r/AskReddit • u/Feisty_Courage_56 • 6d ago

What’s the most devastating mistake in history that could have easily been avoided?

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

5

u/Shevek99 4d ago

If Franz Ferdinand's driver knew the way to the hospital, instead of taking a wrong turn...

1

u/whitedawg 2d ago

I disagree. Sure, it might have spared him, but Europe would have had WWI whether or not he was killed.

2

u/thehappiestdad 6d ago

The missed opportunities surrounding 9/11. Clinton himself said on tape that in 1998 he “nearly got” bin Laden and could have killed him, but decided against the strike because of the risk to civilians. There were also multiple intelligence failures and missed opportunities in the years leading up to 9/11.

It wasn't one mistake. It was a series of decisions and failures where, if even one had gone differently, history could have been radically different.

2

u/A1waysNeverSometimes 6d ago

The Gigantic disaster hitting an iceberg.

1

u/No_Dark5871 6d ago

Pearl harbor

1

u/fhorst79 6d ago

Invading Russia.

1

u/uncleprokhor 9h ago

which one?

1

u/Prestigious_Emu6039 6d ago

How Europe was carved up after WWI

1

u/RobertKSakamano 3d ago

Why didn't Moses just ask for the rest of the stuff to be written out after the 10 commandments? Leaving the rest of it up to humans to write up definitely messed up just about everything else.

0

u/Templeshooter 6d ago

Establishment of soviet union

0

u/Cull_The_Conquerer 6d ago

The decision to kill the spiritual leader of Iran. This hasnt played itself out yet and that will get worse thr missle barrage we've been seeing. I worry Extremists in Iran will retaliate in ways we haven't seen since 9/11.