# Which battles in world history can be remembered as much/more for use of a new or unique weapon?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-battles-in-world-history-can-be-remembered-as-much-more-for-use-of-a-new-or-unique-weapon/654700>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 3, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-battles-in-world-history-can-be-remembered-as-much-more-for-use-of-a-new-or-unique-weapon/654700 "2013-04-03T03:48:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-battles-in-world-history-can-be-remembered-as-much-more-for-use-of-a-new-or-unique-weapon/654700/101 "2013-04-10T05:19:22Z")

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[Battle of Fort Eben-Emael](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Eben-Emael), May 10th 1940.

Fifty-six German [glider](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DFS_230)-borne assault troops landed atop [Fort Eben-Emael](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Eben-Emael) – at the time considered to be the largest fortress in the world – and used [**shaped charges**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaped_charge) to disable the fort’s 75mm guns.

Within hours, over 1000 Belgian soldiers surrendered to a much smaller German force; the neutralization of Eben-Emael was a crucial step in the German invasion of Belgium.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-battles-in-world-history-can-be-remembered-as-much-more-for-use-of-a-new-or-unique-weapon/654700/102 "2013-04-10T15:19:12Z")

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> [@KarlGauss](#):
>
> Although you are correct (and contrary to popular perceptions) that tanks _en masse_ were first used during the Battle of the Somme, said use can hardly be what that battle is best known for. Unequivocally, and absolutely, the Battle of the Somme is remembered for the slaughter it engendered, commencing as did the battle itself, on [the first day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_day_on_the_Sommehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_day_on_the_Somme) - July 1, 1916.

True, of course, but strictly applying the criteria in the OP would rule out almost all the examples given in the thread. With few exceptions, only relatively obscure battles are likely to be better known for a particular weapon than for other things.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-battles-in-world-history-can-be-remembered-as-much-more-for-use-of-a-new-or-unique-weapon/654700/103 "2013-04-11T00:19:10Z")

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> [@AK84](#):
>
> …  
> **Boyo Jim** Helicopters did sink one Argentine submarine in the Falklands.

I looked that up, and it hardly counts. They shot it up with conventional surface weapons while it was surfaced and tied up at dock.

Though I do recall several episodes in the 70s and 80’s when presumably Russian subs were located and even fired upon in Scandinavian coastal waters, I think mostly Norway and Sweden. But I never heard that either side did any actual damage to the other.

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