Thursday, July 26, 2007

 

WHAT IF...


I suppose some would say playing the "what if" game is foolish, useless and superficial. Ok, but I still have to play it sometimes. Historians argue over whether "great people" or "great forces" are the most important factors in events. Some say that the forces at work give rise to people who act in a certain way and that if person A had not been around, a person B would have filled the role. I tend to think great people make the difference. Thus, "what if..."

Abe Lincoln’s grandfather, named Abraham, was killed in an Indian attack on his farm near present day
Louisville. Tom, Abe’s father was 5 years old and with his dad at the time. An older brother ran to the cabin and fired a rifle through a crack between the logs. Only this gunfire stopped and drove off the Indians. What if Tom had been killed or kidnapped?

On July 9, 1755 George Washington was serving as aide-de-camp to British general Edward Braddock in the French and Indian war. A battle ensued near present day Pittsburgh. 2/3 of the force were killed or wounded. Braddock was killed. Washington had three horses shot from under him; a musket ball went through his hat and several others went through his clothing. What if one musket ball had been an inch or two closer?

In 1931 Winston Churchill was in NYC on a speaking engagement tour where he was hit by a car while crossing 5th Avenue and severely injured. He recovered and kept most of his speaking appointments. What if...


In WWI Adolph Hitler served in the German ground forces. He was wounded by a shell on October 7 1916. In October of 1918 he was temporarily blinded by a chlorine gas attack near Ypres. What if...

In March of 1864 Ulysses S. Grant traveled to Washington and while there sat for a photo in Matthew Brady’s gallery. Grant sat ready to pose as a Brady staffer went up on the roof to adjust a shade on the skylight – natural light being the only lighting available. He carelessly stepped on the skylight and shattered it raining down 2 inch thick missiles of glass all around General Grant.

Grant remained stoic and was not injured. Brady later reflected, “It was a miracle that some of the pieces didn’t strike him. And if one had, it would have been the end of Grant for the glass was two inches thick!”

Grant, of course, was finally the General Lincoln had needed for over 3 years and would pursue Lee to the end. What if...

And what difference has your life made? What if...



Comments:
Great post, sir! You love of history is a source of constant amusement/bemusement to me, but we love you for it!
 
Ella Mae was born in Wasco,Ca. & I was born in Peoria,Ill. What if my parents had not decided to move to Calif. in 1945??
 
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