"Good show, chaps! Now, no one make any unnecessary movements, like turning, sitting, or jumping. Or, um, breathing"
Perhaps no event in human history has defined the future quite like the Great War. At the war's conclusion, millions of soldiers and civilians had died, empires had tumbled, and Europe was left to clean up from the most devastating war it had suffered in a good ten, maybe eleven years.
However, events like World War I needn't be the only moments that garner remembrance in history. There were plenty of other important moments in the past that were not marked with blood, but instead by cooperation. Throughout history, there have been many important meetings between two or more prominent figures; not with the purpose of fighting, but with the purpose of cooperation. Today is the anniversary of such a meeting: The Guayaquil Conference.
Taking place July 26, 1822, the Guayaquil Conference was a meeting between two of South America's all time greatest men, Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin.
"Listen, Jose. It's not that I think the location you chose for the meeting is stupid per say. It's just that we're standing in the middle of a (explicative) field!
Often, important moments come from diplomacy. Wars were started and ended when important people met. So today, in honor of the Guayaquil Conference, I will look at some of history's greatest meetings.
The Guayaquil Conference:
As previously mentioned, this historic meeting took place on July 26th, 1822 in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The main players were the renown libertadores Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin, and the two discussed the future of South America. While both men had high hopes entering the conference, they were unable to reach any agreements, as each had very different ideas on how to run the continent and were unwilling to compromise. In the end, both left Guayaquil without solving any problems. In essence, Bolivar and San Martin would make great US Congressmen.
Attila the Hun and Pope Leo I:
Taking place in 452, this was an attempt by the pontiff to convince Attila not to sack Rome. In the end, the pope was successful; he paid Attila in gold and save the Eternal City from destruction. For his efforts, Pope Leo is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. For his efforts, Attila became wealthier than the current US government. But come to think of it, the same could be said of a five year old girl with a lemonade stand.
Let's not tell the government Attila exists. If they find out, they'll probably try to borrow obscene amounts of money from him!
Appomattox Court House:
Occurring April 9, 1865, this meeting marked the end of the American Civil War in Virginia with the Union being victorious. It ended the bloodshed, and left millions on both sides of the Mason-Dixon relieved that the war was over. And our little Billy Yank got his last laugh.
"Hussah!"
"Humph. I think he cheated!"
King Henry VIII:
This was something our over-weight monarch indulged in quite often; usually on a daily basis! He liked it broiled, cooked, heck sometimes even raw..........oh wait. Sorry Henry. Different kind of meat.
"Oh, fiddle-faddle! A pox upon you!"
Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler:
Taking place September, 1939 in Munich, this is one of the most important meetings in history. In addition to featuring a weasel and a snake in their natural habitats, this meeting set the ground work for World War II. Chamberlain agreed to let Hitler take part of Czechoslovakia in hopes that the new land would appease the demented dictator. Um, yeah. I wonder how that worked out. Let's play the new hit game: Are you Smarter then Neville Chamberlain? Let's meet today's contestant!
"That's easy! False!"
Yay! Congrats! You are officially smarter than Neville Chamberlain! Your prize is you get to see what his decision at this meeting caused!
The Invasion of Poland! This is why dictators should never be bargained with. It leads to things like the invasion of Poland. And they have a hard enough time being Poland! Don't pile it on! So yeah, I think this meeting makes the Guayaquil conference seem pretty successful!
The Reykjavik Summit:
A meeting between President Ronald Regan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in the Icelandic capital, this summit marked one of the first meetings between the US and the USSR to discuss banning ballistic missiles. While the meeting didn't accomplish its intended goals, it did show each side that the other was willing to make concessions, and forced future history teachers to reconsider the "spelling counts" rule on tests.
Douglas MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito:
Taking place September 27, 1945 after the end of World War II, this meeting was between the head of the American occupation force and the Japanese Emperor. During the meeting, MacArthur explained to the emperor how Japan was going to be run in the future, and how the emperor's role was going to be diminished. Accepting the terms, Hirohito bowed to MacArthur's authority, marking the first time a Japanese emperor had bowed to a foreign national. It also marked the beginning of the stereotype that all Japanese people are short.
And now MacArthur feels like a giant
Paris Peace Conference:
Taking place in 1919, this conference looked to clean up the mess World War I left behind. Dominated by the British and French, the conference alienated victorious countries like America and Japan, and severely punished Germany, like they were the ONLY ones who wanted the war. It is generally agreed that this entire conference was butchered, and set the stage for the Second World War. So, all things considered, one of Britain and France's more accomplished moments!
And just like that, you have some of the most important meetings in history. Maybe they weren't all earth shattering, but I think it's proof that sometimes, meetings are just as crucial to the order of events as battle. Although fought with a pen and not a sword, these meetings had huge implications on the course of human history, and demonstrate the power diplomacy can have, both good and bad.
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