Top 8 Biggest Political Movements in Early History

Top 8 Biggest Political Movements in History

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One of the biggest debates in history is whether the events were predetermined or whether everything could have happened otherwise. When we look at it from a distance, it seems that everything was already "written". But at the moment, decisions, taken by those responsible individually or by people, collectively, can change the future.

It is no wonder that many look at certain moments and see people with the player profile for certain political, military, or religious leaders. Who, at a certain moment, risk their luck and turn the cards over as if they are playing blackjack or another game of fortune. And the result changes history. Below are the biggest political moments in world history.

JULIUS CAESAR: CROSSING THE RUBICON RIVER

It is taken for granted that Julius Caesar was destined to overthrow the Senate and the Roman Republic to become the first emperor of Rome. But when he decided to cross the Rubicon River with his army, which in practice meant that the Senate would come to regard him as an enemy, the move was uncertain. Then he would have said: Alea iacta est ("The die has been cast"), a proverb that became famous.

John II of Portugal: TORDESILHAS

At the end of the 15th century, Portugal and Spain were dividing the discovered territories. A north-south line was being planned, passing 100 miles west of Cape Verde. But the Portuguese king changed his mind and insisted on a line 370 miles west of these islands. It is not known if it was intuition or if their browsers had already passed on secret information. The fact is that this change, inscribed in the Treaty of Tordesillas, determined that the future of Brazil was Portuguese.

THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE

In 1803, the United States was not expected to expand to the West. But Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte suggested selling the entire "French" area of the region. Founding father Thomas Jefferson changed his mind and faced opponents and political allies with accepting the purchase. Internal resistance won and more than doubled the young country's territory, all at once.

NAPOLEON: INVASION OF RUSSIA

Invasion of russia soldiers black and white

Sending 600,000 men to defeat the Tsar was, in 1812, an audacious move to assert Napoleon as the supreme ruler of Europe. But the Moscow winter made everything go wrong. Only 20,000 returned to the starting point.

PARAGUAY: ACCESS TO THE SEA

In 1854, President Solano López had a clear vision of a Paraguay with access to the sea, for which he would have to conquer lands where his main river crosses. But the triple alliance, Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil ended their plans. The move went terribly wrong, for himself and for his country. An estimated 300,000 more Paraguayans are killed.

GERMANY: SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

In 1914, technological advances were so misunderstood that General Schlieffen thought that Germany would have a better chance of winning a war against France and Russia combined than if the war started against only one of them. In August, Germany bet on a quick defeat for France, but everything failed. The next four years were to be a paralyzing war against these powers and Great Britain.

HITLER: INVASION OF RUSSIA

It is said that the German generals were totally terrified when Hitler told them in 1941 that they would repeat Napoleon's move in 1812. The invasion of Russia ended in the same way, in failure.

SADDAM HUSSEIN: INVASION OF KUWAIT

After a long war against Iran, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein felt that little Kuwait (and its oil wells) could be logical compensation. But it went wrong, because the United States thought differently.