Courtesy of the US Air Force.

9/11 attack on the United States.

Weapons, training, and retreat provided and facilitated by the nation that got bitch slapped.

Courtesy of one dude who wears his underwear on his head.

The War of 1812.

My great grandfather pissed all over your burning White House.

Haha, your favourite operation was a carpet bombing that proved the be ultimately ineffective?

Also Americans, if you want to learn more about what mapleleaf is talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ety2FEHQgwM

is this the point where i mention that the US lost the Vietnam war? (although technically it was a UN policing action, it was a failed US lead policing action... and the UN that sanctioned it didn't represent China or the USSR)

I personally like the one where TMW goes on a rant, gets shut down, and answers with another nonsensical rant.

Also, Linebacker 2 wins the prize for most effort for the least amount of results. Somehow fitting for TMW.

I personally prefer the only time US forces set foot on the Japanese Home Islands during the war. Bonus points for anybody who actually knows who I'm talking about. :)

Operation Pedestal - Epic WWII operation to resupply besieged Malta:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pedestal

British forces took heavy losses including an aircraft carrier but ultimately succeeded in keeping the island in the war. Also included one EPIC oil tanker:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Ohio (hit by a torpedo, then hit by a Stuka which crashed on its deck, was abandoned, then reboarded, hit by two more bombs and eventually brought into harbour only afloat due to the fact that two destroyers were strapped to either side of it)

Hardin, you are getting the thread back on track. Stop it!

@mapleleaf - I think your green jello is waiting for you back in the ward.

But on the 9/11 subject. What retreat? The cocksuckers died in the planes with their hostages. How is that a retreat? Also, you Canadian, right? The twin towers were part of the World Trade Center, not the US Trade Center. The following site lists the Canadians who died or are missing presumed dead in the events of Sept 11, 2001.

My personal favorite is Doolittle's raid over Tokyo. The purpose wasn't to do major damage, end the war, or any other lofty goal. It was strictly a morale mission. Boost morale in the US with a hit on Japan's homeland and, at the same time, demoralize Japan by making them realize they weren't untouchable.

@Jack - are you talking about the battle for Okinawa?

Bay of Pigs defense by the Cuban army and militia.

@ Draugnar: "What retreat?"

I think he means 'retreat' in the sense of 'hiding place' - as in base of operations. In the context of "this summer I will be at my holiday retreat in the lakes".

Plus you forgot to provide the link you mentioned.

My favourite battle is the Battle of the Crater during the US Civil War. It has everything from incredible ingenuity to dazzling incompetence. It's a shame for the reputation of Gen. Burnside that his plan of using black troops was stopped at the very last moment. He had spent two weeks training them for this one mission - an attack which would have had a very high chance of success, and would therefore have shown black soldiers in the best possible light.

"nation that got bitch slapped."

I wouldn't call all those civilian deaths a bitch slap but I guess you are an ignorant, nasty piece of work.

Mapleleaf is a hilariously insecure Canadian, it's so sad. Dude, most of us in the United States are nice, normal people! You don't have to be envious! Stop the hate!

Nostradamus: Nope. Talking about the USS Barb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Barb_(SS-220)

Submarines, folks. We rule the oceans.

Oops...

Canadians who died at the WTC:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/kcic1/cdnwtc.html

Those Canadians sure got bitch slapped. Probably voted for Bush, somehow, and thus deserved it. Right?

I'm a big fan of the Normandy invasion by the US during WW2. Incredibly impressive on every level, and even today one of the most massive operations in history.

Also, the Battle of Hastings (can't remember the year, 15 or 1600's or something...) is another favorite, simply because the King of England at the time (William?) was shot in the face with an arrow quite by accident.

And I'm a huge fan of Alexander the Great, and his innovative use of the phalanx, primarily against the Persians.

Hastings was 1066, last time England was successfully invaded. William was the Norman leader, aka Bill the Conqueror. Harold led the English. What makes you say his getting shot in the eye was an accident? Could you be confusing him with Richard?

Battle of Pydna, 168 BC. Romans v. Macedonians. Demonstrated superiority of the maniples over the phalanx.

I vote for Operation Watchtower. An all-out day and night slugfest on land, sea, and air between two well-matched opponents.

The ultimate decision was reached by the failure of one side's supply clerks to figure out how to get MREs and bullets to the front lines.

Point of order lightbringer76 -

1066 is frequently given as the last time England was succesfully invaded but the 1688 'Glorious Revolution' has serious claim to that title.

William, a Dutchman, and his army landed at Torbay in Devon and proceeded to overthrow James II. By most metrics, this would count as a succesful invasion, no?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_Revolution

I say it was an accident because, as far as I know, the soldier that fired the shot had not intended the English King to be his target. Or at the least, was not expecting to hit him. Also, thanks for the factual corrections. It's been a while.

Chas, I stand corrected.

Lord Stark, would your source be something other than the Bayeux Tapestry? I asked because that description of Harold's death sounds very similar to what happened to Richard I.

Battle of Berlin. A little less than 100.000 Germans VS 2 million Soviets, iirc. Gotta love those odds :)

I couldn't tell you, lightbringer, that particular history lesson was much too long ago lol.

I've got to go with Cannae (Hannibal V Rome) and its aftermath.
For Cannae, Hannibal's tactics demonstrated the way to turn local weakness into global strength by tricking the enemy. The roman legions just kept on winning- kept on walking- kept on dying.
As for the aftermath, I'm astounded that Rome was able to turn it around. The Fabian Strategy was an impressive demonstration of political willpower to win a war even if it meant appearing dishonourable.

Cannae is a tactical masterpiece by Hannibal.

Um.. Marathon is also a good battle.

Thermopylae obviously. Everyone loves that one but I love it a lot.

The Crusades in general as well.

Oh and who can forget the Anglo-Zulu Wars