What was the single most important event of the Twentieth Century?

Answer 1

The execution of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The execution led to the first World War, which changed the map when the imperialist European empires collapsed in its wake. The reparations imposed on Germany following WWI directly led to World War II. World War II led to the creation of the nuclear bomb, the state of Israel, and the entrance of women into the (American) workforce, among other things.

Answer 2

I can agree with many of these answers. But I would actually say that the invasion of Poland by the Nazis was the root of most of the other events that followed.

Until that point, most of the western countries were in a mode of appeasement towards Hitler. Until that point, the Vatican was willing to appease Hitler. That one unique event caused the rest of the western world to agree that Hitler was bent on world domination and war was needed to stop him.

No war also means...

No atomic bombs
No invasion at Normandy
No jet planes
No rockets going to the moon
No Communism in SE Asia or China
No Cold War
No Cuban collapse
No Dwight D Eisenhower
No John F Kennedy, war hero
No McCarthyism


We could even argue successfully that the rise of Karol Wojtyla to Archbishop of Krakow would never have happened, so no Pope John Paul II. That would mean no rapproachment between Eastern Orthodoxy and Rome. No attempts by Rome to apologize to the Jews, Arabs and anyone else wronged by Christians through the centuries.

Further, had Hitler succeded in his master plan, it would have meant all Jews in the world would have been wiped out, not just 6 million. Further, 13 million non-Jews would not have died during WWII.

Hence, the invasion of Poland was the spark that ignited not only WWII, but also sparked all of the events that ensued.

Answer 3

The "Spanish Flu" pandemic if 1918.

To start an estimated 350 million worldwide dead, if that is not enough think of it's impact on WWI. This avian virus literally stopped a world war in it's tracks. At the Versailles peace talks when Wilson came down with the disease in the spring of 1919 he also had some of it's (now) documented side effects. These were prolonged changes in personality, mood swings, inability to concertrate. This along with his absence at the talks at a crucial time resulted a treaty written by Loyd George and French Minester Clemenceau. Leaving a mutulated Germany which forged the way for WWII. When Wilson returned to the US to ratify the treaty and argue for the League of Nations he returned a both a changed man and broken in health. In September1919 Wilson suffered as stroke ending his public career and any possibility of arguing for the League of Nations before the Senate and House. Wilsons main advisor House was also ill after the flu and was unable to argue before the joint Houses for the Willsonian peace process those important fall months in 1919. As we all know the League of Nations did not come to pass in any powerful sence. Germany rose within a few years into Hitlers rule and WWII grew out of the ashes of the Versailles Treaty. Out of WWII we see the slaughter of 13 million in concertration camps, the rise of Stalin and the atom bomb. We also saw the loss of millions of human beings that could have added to the world in countless ways. WWII led to the Cold War and the nuclear arms race with Russia...need I go on?

Amazing how sonething that dosent even really live on it's own can change the world.

Answer 4

I don't think there was one single important part of the twentieth century, and depending on where you live or whatever, everyone's answers would be different. To me, the evolution of the computer must be pretty important because of the fact that we rely on them so much.

Answer 5

It's very hard to pick out one single event. I can think of several. I have heard it said that when John F. Kennedy got shot it changed what the future would have been like for the USA. Other impacting events: women's rights and being able to vote, de-segregation and, the Great Depression made a hugh impact on many people too.

Answer 6

The automobile. it changed the world. It changed the way we live, it changed WHERE we live. It made living in remote places more plausible becaue now you could drive into town whenever you wanted, rather than having to wait for a special trip. It brought women into the workforce because before, women would have to stay home and raise the kids. With the car, women could drive to work and then get back home to take care of the kids when they left school. It changed how we fight wars. It change the type of food we eat. With the invention of trucks, food that would have spoiled if they were brought across the country in horse drawn carts could now be brought to place much faster, thereby giving people a taste of food they've never experienced. It changed the ways we entertain ourselves: more people began camping, drive in movies, drive through banks, drive through food, etc.

It changed everything.

Answer 7

World war I. It completely changed the world. Three great Continental European Empires were destroyed & one of them became the first great Communist empire. The Ottoman empire was destroyed. The integrated European economy of the 19th century came to an end & national socialist movements -- some democratic & some totalitarian replaced them;The colonies of the French & British empires developed national revolutionary movements that led to the ultimate end of colonialism. It also brought about the rise of mass movement totalitarian economic & social systems such as fascism & communism.

Answer 8

The Moon Landing

Answer 9

There is no "single" most important event, but here are a few:

First Moon Landing
Atom Bomb on Hiroshima
Holocaust
First Flight at Kittyhawk

Answer 10

Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928. Modern antibiotics followed, and countless lives -- maybe even yours -- have been saved by them.

I'll guess that the other achievements listed above were all made possible by people who wouldn't have survived if not for antibiotics: Oppenheimer, Von Braun, Neil Armstrong, et. al.