# What's the dumbest moment in history? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2001, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779 "2001-03-13T07:05:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/81 "2001-06-06T19:20:11Z")
If myopia qualifies a candidate: > [@](#): > > Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. — John 18:14 Oops…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Lazlong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Lazlong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlong)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/82 "2001-06-06T20:23:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > > How about building a space craft and not checking your metric to english conversions and getting a closer look at Mars than planned. > > \*\* How about USING english units for space navigation in a scientific project in the first place? I mean, if even Coca-Cola is bowing to the logic and convenience of the metric system (witness the two-liter plastic bottle), one would think the scientific establishment would have long abandoned medieval units such as miles (land miles, that is; nautical miles are actually very convenient), feet, pounds and others of those ilk. What, did they think using English units would make the calculations _easier_? ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/83 "2001-06-06T20:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > **How many times after we broke a treaty with the Indians did they come back and sign another? Why didn’t they learn?** Each treaty was with a different tribe. Tribe “A” living in the West would have had no way of knowing that a treaty with Tribe “B” living in the East had been broken years earlier when they signed their own treaty with Washington. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/84 "2001-06-06T21:58:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by detop \* > Oh, and VarlosZ, it was Yugoslavia that caused Hitler’s Balkan detour. Yugoslavia’s regent had previously agreed to join the anti-komintern front. Royalists officers didn’t agree with that, staged a coup and repudiated the accord. The nazis overran the country in a couple of days and continued to bleed for the rest of the war fighting partisans. And NATO wanted to get involved where exactly ? Once again, if ONLY King Aleksandar hadn’t been shot…_sigh_-I have a massive thing for Aleksandar! Didn’t the Royalists put Peter II in charge, even though he wasn’t quite 18 yet? ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/85 "2001-06-06T22:18:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sofa King \* > \*\*And let’s not forget Jimmy Carter and the Torpedo Rabbit. \*\* Hows the rabbit thing count as a dumb moment? Besides, according to [this](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_019.html), it may not have been a rabbit at all ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/86 "2001-06-06T23:14:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OrcaChow \* > Hitler’s decision to take top-down management to its ridiculous extreme. Rather than wake their boss, Hitler’s staff lets him sleep while the Allies hit Normandy. Hitler was such a terrible tactition by the end of the war, I doubt it would have made any difference anyhow… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/87 "2001-06-06T23:26:15Z")
1948 - The Soviets and East Germans close off the roads, the rail lines and even the rivers and canals to West Berlin, but leave the air corridors open. If you’re going to blockade, then BLOCKADE. 1950 - The Soviets walk out of a Security Council meeting in huff. Shortly thereafter, North Korea invades South Korea and the Soviets aren’t there to veto the South Korean request for aid. 1962 - The Soviets deny having missiles in Cuba. What? Aerial photogrpahy? Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/88 "2001-06-07T01:01:40Z")
The British not giving the American Colonies one or two seats in the House of Commons. Delino Deshields for Pedro Martinez. Haj ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/89 "2001-06-07T01:38:55Z")
The Texas Rangers paying $266 million for Alex Rodriguez. It may not be A-Rod’s fault, but as of today, the Seattle Mariners are leading the AL West with an astonishing 45-12 record. Meanwhile, the Rangers are in last place with a record of 20-37, an embarrassing 25 games behind Seattle. No other team is so far behind the leader of its respective division. ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/90 "2001-06-07T01:48:51Z")
Not sure if I have the facts exactly straight on this, but: CBS deciding that since it already had a sci-fi show (Lost in Space) it wouldn’t be needing this “Star Trek”. Also of course, NBC cancelling it in 1969. [QUOTE] \*Originally posted by mrblue92 \* \*\* > [@](#): > > U.S. intervention in Vietnam. > > \*\* Again I don’t have all my facts straight, but I seem to recall reading a pretty persuasive article arguing to the effect that it did make sense in the overall context of the Cold War (which we _did_ win after all). It may have been a review of a book called “Vietnam: The Necessary War”. * * * Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy ---
**Author:** ![archmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@archmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/archmichael)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/91 "2001-06-07T04:51:47Z")
Much like the History Channel, this is going to be mostly military history. The Russians who seem to think “Wait for Winter” is some sort of strategy. One of these days, its not going to work. MacArthur being sure that China was not going to get involved in the “Korean War of Northern Agression” (as I like to call it :)). The Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The French (of course) build a base in northern Vietnam in the hopes of luring the Viet Minh into a fight. The Viet Minh go on to open a can of whoop ass. Hanoi Jane & Tom Hayden going to North Vietnam and calling the American POWs liars. Pol Pot emptying the cities, in some attempt to create a perfect society. **Weird\_Al\_Einstein** might I recommend a book called “The Best and The Brightest” by David Halberstram. The Vietnamese didn’t want us there, so there was way for us to win (which we did _lose_ after all). ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/92 "2001-06-07T05:27:29Z")
The Defenestration of Prague. Some nobles are thrown out the window and it starts the Thirty Years’ War. They don’t even die, for chrissakes, they land on some manure. It wasn’t particularly stupid on anyone’s part, but it sure sounds silly. ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/93 "2001-06-07T06:18:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by archmichael \* > \*\* > **Weird\_Al\_Einstein** might I recommend a book called “The Best and The Brightest” by David Halberstram. The Vietnamese didn’t want us there, so there was way for us to win (which we did _lose_ after all). > \*\* I assume you meant “there was no way for us to win”. Of course we lost. The point of this article I read (I wish I had it on hand dammit) was that to have a chance of winning the Cold War we needed to at least _delay_ the fall of Vietnam to communism, which _were_ able to do. * * * If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn? ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/94 "2001-06-07T06:22:53Z")
“I’m a gonna sail to the west, and there I will find China!” - Christopher Columbus ---
**Author:** ![gaup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58f4c7/32.png) [@gaup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaup)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/95 "2001-06-07T10:37:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cymru Annibynnol \* > \*\* Now, while I admit that Hitler was stupid to invade Russia in the fall (among other things), I think he was out-stupided by my fellow Pennsylvanian. \*\* Hey has anyone pointed out that Hitler did not invade Russia in the fall but in June 1941? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/96 "2001-06-07T11:11:44Z")
Mention of General Burnside’s problems with troops on narrow bridges reminds me of the Battle of Maldon, whose turning point may be summed up in the following exchange: _Viking leader_: Hey! This is not fair! Your troops are blocking a narrow causeway, so we can only come at you a few at a time! Move back so that we can cross over and slaughter you all brutally! _Ealdorman Beohrtnoth, o/c English forces_: … yes, that sounds fair to me… Not the greatest tactical decision in English military history. But probably matched by some others… I have a vague feeling that, during the first battle of the Somme (WW I), the British troops were ordered to _walk_ towards the German lines (and, of course, the German machine guns); the rationale behind this was that, if they tried to _run_ across the churned-up ground of No Man’s Land, they might trip and hurt themselves… ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/97 "2001-06-07T12:20:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weird\_AL\_Einstein \* > **The point of this article I read (I wish I had it on hand dammit) was that to have a chance of winning the Cold War we needed to at least _delay_ the fall of Vietnam to communism, which _were_ able to do.** I doubt that even McNamara would agree with that, but then again, Vietnam War history is not exactly my specialty (I have yet to read any serious books on the subject, though there are a couple on my shelf). Sounds like a good GD topic… ---
**Author:** ![CLedet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@CLedet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CLedet)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/98 "2001-06-07T14:40:00Z")
Let them eat cake. Marie Antoinette may not have said this, but still worth mentioning. ---
**Author:** ![mothman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@mothman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mothman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/99 "2001-06-07T16:47:24Z")
Chamberlin (then prime minister of England) getting Hilters’ signature as proof that the Germans would not attack England, then (surprise) Hilter turns around and starts bombing England a few months later. When the Polish calvery charged German tanks with lances. The invention of the automobile as a use for PRIVATE transportation. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779/100 "2001-06-07T17:27:47Z")
Well, then, maybe history’s greatest blunder was getting ourselves so dependent on fossil fuels, we caused global warming which threatens all surface life. (Whether global warming is true or not has been a GD topic many times. I think it IS true.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dumbest-moment-in-history/57779.md?page=6)