in 1000 years when they look back on the ruins of the USA

[lew]

I agree that Truman will probably be remembered. Simply for the atomic bomb, nothing else.

[lew]

Originally Posted by thomez

history of the Revolution from John Adams:

"The history of our Revolution will be one continued lie from one end to the other. The essence of the whole will be that Dr. Franklin's electrical rod smote the earth and out sprang General Washington. That Franklin electrified him with his rod, and thence forward these two conducted all the policy, negotiations, legislatures, and war."

he was basically right, nobody will remember anyone else except maybe Jefferson

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by thomez

I thought about that, but then deleted it.

In 1000 years the phone that he invented will be so obsolete they won't care anymore.

but the concept he had sparked much more than just the phone. internet, cable, harnessed electricity.... don't you think?

[thomez]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

but the concept he had sparked much more than just the phone. internet, cable, harnessed electricity.... don't you think?

yes, but judging by how many people know who he is now, I doubt many will know in 1000 years

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by thomez

yes, but judging by how many people know who he is now, I doubt many will know in 1000 years

true. we should have a "truly influential" category here as well.

[DosEquis]

The united federation of planets should have defeated the klingon and romulan empires by then. And the worm hole by deep space nine should be primarily used for commerce as opposed to war ships going between quadrants of the galaxy.

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by DosEquis

The united federation of planets should have defeated the klingon and romulan empires by then. And the worm hole by deep space nine should be primarily used for commerce as opposed to war ships going between quadrants of the galaxy.

definitly no nudez now!

[hsmith]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

honestly, i didn't even think about Truman. Washington, Lincoln, Edison, Franklin come to mind... even Roosevelt. maybe JFK.

Bush could be in there too, negatively, depending how much deeper we get.

how could history skip the decision to use the nuclear weapon?

it is by far the biggest single event of the last centry

[hsmith]

Originally Posted by lew

I agree that Truman will probably be remembered. Simply for the atomic bomb, nothing else.

well yeah that is the only reason why

[hsmith]

lol @ Adams

[nbiggershaft]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

You don't think that Oppenheimer belongs in there? There are a few things in the world that have had more influence than atomic power and the atomic bomb. For better or worse, our world has completely changed because of those two things. We actually came a hairs width away from destroying the earth because of atomic power.

won't be room for him and einstein both

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by nbiggershaft

won't be room for him and einstein both

einstein wasn't american.

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by hsmith

how could history skip the decision to use the nuclear weapon?

it is by far the biggest single event of the last centry

because he is not a household name. we're talking about names of people that will be remembered in 1000 years or even well in 100 years. yes, the atomic bomb was huge, but people will think atomic bomb, not oppenheimer.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

because he is not a household name. we're talking about names of people that will be remembered in 1000 years or even well in 100 years. yes, the atomic bomb was huge, but people will think atomic bomb, not oppenheimer.

Im pretty sure he was talking about Truman and his decision to use the bomb, not Oppenheimer.

[nbiggershaft]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

einstein wasn't american.

he wasn't born here, he's still seen as an american icon, and the most associated figure with the atom bomb

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

Im pretty sure he was talking about Truman and his decision to use the bomb, not Oppenheimer.

hate to tell you guys, but even Truman isn't a household name these days.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

hate to tell you guys, but even Truman isn't a household name these days.

i dont think it is so much about household names as it is content in a history book ... like when we have World History class in high school, we hit on certain figures throughout history.

I think Truman will be one figure that is hit on, since that method of ending WWII dramatically changed the world (both in terms of national policy, but also the way energy is understood, etc.).

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

i dont think it is so much about household names as it is content in a history book ... like when we have World History class in high school, we hit on certain figures throughout history.

I think Truman will be one figure that is hit on, since that method of ending WWII dramatically changed the world (both in terms of national policy, but also the way energy is understood, etc.).

history book yes, but for the average american, who are they going to remember in 1000 years as who was important, truman isn't a name that would immediately come to mind. just saying...

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

history book yes, but for the average american, who are they going to remember in 1000 years as who was important, truman isn't a name that would immediately come to mind. just saying...

i wonder if at the time, Romans living 50 years after Caesar's death thought he would be one of the most recognizable figures in all of human history?

[Joe_Cool]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

didn't something come up showing henry ford helped the Nazis during WWII?

I don't think he ever helped them, or necessarily even sympathized with them. He was definitely a jew-hater, but I read that even he was horrified and appalled when he found out what happened in the concentration camps.