Marathon, Waterloo, and Gettysburg the most famous battles?

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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In the April 2019 issue of Civil War Times magazine it states that Marathon, Waterloo, and Gettysburg are the most famous battles. Would this be accurate? I do wonder how many Americans are all that well informed about the Battle of Marathon. Perhaps Civil War Times is only talking about Americans and residents in other countries might see things different. What do forum members see as the most famous battle of all times?
 
I believe it is going to depend like all polls on who you ask and how you ask the question. I agree Americans are going to see things one way the same as other countries would see them. What determine famous? Most killed, captured, land and riches won and or political outcome. I'm guessing a Korean veteran would say the Chosin Reservoir , aWW2 Marine will say Iwojima, WW2 Army the Bulge, WW1 the Marne, Colonial might say Saratoga. One would have to nail down the criteria of the question
 
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Many Americans love the Battle of Gettysburg. I am not all that sure it is even the most decisive battles of the Civil War. Who won the Battle of Gettysburg may have mattered less than who won the Battle of Shiloh. If Grand had been defected and his army divine into the river, This would have completely changed the Civil War. A victorious Confederacy on the offensive in the Western Theater may have been a game changer.
 
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In the April 2019 issue of Civil War Times magazine it states that Marathon, Waterloo, and Gettysburg are the most famous battles. Would this be accurate? I do wonder how many Americans are all that well informed about the Battle of Marathon. Perhaps Civil War Times is only talking about Americans and residents in other countries might see things different. What do forum members see as the most famous battle of all times?
By most famous of all battles does the article say famous by what battles Americans believe to be the most famous?
If the question is only limited to Americans then D Day is arguably better known then Gettysburg and certainly more the Marathon.
Leftyhunter
 
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In the April 2019 issue of Civil War Times magazine it states that Marathon, Waterloo, and Gettysburg are the most famous battles. Would this be accurate? I do wonder how many Americans are all that well informed about the Battle of Marathon. Perhaps Civil War Times is only talking about Americans and residents in other countries might see things different. What do forum members see as the most famous battle of all times?
How many Americans even know about the battle of Waterloo? It really depends on where one lives. Most Americans have no idea about the battles of Marathon and Waterloo. More Americans know about Stalingrad and the Tet offensive.
Leftyhunter
 
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I'm dubious most people know anything about Marathon other than in the context of running. :cautious: I think people might have a little better name recognition on Waterloo simply because of the phrase about someone meeting their Waterloo. (But I was always a little bit of a Napoleonic War geek, so maybe I'm just biased.) I definitely think D-Day is more famous for most Americans, as well as some of the other battles mentioned here.
 
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I am going to guess that the battles that have movies made about them would be better known than more militarily more meaningful battles so I would suppose Gettysburg is better known than Vicksburg. However, I would estimate that D-Day is better known than the three listed. Among people of a certain age, the Tet Offensive, would be better known too.
 
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To answer this question, you'd really have to specify whether your talking about the population at large, folks with a high school diploma, folks with a college degree, ect.

I can say with confidence that anyone who was one of my 8th grade students can tell you all about:

1. Lexington and Concord
2. Trenton and Princeton
3. Saratoga
4. Yorktown
5. New Orleans (1815)
6. First Bull Run
7. Shiloh
8. Antietam
9, Chancellorsville
10. Gettysburg
11. Vicksburg
12. Appomattox

And, if they were paying close attention (as many of my students do, for they're a gifted lot) quite a few others.
 
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In the April 2019 issue of Civil War Times magazine it states that Marathon, Waterloo, and Gettysburg are the most famous battles. Would this be accurate? I do wonder how many Americans are all that well informed about the Battle of Marathon. Perhaps Civil War Times is only talking about Americans and residents in other countries might see things different. What do forum members see as the most famous battle of all times?
How many Americans remember or even how many American students are aware of the largest defeat of American forces ; the Chinese winter offensive of 1950?
This battle had a much more profound effect on America then arguably even Gettysburg.
Leftyhunter
 
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Sadly , I bet if you asked nearly anyone under 30 a few basic questions about Gettysburg , Waterloo , the Battle of the Bulge , etc. you would be greeted with a blank stare and I doubt they could even tell you what decade the battle occurred in.
I doubt Your words, at least some gamers know a lot of the battles their beloved games are refighting.
 
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