Time travel back to a war...

[littleanubis]

If you could time travel back to any war and change something about it, before it happened... What would you do, and why?

I would kidnap Hitler, put him on mood stabilizers, put him in therapy, and then use him for his mind and see if we could make some healthier choices for his life.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

I would aid Hannibal in defeating Romans and see the world without western culture, interesting experiment.

But then I would probably travel to the largest war and work to lower the casualties or even prevent the outbreak.

Stalin's regime caused many more deaths than Hitler's regime btw.

 

[Cherry Cola]

I wonder what would've happened if Hitler hadn't been there; tensions were running high, so something would probably have happened. Maybe it would've just delayed WWII, perhaps enough for it to have been even worse.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

Yes, that has to be taken into consideration. The world was boiling with hatred at that point and the Japanese were already commiting crimes.

 

[Cognisant]

I would have helped the British win the american war of independence.

 

[OrLevitate]

"Pastwatch: the redemption of christopher colombus" explores this idea. Id just do what most would attempt I guess. Try and relieve suffering / expedite progress in improving humanity's quality of life. id like to have a more precise answer but I haven't invested the time

 

[Anktark]

Let's say there is a way to avoid the "changed the future and thus was never born" paradox.
Jump to Mesopotamia (Sumer civilisation's location) somewhere between 3000-2500 B.C. With use of non-lethal (probably gas) weaponry take most of the people on the opposing sides hostage and torture them for a bit (couple days should suffice). Afterwards erect a big monument from inflammable, non-corrosive, non-fragile material (alloy of some sort) that says "Organized religion, fiat currency and war are bad ideas. Don't do it." Maybe take a couple pictures while I am there too.

 

[Nick]

The war between Eve and the snake.

 

[Pyropyro]

I would visit history regularly and kill everyone that will discover gunpowder.

I want people to fight with swords, fists and bows. Less casualties and more manly

 

[Emerson]

I would have helped the British win the american war of independence.

I second this.

 

[Jennywocky]

I second this.

I doubt there was a way they could have maintained a foothold; it would have happened sooner or later, just due to the distance/logistics + American psychology.

But it would have likely rippled throughout other historical events -- for example, the whole slavery issue. If Lincoln wasn't around when that issue boiled over (even though his initial stance was mainly about secession rights), I wonder who would have stepped in.

 

[EditorOne]

Hm. Well, I'd like to have been present at a great many historic events, and I'd have a great many questions to ask people ("General Lee? Sir? It's 12:45 p.m. July 3. You sure about this?"). But I wouldn't particularly want to change any of it.

 

[Analyzer]

I second this.

The British were the winners in the end. The Constitution came to be from the Federalists and many of them were loyalists. Jefferson and other anti-federalists basically lost when the Articles of Confederation were thrown out giving more power to a central and bigger authority.

Also, in beginning of the 20th century the British just came back and helped set up a central bank(Fed), establishing a dependent US nation.

 

[Red myst]

If a person is ineffectual at influencing the present. I doubt that person could do so any more or less in the past.
I also think there are too many unforseen consequences to know which is a "better" choice. And some things are bound to happen no matter what.
But, for the fun of it, I suppose I would eliminate Cain before he murders Abel. My purpose would be to blunt that strain of the gene pool that is prone to adverse behavior. But of course nature being what it is, those characteristics probably will turn up again further down the line.

 

[deadpixel]

The crusades, I would have went back in time so I can show them what is happening right now. Maybe this would have inspired the crusaders to have gotten the job done, or to just leave them the fuck alone.