What historical event do you think would have changed history if it had turned out differently?

[MaryQueenofKnots]

Here's mine:
What if Edward VI had lived?
What if JFK hadn't been shot?
What if Edward VIII hadn't abdicated?

There is a documentary about how the French didn't industrialise like the UK did due to patents having to be approved by the king (and he wouldn't). This meant that when WW1 came the French were still relying on cavalry but had a huge (expensive) force. Germany had a much smaller force but had weaponry including tanks that obliterated the cavalry.

I often wonder this too.....

We know that the faster viruses spread the faster they mutate into new strains and each time they mutate they (usually) lose some of their potency.

If China, and subsequently the rest of the world, had simply allowed it to do its thing wild we have taken a big hit in the early days but it all would have been over quicker and potentially, with less overall deaths and less lasting effects.........

@TheTripThatWasnt podcasts - In Our Time on radio 4 quite a wide range- or you tube there a lot of history channels on there - Extra History one but there are loads - also more cooking sewing history - again quiet a few Tasting History with Max Miller would be one or Bernadette Banner for historical clothing.

Or if in UK - loads of documentaries on channel 5 or BBC iPlayer - some on Netflix - A house though Time is good or you find ranging series like Simon Schama's A History of Britain - I quite like the three historians who did farms in different time periods and then did railways - they were fun but can't remember name of series - channel 4 had Time team for years - they are on you tube now fund raising and putting old clips up.

Brexit

Yes especially what a gamechanger it was during the pandemic.

Not in any way to minimise TBL's contribution or innovation of networking computers through telecommunications that went on to become WWW, there were some brilliant technological minds out there who would likely have come up with same or similar capability around that time.

But TBL earns the crown as the person who has singlehandedly advanced human learning and development at a pace that hasnt been equaled. And he's such a humble and down to earth person!

I've always wondered if they would have done Live Aid. When he was killed he seemed so old at 40. Now it seems horribly young. Fucking Mark Chapman.

Darwin Origin of species was finally published because Alfred Russel Wallace was coming up with similar ideas.

So it's hard to know if we'd never have discovered facts/technology or if we would be bit later or in a different form.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04b1g3c/episodes/downloads
50 things that made the modern economy was also really informative.

I was about to mention In Our Time, but saw @TripleDaisySummer just did. If you go onto the website and look up the guests, you can soon be delving into their books and articles if the topic interests you.

There is a one season series based on that book. I could have watched a second season if they’d made one.

Thatcher has been deliberately misquoted out of context for people's selfish political agendas.

If more politicians acted like Margaret Thatcher, hard working, treating the public purse as if it were their own money, sticking with their personal values and principles rather than the "these are my morals but if you don't like them, dont worry I've got these other ones", the UK would be in a very different state now

She undoubtedly made some very tough decisions at the time but I admired her moral fibre, she wasnt flippant or trivial or a barefaced liar making £000 from celebrity TV appearances!

What if... Amazon had never diversified from books?

If Hitler had too

No, I don’t think that’s the case. Every other country in Europe now has a democratic government. It might have taken us longer, and it might have been different, but it still would have happened.

What if the printing press had never been invented?

If he had married Wallis - he did - he wouldn’t have married anyone else - so she would of inherited as Wallis & Edward produced no heirs

Agreed.

I have no time for Margaret Thatcher’s policies (I’ve always voted Labour). However, she was a serious, substantial person, with a clear vision, even if it was one I disagree with.

And that misquote needs to be confined to history.

😱

The Man in the High Castle - I didn't get past first few episodes but it's on prime and it's set in alternative place where axis powers won second world war and took over america. I remember it being visually stunning - but didn't sustain my interest though DH kept watching.

BBC did an alt history drama not that long ago -SS-GB - base on us losing Battle of Britain ( we nearly did ) and Germany invading Southern England ( plan exits showing this was what they had planned)

If Operation Pedestal had failed I never would have been born. My grandparents were in Malta during the war- she was Maltese, and he was posted there. If they’d had to surrender, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t both have survived.

If Hitler had won, I’m sure Europe would have looked very different.

If WW1 and WW2 had never happened. My extended family would be so much larger.

If the Jacobites won at Culloden.

If Guy Fawkes had blown up parliament.

If people had thought of the bigger picture when voting for brexit.

If the Duke of Windsor hadn't abdicated.

If King Charles had been allowed to marry Camilla in the first place.

Recent history.

If Remain had one in 2016, then Boris Johnson would not have become Prime Minister, and at least 20,000 people fewer would have died of Covid.

Camilla didn't want to marry him anyway..at the time apparently. And she was not his only girlfriend..

Re…the last one:
Diana probably would’ve married some obscure landed gentry, spent her days in a stately home, we would never have heard of her & barring a terminal illness or accident, would no doubt be alive & 62 years old.

If the slave trade / colonisation had never happened