"Mind-Blowing Alternate Versions of History" Topic

"Our world is full of 'what if?' questions, since we just love to speculate about how things could have turned out differently. What if JFK's car didn't have an open top? What if Hitler had never invaded Poland? The list is endless. The following events were all turning points in our world's history, and had they turned out differently, today's world might be completely unrecognizable. So if you're ready to dive into the world of alternative history, you've come to the right place…."
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Amicalement
Armand

Too many modern what ifs. The top one for me in the list is the Teutoburg Forest massacre.

My big alternatives are:-
1/ The Seleucids were successful in eliminating Judaism; it was only a handful of fanatics that kept Judaism alive.

2/ Harold won the Battle of Hastings. England would not have become embroiled in various French wars & perhaps no British Empire.

3/ Temujin (Genghis Khan) was killed by the Tayichi'ud rather than enslaved. No Mongol Empire.

A mix of what ifs and who cares – the Nazi superweapon and Rommel would not have changed the ultimate outcome, but things like the Teutoburg Forest certainly would!

They couldn't find a historian to do this?

Glup!….

Amicalement
Armand

There is a book series, SOM gave me a few copies last year, the general title is "What If" and then would gone on to state what ifs of world history, what ifs of American history, etc. Very interesting.

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

There's a book specifically about the Revolutionary and Napoleonic period, entitled "The Napoleon Options", in which alternative outcomes of various campaigns and engagements are offered. I can't recall to what extent the long-term consequences which might have followed are considered, beyond the not unpleasant image of Arthur Wellesley and Lieutenant of Artillery Buonaparte meeting as officers on half-pay somewhere in a peaceful Europe c.1800. Col. Elting contributed the final chapter, in which Napoleon manages to rally sufficient of L'Armee du Nord to mount a surprise counter-attack on the over-extended Prussians and ultimately retain his throne (not to mention his carriage).