"Failed assassinations" Topic

Hitler survived one (or was it two?) serious attempts on his life: a fact that offers much room for speculation on a 'what-if' basis.

However other 20th century figures of note also survived attempts on their life:

Lenin, FDR, De Gaulle, Truman etc.

Which leader, if cut down early by their assassin, would have had the greatest impact on world history?

Which leader, if cut down early by their assassin, would have had the greatest impact on world history?

That question is very poorly posed. It is almost impossible to ascertain what conclusion you are trying to arrive at. Have another go.

Franz Ferdinand. Probably.

Berlin, 1936. Two Jews set out to assasinate Hitler. They buy pistols, study his movements. They learn that every Wednesday after lunch, Hitler goes horseback riding in a Berlin park. Every Wednesday, he rides by a certain clump of bushes precisely at 2:35 PM, regular as clockwork.

That Wednesday the two would-be assassins hide in those bushes and wait for their quarry. 2:35 PM comes, but not Hitler. 2:40 PM, no sign of him. Just before 2:45, one assassin turns to the other and asks, "Do you think something's happened to him, G-d forbid?"

Reagan, Castro, the Pope….

I'd go with Reagan purely from a contemporary viewpoint.

I thought the potential for martyrdom, murder, or assassination was part of the Papal job description.

Castro hands down in the last 50 years. The day he dies I will be making plans to buy old cars. They are everywhere and the market here in the States for them is hugh. Cuba deserves better.
VR
James Mattes

Cuba deserves better.

Of course it does. And the United States' refusal to get over the Bay of Pigs/Missile Crisis is the root cause of Cuba's plight.

Will one be able to buy Cuban cigars on Main Street USA the day after Fidel pegs it do you think?

Churchill ?

Stalin ?

Clinton.

Reagan for me, since without him we might not have won the Cold War…..

Nixon.

link

Ford. Then Rockefeller would have been President. Would he have beaten Carter without the pardon of Nixon on his back that Ford had? No Carter, No Reagan? Just think how the dominoes fall then.

It was Carter who pushed through the big increase in military spending by the way, I remember when all the ROTC staff all came into work with new vehicles. Of course Reagan was in office by the time it went into effect and he got the credit for it.

Bon Jovi.

Simon Cowell then we would have had far less third rate talent shows with lobotomised "entertainers" and proper programs would have been allowed to flourish. Well you can dream.

Degaulle, that snake sold out his own people so he could butter up to middle eastern countries. He also sat by while the Oran Massacre, and sent to jail Generals who were much more decorated than him.

I wondered how long it would be before the question would become, "Who would you most like to see assassinated?"

Can I just give my top 100?

Excuse me Doug, but Carter cut my pay raise in 77. I never saw him as friendly to military spending.

That question is very poorly posed. It is almost impossible to ascertain what conclusion you are trying to arrive at. Have another go.

I am filled with chagrin.

No Connard, it is the influence of the Cuban exiles that keeps this alive from the U.S. perspective. One of the reasons that relations were easing was because of a new liberal president. Now it seems that Obama with have to reverse course with the pending legislation in Congress.

The biggest problem Cuba has is Marxism and not moving to a trade based society. Cuba has plenty of opportunities to trade with other countries. Being agrarian based does not bode well for building a modern robust economy.

A modern robust economy? What is this thing of which you speak? We could do with some of those around our way if you've got any lying around that you're not using.

Connard Sage 16 Dec 2011 2:30 p.m. PST wrote:

Cuba deserves better.

Of course it does. And the United States' refusal to get over the Bay of Pigs/Missile Crisis is the root cause of Cuba's plight.

You know I was a young intel guy at FS Media in San Antonio in the early 80s. We tracked Cuban Subs escorting drug ships coming into Texas. How many hostile countries do you have less then 90 miles away?

Will one be able to buy Cuban cigars on Main Street USA the day after Fidel pegs it do you think?

I hope a lot, the last Trinadas I had were from Noriegas privite lable and we smoked them in 1999 on New Years to mark ten years.

VR
James Mattes

If FDR had been hit by Joseph Zangara,or Truman by the group that were around Blair House,who knows?

"How many hostile countries do you have less then 90 miles away?"

Actually we have France and the Republic of Ireland within 90 miles, neither of which is entirely friendly towards us. The Irish didnt seem to do a lot to prevent terrorists attacking us and then running away to safety in the Republic, and the French seem to hate us since WW2

Steve

and the French seem to hate us since WW2

I suspect it's been a little longer than that.

For Hitler I think there were 17 attempts in total

For early 20th century, most impactful would be preventing Francis Ferdinand's assassination – after that, Lenin; prevent the first, stop (or at least delay) WWI, the second, there is a reasonable chance that the Russians avoid becoming the USSR

Later 20th century, Churchill – with Halifax as PM, the Brits have a negotiated peace with Germany

Castro? Interesting thought

You know, the average Cuban has a reasonable deal compared to most other Central American countries with the exception of Costa Rica – I do not think that the system will collapse when Fidel finally dies, I agree that it will probably evolve a la China style

I am tempted to say Lenin. Then the power struggle between Stalin and Trotsky might have brought Trotsky to power with Stalin dead. Since Trotsky wanted to export the Revolution right away, it might have meant the end of the Soviet Union by 1928 to maybe 1930.