In 1944, with World War Two beginning to wind down, 730 delegates from all forty-four Allied nations met at a large hotel in New Hampshire. The meeting was held in an attempt to "outlaw practices which are agreed to be harmful to world prosperity". In short, an international banking system was to be established. Following this meeting, the International Monetary Fund was founded, all currencies were required to be convertible for trade, and exchange rates were modified so that one nation would not be favored over another. The ideas founded at this conference led to the development of the World Bank. In short, the international economy we now reside in and (occasionally) enjoy can be traced back to a meeting in the backwaters of rural New Hampshire.
The Crimean War
The Crimean War pitted the Ottoman Empire, the French Empire, and the British Empire against the Russian Empire in 1854. Although the Allied forces won the war, the Ottoman Empire was forced to take out massive loans from France and England. Sixty years later, still heavily indebted to the French and English, the Ottomans chose to side with the Germans in World War One, in the hope that a victory would nullify their existing loans. Unfortunately for the Ottomans, they were defeated, and France and England were able to enact their revenge upon the failing Empire. They split the Empire into a number of nations, creating new borders and political entities. This, in essence, formed the Middle-East as we now know it-and it sowed the seed for many of the problems we find in that region today.
Admiral Matthew Perry Opens Trade With Japan
In 1854, following centuries of Japanese isolationism, American Admiral Matthew C. Perry successfully encouraged Japan to open up to foreign trade. Still essentially a feudal nation, Japanese leaders began to comprehend the massive technological abyss which lay between their own nation and the industrialized world. In their attempts to rapidly modernize, they needed to form an empire, since they required vast stockpiles of resources which could not be procured from their home islands. This led to a Japanese invasion of Korea, which was at that time a vassal state to China. Japan sided with the Allies during World War I, and continued to expand its territories following the war. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, outraging Western nations. In response, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations in 1933. In 1937, Japan went on to attack China, and than French Indochina in 1940. This led to the United States imposing an oil embargo on the Empire. Unable to continue their war efforts in China without oil, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor-setting the stage for the Pacific Theater of World War Two, and ultimately ushering in the atomic age.
The Sinking of the Titanic
The terrible tale of this notorious cruise liner has been told time and time again, but some good did come of it; the golden age of radio. Following the sinking of the Titanic, it was mandatory for ships to possess wireless telegraphs, and eventually a radio had to be installed and manned at all times. Working long shifts next to a quiet radio became quite boring, and the men eventually started playing instruments and songs to one another as a form of entertainment. The idea spread, and the radio quickly became used to spread news and entertain families around the globe. Although a terrible tragedy, the sinking of the Titanic allowed radio to become the first truly global form of entertainment.
The Boer War
The Boer War actually consisted of two separate wars fought between Dutch settlers and the British Empire in what is now South Africa. The first war lasted from 1880 until 1881, and the second took place between 1899 and 1902. The second installment proved to be the most costly, as the British captured civilian populations and placed them in concentration camps-the first time they had ever been used by a modern power. The German Empire viewed the British as weak, and openly supported the Boers and their allies. Insulted by the Germans and embarrassed by their inability to deal with the Boers, the British became more involved in world politics, strengthening ties with Russia and France while remaining hostile towards Germany. This animosity would continue to grow, ultimately coming to a head in World War One, which itself set the course of the twentieth century.
The Death of Ogedei Khan
In 1241, Ogedei Khan-the Emperor of the Mongol Empire and son of Genghis Khan-passed away. Shortly before his passing, he had approved of a plan to invade Western Europe, aiming initially for Vienna, Austria, and continuing towards Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. This operation was to be carried out by Batu Khan.Upon Ogadei's death, a number of Mongol princes held an election, and chose Guyuk Khan to lead the Empire-but not before five years had passed. By the time Guyuk was in power, Batu felt too old and weak to invade Western Europe, and the Mongol Empire would never again come close to conquering the region. At around the same time, the basic ideas of "modern" banking and the concepts of capitalism were being developed in Austria. A Mongol invasion at such a time could very well have ended these early forays into what is currently the most prominent economic system in the world.
Lesser-Known Events of the US Civil War
The American Civil War, that is. Call it what you will-the War Between the States, the War to End Slavery-the conflict between the northern Union and the southern Confederacy pitted brother against brother and tore the country apart. Almost everybody knows about the Battle of Gettysburg and Lee's surrender at Appomattox, but some things aren't as popularly known as others-except perhaps in trivia questions for military history buffs. Here are 10 Civil War (1861-1865) events, which you may not have run across.
Siamese Twin Gets Drafted 1865
Chang and Eng, the 19th century's conjoined "Siamese" twins, were once drafted . . . almost. Following the brothers' retirement from show business in 1839, they bought 700 acres of land near White Plains, North Carolina, married sisters, adopted an American surname, fathered children, and owned slaves. According to local legend, in 1865, Union General George Stoneman came to the neighborhood to draft area men into the US Army as conscripts whether they liked it or not. All the names of male residents over 18 were put into a lottery. Eng's name came up, but not Chang's. Of course, as soon as he realized "Eng Bunker" was one-half of the famous inseparable duo, Stoneman let him go. By the way, each brother had a son who joined the Confederate cause, and both ultimately survived the war.
Man Without a Country June 1863
Read Edward Everett Hale's classic, Th