt banned all exports of uranium ore from Czechoslovakia, which the Nazis occupied during the 2nd world war

Due to the ban the Germans were left to flee there works on the atomic weopons, thus Americans making it faster (due to a tip off from a Hitler refugee named Lise Meitner who was hiding in Sweeden)

If the ban was not made the germans would of had the first WMD's and would have nuked either Britain, as it was the first single threat that kept there armies at bays, or America, due to its massive force and the fact that it suplied Britain with the food/weapons it needed.

And as we all know that two nukes ended WWII for the better, it could of ended for the worse.Then Germany would be unstopable and we would have no allternate and we would have to be Christian Aryans (Hitlers perfect citizen/civilian..blonde hair, blue eyes)

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If the men in the Alamo had not stayed in the fort, they would have lived and Santa Ana's Mexican army would have been destroyed by the Texans a couple weeks later anyway. Yeah, one of the most pointless military actions in history.

 

Davy Crockett would have eventually become President.

 

Jim Bowie would have started a knife company.

 

John Wayne and Billy Bob Thornton wouldn't have each been in a lame movie.

 

Texans wouldn't write "Remember the Alamo" on everything as a symbol of nobility. It should be more like "Remember the Alamo so we don't make the same stupid mistake again."

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point in history: invention of the automobile

what if henry ford and others hadnt discovered the use of fossil fuels for powering cars? if the alternative methods that were also being developed had taken off, then we wouldnt be running short of oil. there also may not be as much pollution. there would be no war with the middle east (at least as far as obtaining oil is concerned). the world would be a much better place if they had decided to use electricity instead of oil.

 

EDIT: I AM NOT A HIPPY lol.

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Turning Point: 1979

 

 

1979: Activision was never founded.

2002: Infinity Ward was never founded.

25th September 2007: Bungie takes over the world.

November 5th: A man who calls himself V attempts a terroristic action in London, but fails miserably.

 

November 8th: Bungie starts to develop Spartan robots as a form of elite police corps.

2035 AD (exact date unknown): Robots try to take over the world. A guy called Del Spooner puts a hold to that.

2035 AD(exact date unknown): Bungie is forced to give up their world state, and flees to outer space.

2036 – 2148 AD: Korea has taken over. North-Korea and South-Korea join up to become the best gaming country in the world and terrorize the WCG games. If an other country wins, Korea nukes the hell out of them and declares the victory to Korea as the finalist is no longer alive.

2148 AD: Bungie comes back and announces that they have discovered an ancient artifact which makes it possible to travel through space.

 

2148-2183 AD: Bungie takes over the world again and restores peace to the WCG.

2183 AD: Commander J. Shephard becomes a spectre.

2183 AD: Commander J. Shephard beats Saren at the WCG games and restores peace to the galaxy.

2212 AD: Bungie takes over the galaxy.

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In turning point, i would think, is the idea that Hitler successfully controlled his country and the other countries he invaded. He manages to destroy the Allies and destroy their freedom, and becomes a controller of the world along with Stalin, if he didnt try to control Russia. And as they control this world, a world Dictatorship Rises with Hitler exterminating all the Jewish, and he would be able to do such a thing. The chance to destroy this dictatorship was put to the Americans but it needed to infiltrate the areas the Leaders that helped Hitler, and stop them, and to figure out where Hitler was. If they dont they will be killed because of their refusal to listen to the commands of Hitler. This becomes a fight for survival, and the war of the thickest, now the only hope for all humans is the build up of a strong resistance that can and might be able to actually stop Hitler's power. If not, they all know this will be how the world ends.

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Turning Point: Genghis Khan does not die in 1227

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Genghis_Khan.jpg/200px-Genghis_Khan.jpg

Photo of Genghis Khan

 

Supposing Genghis Khan did not die in 1227, the effects of this event would have led to a greater Mongol expansion of the already large empire. He would have kept the Mongol Empire together under a much stronger leadership. If he were alive for a longer period in time, he would have created a much more stable Empire and stayed cohesive for longer. After all, he was the mastermind in creating the size of the empire in the first place. He knew that knowledge was power and he placed great trust in his generals. His greatest general, Subotai had a 20 year plan to conquer Europe.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Genghis_khan_empire_at_his_death.png

Size of the Mongol Empire in 1227, time of Genghis Khan's death.

 

Effect: The Mongols would have most likely conquered Europe.

 

Reasons for success:

 

At this time in history, the Europeans lacked the unity that would have allowed them to fend off the Mongol invaders. Genghis Khan would have sent his generals to conquer Europe and may or may not have led the conquest himself due to old age. After the stabilization of Mongol political forces in the Far East, Genghis Khan’s greatest general, Subotai, could have entered Europe and considering the speed at which the Mongols would have travelled, the time taken for Mongol conquests, the terrain of Europe itself, and any European resistance, the Mongols would have smashed their way into France around the 1240s – 1250s.

 

The Pope would have definitely called a Crusade, but Popes before in this time had called for Crusades and they were often accompanied with a lackluster response. The Church would not have such a worry if Europe did not respond to a united Crusade against the Mongols because the Mongols practiced religious tolerance in their empire and would not kill anybody if they were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, ect. They would be allowed to continue on and practice their religion.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Mongol_soldiers_by_Rashid_al-Din_1305.JPG/180px-Mongol_soldiers_by_Rashid_al-Din_1305.JPG

Photo of Mongol soldiers.

 

If France and Germany had been conquered firstly by the Mongols, the rest of Europe would then finally spring into action but would not have a force strong or allied enough to push back the Mongols. In this time period Europe was simply too tied up in its own political infighting and other wars that were ensuing at the time. England was not militarily focused or strong enough to fight the Mongols. The English were fighting wars in the British Isles against the Celts and was Wales was not yet conquered under King Edward I. The English armies were based heavily on infantry men armed with billhooks and longbows. English longbowmen were not extensively employed and did not train continuously as they did in the 14th century. Spain was completely occupied with the Moors in their homeland. Italy was divided between city states and would continue to remain so for many centuries. The Scandinavians could offer little or no help because they had never made any special contributions to the Crusades and did not show themselves to be military powerful for multiple centuries.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/MongolCavalrymen.jpg/250px-MongolCavalrymen.jpg

Photo of Mongol cavalry archers.

 

Even though the terrain in Europe is not entirely suitable for the Mongols, with their persistence they would have eventually conquered it. Evidence to this statement is shown as in the terrain in Korea which gave the Mongols difficulty at first but overcame it. Furthermore in the mountainous regions of the Middle East and Caucasus the Mongols had proved themselves capable of adapting their style of warfare and conquering those regions.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Mongolcavalry.jpg

Photo reenactment of Mongol military movement.

 

If the Mongols had successfully conquered Europe they would have turned south to North Africa and Egypt. These areas would also have been overrun by the Mongols much like what was done in the Middle East.

 

In conclusion, if the Mongols had conquered Europe and possibly Egypt and Northern Africa, the bloodlines of the Kings and Queens, Emperors and Empresses would not have continued if they had been insubordinate to Genghis Khan or whoever his successors would turn out to be. There could possibly be no Queen Elizabeth II today either if this had been the case. The Mongols conquering Europe would also have had a great effect on the discovery and colonization of the New World if the Mongol Empire continued to remain stable after Europe had been conquered.

 

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/11/22/bushmongolia2_narrowweb__300x354,0.jpg

Photo of President George W. Bush shaking hands with a Mongolian cultural performer.

 

Here is a trailer for the movie, Mongol. Synopsis from Wikipedia:

 

The movie is an epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become a legendary conqueror. As a boy he passes through starvation, humiliations and even slavery, but later with the help of his love Borte he overcomes all of his childhood hardships to become one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rulo-UaE95U]YouTube - [Mongol] EXCLUSIVE Warriors Official Movie Trailer June 2008[/ame]

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I am not a particularly religious man, and I can't speak much for history I am not a master of. I also understand that the point of this contest is to put forth a coherent series of events set forth from a turning point in history, but the point I chose makes that extremely difficult to do. This is simply a point that has always intrigued me, and I was surprised nobody as of yet has brought it up. I encourage you to read this post in full, and maybe you might realize how something that seems so ubiquitous to us stemmed from such a fragile origin, such a delicate turning point. This is not a post trying to convert anybody to anything from anything, and is an event deeply rooted in religion familiar to us all today. TL-DR? If you liked Assassin's Creed, this wall of text might be thought provoking. Though it might take you a bit longer then having found all those kingdom flags.

 

Imagine, if you will, you are made an offer of dire import. The authorities ask you to identify to them a close friend of yours, a mentor who has trusted in you absolutely. They offer you a good sum of money for your help in identifying your friend, but you know full well that doing so will inevitably lead to his death, by execution. Would you take the money?

 

2000 years ago, one man did take that money. His name was Judas Iscariot, and the friend was Jesus Christ.

 

Judas' betrayal has largely been regarded as one of the most sinister and controversial in Christian theology. To this day, the name "Judas" has become synonym for a traitor. What you are reading could very well be construed as a gross oversimplification, depending on your knowledge and personal viewpoints, but I'm sure we can agree on one particular point:

 

Judas Iscariot chose to betray Jesus Christ. This is the turning point I choose for my contest entry.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

The night before a large feast - the plan? Secretly arrest Jesus before the feast so there were no riots in the streets. Judas took the Roman guards to Gethsemane, the "Garden of Tears", to identify Jesus from the men praying in the garden.

 

The guards did not know Jesus on sight. This was not a time period where people could easily be identified. You may remember the movie "Spartacus", where everyone in the movie's climax claims to be Spartacus in a sign of solidarity - so that their true leader, the true Spartacus, could not be singled out and killed. This is why Judas was needed. They needed someone who they could bribe and somebody who knew Jesus on sight.

 

Upon arriving, Judas marked Jesus with a kiss, and the guards made their move. They arrested Jesus Christ and history was set in motion. Jesus was eventually crucified and is now the chief martyr and central figure of Christianity's core. Judas later felt regret for his betrayal and returned the coins to the government and committed suicide.

 

WHAT IF - Judas had not betrayed Jesus Christ?

 

Surely you might argue that if not Judas, someone else may have betrayed Jesus, and things would turn out the same way - but assume nobody had done so. Judas would have refused the offer and disappeared in the annals of history as a corpse on the spot or dying old man. Jesus would have lived, and not been crucified.

 

SO WHAT - If Jesus had died on the cross or not?

 

Go into any church. Walk in or look at the picture of one online. Most likely you've been in one before. Now, recall the central figure above the altar. The large wooden cross, with, or without, the figure of Jesus Christ upon it.

 

Without Jesus Christ dying as a martyr, Christianity would never have happened. How could there have been Christianity without the death of Jesus Christ?

 

BIG DEAL - No Christianity?

 

It is a very big deal. Without Christianity, there is no Catholicism, and I think we can all agree that without either, things would have turned out amazingly different. Christian believers take up 1/3rd of the world and about 75% of the American Nation. I can't speak for our friends in our world neighbors, but I imagine the numbers are about equal.

 

The last 2000 years of history have been largely shaped and formed by the life and death of Jesus Christ. Our very method of measuring years was reset based on those dates, but more important is the contents of those years.

 

WHAT - would we expect to have changed?

 

Imagine a world with no Crusades as we knew them.

Imagine a world where there were no World Wars as we knew them.

Imagine a world where you pick up the dollar and see something other then "In God We Trust".

Imagine going to the UK and hearing a thrilling rendition of "Zeus Save The Emperor." Pledging allegiance to one nation, "under Allah."

 

Two thousand years of history shaped without Christian influence, where Judaism, Islam, and ancient beliefs were the only moulders.

 

WHOA. - That's ridiculous, right?

 

Not entirely. It's hard to substantiate what had never occurred, but that's what makes this brand of revisionist history so fun. I don't have the command of history to really make concrete determinations, but some basic theories can be derived.

 

Would Islamic beliefs have led Hitler towards the Holocaust? Would pilgrims from Britain have fled for religious security when the very basis for Catholicism and Protestant beliefs were non-existant?

 

What nations would be alive today? What empires would have gone unpunished? What peoples would have flourished, gone extinct, what beliefs would we have fostered in the absence of Christianity?

 

It's huge. How the life of one man, in the hands of other men, changed our history to the way it has become. It's intriguing to think that Judas' decision to betray his mentor had such a profound effect on not just a life, but the life of billions of practitioners and those around them on this planet.

 

It's an interesting turning point to consider, and whether you're a religious individual or not, I'd like you to ponder what I asked at the beginning of this post. Would you take the money, or not?

 

Who knows, maybe the next 2000 years of history could be shaped by one of us.

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