BeIR/webis-touche2020 huggingface dataset:
Most Important Battles Challenge (7)

The Battle of Leuctra (371 BC) Thebes (Epaminondas) versus Sparta (Cleombrotus). - Epanminondas's Tactics at Leuctra pave way for the rise of Alexander the Great. - The Battle - Historically, the Battle of Leuctra marks the end of Sparta’s military dominance in Greece and the rise of Thebes as the most dominant power up until Philip of Macedon. However, Leuctra’s real significant lies on the fact that it completely changed Greek warfare and revolutized western military thinking. Before this battle, Greek armies were typically always arranged in a solid straight line of men, usually about twelve infantry ranks deep with Greek or Mercenary cavalry placed on the wings. The idea of a solid line of course, was to bring all forces to bear down on the enemy in an attempt to simply overwhelm him on all fronts in a great Phalanx shoving match. But at the Battle of Leuctra however, realizing that he was vastly outnumbered by the Spartan hoplites, the Theban commander, Epaminondas arranged his troops according to an entirely new idea. He drew up most of his soldiers to the extreme left wing of his line and then proceeded to arrange them in ranks of fifty men deep. The center and right wings were subsequently reduced to eight ranks deep, whereas the overall line was then given an oblique curvature so as to only give battle with the Spartans on the overloaded left flank. Thus when the Spartans drew up their ranks in the typical twelve deep solid line; and when both armies indeed collided, Epaminondas's larger concentration of forces on the left wing of his line (along with diagonal point to avoid other points of contact) would overpower the enemy's right. This is exactly what happened, and the Battle of Leuctra became the first Western battle in history to ever feature comprehensive formation strategy, maneuver tactics, and a guide for attacking numerically superior enemies through the clever concentration of forces. - Impact. - While a temporary hostage at Thebes, this battle was studied extensively by King Philip of Macedon. Among the things Philip copied from Epanminondas directly from the Battle of Leuctra were the oblique formations against numerically superior foes, the use of combined arms, the concentration of forces at decisive points, forced-marches, the use of tactical reserves, and the technological blueprints for the Sarissa two-handed pike - based on the Thebian model of the Phalanx over the Spartans. The result of Thebes military victories over the Spartans also had the added effect of making Greece overall weak for Macedonian invasion, as Greek armies were already suffering from attrition. Thus, Philip's conquest of Greece was virtually guaranteed, and the art of war that Philip learned from Epanminondas was passed on to his great son Alexander the Great, who in his wars against Persia, went on to become the most successful conqueror in history.
Most Important Battles Challenge (7)

Battle of WaterlooYear: 1815Armies: France (Napoleon Bonaparte) vs. Britain, Prussia, and their Allies (Duke of Wellington and Gebhard von Blucher)The Battle In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte returned to power in France. He had been the emperor before, but was forced into exile during his failed conquest of Europe. Now back, the powers that had defeated him returned. Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia were all against him. Britishm Belgian, and Dutch troops commanded by the Duke of Wellington landed in Belgium and were suppose to meet a Prussia force commanded by Gebhard von Blucher. Napoleon decided to attack and take each army one at a time. At the battle, the British, Belgian, and Dutch occupied a ridge which stopped several frontal assaults that Napoleon launched. Soon Prussian troops from Blucher were on the field and Napoleon was being forced to split his army. French reinforcements under Marshal Emmanuel de Groucy did not arrive. After a failed attack by his elite Old Guard on the British and Dutch line, he withdrew and was eventually forced into exile again. Importance Napoleon would have likely been unstoppable. He had nearly conquered Europe before and he could have possible conquered all of it if he was given a second try. This is mainly because of the spreading apart of his allies. Wellington would have been forced back to the Belgian coast to evacuate with the British. The Dutch, Belgians, and Prussians would be left to fend for themselves. The Prussians would be in a very bad position because they would be stuck between Napoleon and his reinforcements. The Dutch and the Belgians could in no way stand up to Napoleon. As for Napoleon's two other enemies, Austria and Russia, they would be stuck in the same position they were in 1805. The Austrians would have to either advance into France or wait for the Russians. The latter was a bad choice in 1805 as it led to defeat and loss of 45,000 Austrian troops at the Battle of Ulm while the former means than an outnumbered Austria would be taking on the power of Napoleon. The emperor would shift his army south along with reinforcements to Italy. When Napoleon would defeat the Austrians and Prussians he would likely have greater France. This means Belgium and northern Italy. If he wished to continue his conquests as in 1805 to 1812, he could move into Europe, force Prussia and Austria into alliances while putting back in the Duchy of Warsaw and other satelittes. This time he would either learn from, or not make the mistake of invading Russia, leading to a Britain-France stalemate at sea. Napoleon could then possibly rule until the end of his reign and then give it to his child or other relative to maintain the French empire. Sources 1. Black, Jeremy. The Battle of Waterloo. New York: Random House, 2010. Print.
Most Important Battles Challenge (7)

Battle at MarcoingOctober 1914British Expeditionary Forces vs. German EmpireBritish private and Victoria Cross winner spares the life of Adolf Hitler.The BattlePosted from The Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk... In the dying moments of the First World War 22 years earlier, (Prvt. Henry Tandey) had pointed his rifle at a wounded German soldier trying to flee a French battlefield. Their eyes met and Henry lowered his gun. The German nodded in thanks then disappeared. In that moment of compassion for a fellow human being, Henry, then 27, let 29-year-old Corporal Adolf Hitler walk free. Free to become the most reviled dictator and mass murderer of all time. “I didn’t like to shoot at a wounded man,” he said in 1940. “But if I’d only known who he would turn out to be... I’d give 10 years now to have five minutes of clairvoyance then.” Impact Adolf Hitler later confirmed the story to Neville Chamberlain after he noticed a post-war painting Hitler had kept of Tandey that depicted his heroism at another key battle where Tandey had saved the life of another German soldier. The effect of letting Hitler live at Marcoing remains one of the greatest "what ifs" of the 20th century. Hitler of course, would go on to contribute to the rise of the national socialist party in Nazi Germany, along with rearmament and a revitalized German economy. There is no other person that was more directly responsible for leading German Fascism in WWII, or more single handly at fault for the deaths of 12 million lives in that war than Adolf Hitler. The outcome of the Battle of Marcoing therefore, guaranteed the beginning of another World War and that Hitler would lead Germany's armies. For those reasons, Marcoing is among the most influential battles in history.
Most Important Battles Challenge (7)

Battle of Teutoburg ForestYear: 9 BCArmies: The Roman Empire (Publius Quinctilius Varus) vs. Germanic Tribes (Arminius)The BattleAgitated by the Roman Empire's attempts at romanization, Roman officer Arminius (a man of German heritage) set a trap and betrayed Varus, the commander of all Roman forces in Germania. Several barbarians tribes were assembled and numbered up to 32,000 men. Arminius convinced Varus to move out to deal with an uprising in Germania. The three Roman legions along with auxiliary troops and civilians, numbering up to 20,000 men marched their way to the uprising. They eventually started marching through Teutoburg Forest where the German barbarians were hidden.The Roman line was very extended and is believed to be as long as nine miles. Many Roman troops did not have experience in dealing with Germans. Arminius had learned from Roman tactics on how exaclty his opponents preferred to fight. Roman legions were good in open fields and tight formations, but in the forest they were stuck between trees and a river. The Germans attacked and surrounded the Romans and their allies. The Romans were surprised and took many loses with the battle all day. They eventually started a night retreat, but found themselves still trapped and unable to breakout. Varus committed suicide. Almost the entire Roman force was destroyed.ImportanceThis is the turning point in Roman expansion into Eastern Europe. The Romans will hold territory down into the Balkans, but were unable to gain a firm grip on Germania. Had the battle resulted in an unexpected Roman victory or had it no occured at all, the Romans who have no doubt held Germania and could expand further into Poland and possibly even Russia. With the Mongols moving west, these two great civilizations would meet and either agree to peace of have an ultimate war to see what ancient surpower was truly the best.This information is very crucial. Roman civilization has been the primary influence over the western world and even greater than that. By halting Roman influence, certain nations would have a different impact and cultural influence than they would under Rome. This dramatically changed the direction of eastern Europe as well as halting Roman advance. The Battle of Teutoburg Forest also contributed to the rise of German nationalism and the 1800s and the 1900s. This battle represented the power when Germans are united together and this nationalist spirit was key against Napoleon I and Napoleon III's France as well as Austro-Hungary. Without examples like this battle, the possibly of a united Germany may have never happened because the German people would never realize how poweful they could be when united. The battle was further popularized with the rise of Hitler and Nazism. Sources1. McNally, Michael, and Peter Dennis. Teutoburg Forest, AD 9: The Destruction of Varus and His Legions. Oxford: Osprey, 2011. Print.
Most Important Battles Challenge (7)

The Battle Of GettysburgUnion Army of the Potomac (George Meade) vs. Confederate Army of Northern Virginia (Robert E. Lee)Year: July 1863Bloodiest battle ever fought in American history - Government of the United States is preserved.The BattleAfter triumphing at Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee risks it all by leaving his base of operations in Virginia and invading the Union States. His hope is for a decisive victory on Union soil that will either destroy the Union Army and leave the road open to the capture of the Union capital at Washington, or be decisive enough so as to convince other governments in Europe to join the rebel cause.What early on starts out as a light cavalry battle at a little unknown Pennsylvania town called Gettysburg, quickly evolves into one big brawl as both sides madly try to races forces around the town in a desperate attempt to take the high ground that lies south of it. But in the end, Union General George Meade gets their first.After attempting to drive the Union from their high ground by attacking both their flanks, Lee, on the third day of the battle, again decides to risk it with a decisive all-out attack on the Union center. The Union line, however, is protected by a stone wall, and confederate forces are mowed down by grapeshot and long range rifle fire. Lee's fateful charge ends in a drastic defeat, and after three days of heavy fighting, a record 56,000 confederate and union soldiers lie dead.Impact.President Lincoln, in his now famous Gettysburg address, compared the Union victory as a triumph for all democracy, ensuring that the original US Constitution would survive and that North American slavery would be ended forever. Had the Union Army lost at Gettysburg, given the Union Army's depleted manpower & material reserves for its eastern armies and loss of national morale after suffering traumatic loses at Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg, their is a good chance that Lee could have in fact marched on Washington and decisively ended the Civil War. There is also the intriguing possibility that powerful European countries, such as Great Britain and France, could have been swayed enough by a Union defeat to join the Confederate cause. The participation by Great Britain for instance, would have been disastrous for the North, with a dual front opening in British Canada and the Royal Navy to break the Union blockade over the seas.In the end, the decisive defeat of the Confederate Army at Gettysburg ensured an eventual Union victory over the South, preventing a divided United States of America and a record number of fateful consequences for the entire world.
Most Important Battles Challenge (7)

After a semester of college my friends I am finally on my winter break and with that I want to be active again. It is time for another battles challenge!Rules:We will debate battles for different wars and time periods. What happens is that every round a battle will be placed by each debater. Whoever has the better battles (based on which battle is better each round) will get the most points from the voters and thus win. Sieges are not included in this. Just land and naval battles. It is encouraged that a simple overview of the battle is given then each side states their personal reasons why it was important. The voters then look at each round and will vote for who they think showed what battles were more important. These debates are intended to be fast and fun. No semantics or trolling!Round 1 is for acceptance!No refutations! The winner of the debate will simply be decided by the voters!A forfeit in a round is an automatic loss.Too avoid any further confusion, here is a previous debate I did that people can use as a guideline: http://www.debate.org...
Gay marriage should be made legal. To deny homosexuals their right to equality creates hatred.

"I am asking you to respect the fact that people in this world believe differently than you do; believe differently than the Evangelical doctrine preaches." Anyone who believes differently on this side of the debate is a sychotic liberal that contradicts themselves every time they speak in a debate do to stupidity and arregance. They also have no way of thinking for themselves, only changing when society does. They also can not grasp the full awsomeness of there own creator the one that loves and cares for them. Yes he cares for you and spreads his common grace to you even though you are a Homosexual or a murderer. Do respect people that believe differently then me its just when it comse to not disagreeing with me but my God then I have no choice the only choice I can make is to agree with him because he is perfect anyways. The other thing that also nobody seems to understand is how chaotic it would be without a God. It seems like everyone on this website will deny that Hitler was wrong in what he did just to support there thinking that doesn't make any sence anyways. I not only think that, that is stupid and illogical thinking but i also think that it is scary. So I do HONESTLY respect the decisions and the other ideas of people but not when it is going against God.
Gay marriage should be made legal. To deny homosexuals their right to equality creates hatred.

Patriots- In my closing argument, I have finally come to realize that you do not grasp the effects of hatred and discrimination for being a minority. What i deal with on a daily basis from people that call themselves "christians" and the promoters of "family values" highly discredits the Christian faith. I understand that you are young and you havent had (from what i can tell) enough life experience to know that you cannot say that "god hates this sin" anymore...especially in politics. I find it humorous to know that people like you are in this world and strongly believe that mixing religion and politics...or mixing religion with civil rights, is the right way to believe all because "God said so!" I am not asking you to believe that homosexuality is right or wrong, because who is to say what right and wrong is?! I am asking you to respect the fact that people in this world believe differently than you do; believe differently than the Evangelical doctrine preaches. We are all human beings--all capable of emotions and that we all are different. We all have unique things about us, and that is what makes each and every one of us extremely interesting!! We are all equal! And nothing says equal like the right to marry the one you truly love!
Gay marriage should be made legal. To deny homosexuals their right to equality creates hatred.

"You cannot quote the Bible and say that homosexuality is wrong, when the Bible states that women should not have rights and should be subservient towards men while also promoting and encouraging slavery. And this country does not promote slavery any more, nor do we deny women the basic rights as we grant to men." You say that the bible says that women do no have writse and you say that the bible says that we should ENCOURAGE slavery. If you can I would like you to find these verses in the bible and post them in your nex argument. Well again, and I dont know why unbelievers like to point out the bad things that Christians themselves do and thety never point out the things that God did was wrong if there are any. If ONE church thought that the Civil Rights movement was wrong and that black people shouldnt be treated fairly, well then SHAME on that church. But I am not talking about Churches I am talking about how God and how he thinks of it. Because churches and denominations make mistakes and sin all the time but God is always PERFECT. Thats why when he says gays are a sin and that they are wrong I belive it. The only reason why i think gays are sinful is because God says it is and there is no wron with me in saying that acctually its rite for me to say it because i t is standing up for what i belive i no matter what the WORLD says. No matter how much society changes God never changes people may inturprit the word wrongly but that dosent make God wrong. Its not God who changes its society that has changed. And I believe that society has gotten better in not torturing people and being blood thirsty all the time. People have made great accomplishments in that madder do to GODS help and because JESUS died on the cross. But I believe society has gotten worst in the way that Atheists are having it so that teachers cant pray because its not fair to other Atheists that might be in the building at the same time when in acctuality its not fair to christians because we were there first and back in the 1700 people would learn to read so that they could read the Bible in SCHOOLS. I belive that society has changed into a culture where they accept homosexuals and i belive it is sick and wrong because God says it is sick and wrong. Im sick of trying to explain why gays should be wrong because of how its no good for the children, and how the bodie wasnt ment for sex between two people of the same sex. Im sick of debating that way. Because saying that it is wrong because God said it is wrong is enough it should be enough to stop all the protests that happen in Washington. Because God is all powerful God is all deciding and he is also all perfect and thats why Being gay is wrong because you CREATOR said so.
Gay marriage should be made legal. To deny homosexuals their right to equality creates hatred.

"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it." Coretta Scott King uttered these powerful words preaching peace, love, and equality. To deny homosexuals the right to marry or legally adopt children to raise a family is a repeat of history. This will become the next Civil Rights movement if this country continues to promote hatred. To preach "family values" and promote hatred and discrimination is an oxymoron.
America Should Keep Funding NASA

These are three reasons why NASA should continue to be funded.NASA SPIN-OFFSNASA has created many new technologies that have led to improvements in technology in many areas of life; here is a list of NASA spin-offs from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org...These technological spin-offs are my first reason for why NASA should continue to be funded.SPACE AND PLANETARY COLONIZATIONBy 2050 the population of earth is expected to be between 8.3 and 10.9 billion. Even further in the future there will almost certainly be a case of human overpopulation. It's also certain that at some point Earth is going to be hit by an asteroid or be devastated some other way that will cause many people to die. So it's necessary that people start colonizing other planets. With such a long time needed for a planet to be terraformed humans must start an attempt before the end of the century. To do this we need to developed many new technologies, and NASA is already working on it. If humans are going to survive the next few centuries we are going to need to start colonizing space; one more reason NASA should keep being funded.NASA ISN'T ALL ABOUT SPACENASA also does alot of research about earth pertinent to the weather, ocean, land, atmosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere. It's not always obvious but often times research into stuff that doesn't necessarily seem relevant to everyday life can lead to the development of things people can't seem to live without. One example of this is the laser. When the laser was first invented no one had any idea what useful purpose it had. Now we have lasers in many things including fibre optic cables and anything that uses CDs, DVDs, or HVDs. Another great example is quantum mechanics. When it was first discovered no one thought anything useful would come of it; nowadays microchips are in almost everything that requires computer technology and without the research put into quantum mechanics the microchip wouldn't exist. So this reason is that NASA does research in more things than just space and even if it doesn't seem relevant now, one day technology might rely on it.