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Most humiliating defeats in History

Discussion in 'Military History' started by Totenkopf, Dec 11, 2008.

  1. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Wow I did't know about that Battle . All I read about this war in History books is when the Brisitsh burnt the White House. It looks like a local Agincourt
     
  2. redcoat

    redcoat Ace

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    The War Of 1812 was full of humiliating defeats for both sides.
    One of the most decisive was the Battle Of Queenstown Heights in Oct 1812, when a US army of 6,000 was defeated by a British and Native Indian army of 1,600 at the cost of 19 killed to the British forces and 300 killed and a 1000 captured to the US forces.
    This early victory for the British ensured that the first US invasion of Canada was a total failure.
     
  3. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    A sea battle we are well aware of in Finland:

    Sweden vs Russian navy

    The Swedish-Russian sea battles of 1790

    Svensksund battle

    The second battle of 1790, the "real battle", between the two navies took place July 9-10, at Svensksund ( Ruotsinsalmi in Finnish). This is located in the narrow straits of the south Finland archipelago.

    The Russian navy, commanded by Prince Nassau, had 14,000 men and 1200 guns on 32 larger and 200 minor ships. The Swedish navy was commanded by the king, assisted by colonel lieutenant Carl Olof Cronstedt. It had 12,500 men and 1000 guns on about 200 larger and minor ships.

    This Russians attacked while the Swedes were in position waiting between the skerries and islands. The attacking heavy Russian galleys had trouble manoeuvring in the rough sea. The Swedish ships, on the other hand, were waiting well anchored and shooting without problem. At the same time, small Swedish gun sloops rowed from the sides and attacked the Russians from the rear. These sloops were 20 m long rowing boats rowed by 60 men with just one 24-pound gun in the bow. They were mobile with a low profile making them very hard to hit for the Russian ships. The Russian navy was totally defeated. The Russian side lost 9,500 men (mostly prisoners) and 50-60 ships (sunk or captured). The Swedes lost 6-700 men (killed) and 6 ships.
     
  4. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    The Cod War Britian v Iceland seventies...numerous occasions.. Icelandic gun boats sailing the buggery out of bigger RN shipping....Cads....
     
  5. TiredOldSoldier

    TiredOldSoldier Ace

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    XX century navies don't usually train for war galley tactics, at least the Leander's (which appear in most of the pictures I remember) did not have multi million dollar bow mounted sonars that would have put them at an even bigger disadvantage.
     
  6. tikilal

    tikilal Ace

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    While having been mentioned earlier it is a personal fravorite Agincourt. The English put the hurt on the French. Beautiful use of terrian and tactics. They took so many prisoners that they had to start killing them even though they would be able to rake in the the ransome latter.

    Tet was a victory for the US in Vietnam. In the US well thats a whole nother discussion.

    All of Custers men did not die there was a whole company that was still enroute that made it back alright. They did see action that day though.

    WWI had a bunch of these Verdun twice, Soissons (sp).... ect.

    Seven Days war.

    Then what was the name of that Battle where the Romans when up to northern Italy and got anhilated in a valley or canyon.
     
  7. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    Could have been worse, could have sent Hermes or something...that would have scared the buggers...Try ramming that one Viking cads.
     
  8. joewong

    joewong Member

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    The fall of Singapore and Malaya.

    The campaign lasted just over 2 months, from 8 Dec 1941 to 15 Feb 1942.
    At the time of the British surrender in 'Fortress Singapore', the allied forces number over 100,000 and the Japanese about 30,000.

    There were many tactical blunders by the British and gross under estimation of Japanese battle prowess. Even Churchill acknowledged that humiliating defeat.
     
  9. Hufflepuff

    Hufflepuff Semi-Frightening Mountain Goat

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    The battle if Cannae, 216 BC, where the Romans pretty much got annihilated by Hannibal.

    Tueterburg Forest, 9 AD, where three whole legions of Romans were massacred with minimal barbarian casualties
     
  10. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    I'm going with the entire Russo-Japanese War in 1905. It really marked the end of the Russian Empire and allowed the radicals to gain the upper hand.

    I also can't forget Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign.
     
  11. Sniper108

    Sniper108 recruit

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    I go with Stalingrad, Germany surrendered 91,000 men, including 22 generals and lost 1.5 million soldiers, although the red army lost 1 million

    also Battle of San Jacinto about 1,500 Mexican men where killed wounded whatever, including Santa Anna(leader) who was traded for Texas, only nine Texans died.

    but most of all I think Iwo Jima was the very worst,the Americans lost 6k out of 110k men (im not saying how many where injered), but Of the 22k Japanese soldiers that defended the island, about 20k were killed and 1k where taken prisoner.
     
  12. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

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    Dupplin Moor 1332. Edward III and an English army of about 1500 men crush a Scottish army of over 15,000, killing over 3000 Scots along with most of the royality of Scotland that were present. It wasn't just a defeat; it was a disaster.
     
  13. Wolfy

    Wolfy Ace

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    ? You got your numbers wrong. Germany did not lose 1.5 million men at Stalingrad- more like a fraction of that. The Axis allies suffered very heavily as well.

    And total US and Japanese casualties were around the same in Iwo Jima.
     
  14. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    Bloody English......:(;)
     
  15. wtid45

    wtid45 Ace

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    I feel your pain my Cetic brother;)
     
  16. wtid45

    wtid45 Ace

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    In the 1250's you remember this Urqh, old Edward 1 and Henry 3 thought they would oppresse us Welsh so after kicking their arse:p we sent em packing with a little treaty then........... well.........you came back........and:eek: wales has never been the same:D;)
     
  17. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    Youve got me all wrong Wtld....Think of Braveheart....think of the little Irish man talking to Wallace..where you goin..I'm goin t pick a fight...
    Thats my ancestors..I'm all for bashing the English bonce in the early days....Just that after all the bashing my lot have sort of mingled....one has to, in times of crisis with blood and danger, and thousands of folk rushing around killing....one should take off the uniform and mingle...

    Anyway both you and Historian have a warped sense of history...we all know what really happened...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0TBJ3p-9M0
     
  18. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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  19. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    Ddiolch 'ch, brawd :)
     
  20. redcoat

    redcoat Ace

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