Since war-related history topics seem to draw people on the forums, here's another question:

What, in your opinion, is the most influential weapon ever devised?

the rock...they were thrown at things back in the caveman/cro-magnon days and are used often today as well.

The Chinese invention of gunpowder.

atom bomb hands down.

Trav, I considered the atomic bomb. But I gunpowder has been used for centuries, and it is used everywhere. Only a few countries have nuclear weapons, and they are not currently used. I just think gunpowder has had a much greater influence through history, and still has a great one today.

the most influential weopon is the atom bomb because no weapon is as feared as the atom bomb. it doesnt even need to be used to be feared. the mere though of its use is enough scare teh crap out of entire nations.

The airplane easily. What else could really compare to it?

A-bomb

I agree with Borg. Gunpowder is the for runner of just about every other weapon sense made.

think of the tide of WWII what turned it both ways: AIR POWER, either the effective use of it or the lack of it

Originally posted by Jwjames111
think of the tide of WWII what turned it both ways: AIR POWER, either the effective use of it or the lack of it
What about gunpowder, having been THE influential weapon in every single war since the Middle Ages?

The mind. Not only in the ability to create weapons but to devise strategies, treaties, and tricks.

Oh c'mon people...the rock! the rock!

What about the stick? Or the hands and claws and teeth?

The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch!

Count to 3 and only 3. Not 2 and not 5. Just 3.

Gunpowder has certainly had more of an impact on history than the Atom Bomb, or the airplane.

I would also put the blade right up there with gunpowder. It has been used from the stone age right up to the present day.

I debated on chosing the blade/knife...but I thought on a mass scale, gunpowders been more evident.

While the blade & gunpowder certainly have their place, IMO, communications devices have become more insidious than some give credit for. Everything from the simple telegraph to the fanciest satellites tell those that care just where to send those explosive devices.

I wouldnt neccesarily include that as a weapon....if you do include that, you might as well include the person using the weapon...which makes them the most dangerous one. They have both the intelligence to use them, and the unintelligence to use them.

Man is not an invention of another man. Everything else being discussed is.

The original question is the most deadly invention ever devised.

No stipulation about being man made.

Originally posted by jerejerebinks
The original question is the most deadly invention ever devised.

No stipulation about being man made.

Actually the original question was:

What, in your opinion, is the most influential weapon ever devised?

So it must be a "weapon" not just an "invention", and a communications device could be considered a psychological weapon. As far as it being man-made, the question doesn't specify that it must be, but the only creatures that I know of that use weapons that aren't part of their own bodies are babboons, who will grab a stick to chase off leopards with.

Since the good ones are taken.
I will say the invention of steel. This discovery took us from the bronze age to an age of more efficient killing devices.

Gunpowder brought greater destruction capabilities.
I agree with es, electronic communications brought about a coordination of killing that was not available for centuries.

Today we see the results of centuries of finding better and better ways of killing one another off.

If used properly, or you might say improperly, BIOLOGICAL INVENTIONS could be the most devestating discovery known to man. The right one could litterly wipe out humanity in a short time.

Well, I stand by gunpowder as the most influential weapon.....if it has to be an invention, man, if not.

Gotta go with fire...or disease.

Or the mind. Every weapon was invented by the mind.

I also semi agree with the mind, tactis maybe. War was never the same after Sun Tzu's Art of War, it brought a hell of a lot more strategy in. Intelligence gathering, spies and such, also, ever since Machiavelli those have been used extensively. But I'll be more specific. Religion. The most successful weapon ever devised. More men have gone to war and died because of religious persuasion than for any other reason. Religion is also used as a tool against your enemy, if you know it you can use it, and more wars can be won more efficiently on that front than ever on a battlefield.

OK, I am making up my mind once and for all.

Man is the worst weapon. His mind creates all weapons. His motives create all wars. His silly feuds create monumental cataclysms.

What about the Ark of the Covenant?

what about it lionel?

Jere, the ark was supposed to be capable of unlimited destructive power if I remember the storys properly.

Ok, so it was being entered into this lilttle contest of weapons.

My question is though, is it influential....theres not been anything like it sense, because the first one was of God.

According to legend it is hidden and no one knows its location.
Read something about Hitler trying to find it.

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
According to legend it is hidden and no one knows its location.
Read something about Hitler trying to find it.

I seem to remember seeing some documentary about how it's being guarded by a sect of monks in Ethiopia, and only the head monk is allowed to see it.

I was just goofing around. All of the good answers were already taken.

Vile, I would like to get the head monk-key and have a look.

Since this is Such a guy-dominated topic, I feel I Have to stick my nose in something I know nothing about.

Wouldn't fear and intimidation be a pretty powerful weapon?

Or Terror. It's being used today, isn't it?

Originally posted by creetwins
Since this is Such a guy-dominated topic, I feel I Have to stick my nose in something I know nothing about.

Wouldn't fear and intimidation be a pretty powerful weapon?

Or Terror. It's being used today, isn't it?

Figures it would be a woman to bring "terror" into the discussion. Mothers are experts at it. :D

"If you keep doing that your eyes will stay that way!"

"Don't make me come up there!"

"Just wait til your father gets home!"

Figures it would be a woman to bring "terror" into the discussion. Mothers are experts at it.

"If you keep doing that your eyes will stay that way!"

"Don't make me come up there!"

"Just wait til your father gets home!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hehe.......yup! I'm just trying to bring a different angle to the convo. ;)

influential..........



this is one that might qualify. Atlatl were a major stepping stone toward aquiring meat more efficiently and safely, by allowing spears to be launched harder and further than by hand alone. They added torque, and acted like an extension of the arm.

Less people were trampled by getting too close to large herd animals, and the added speed meant that with good aim, you had a higher chance of a fatal kill. Less hunters injured and less spears lost was a pretty good result for the advancement and survival of man.

I don't like to think of weapons being used for war purposes, even though I know that it happens.

I think in order for it to be truly influential, the abililty to obtain sustenance is high on my list.

.http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca/hhistory/atlatl/atlatl2.gif

THE KNIFE. When Cain slew Abel he wiped out one quarter of the world's population.

If you want the single most influnetial thing in history i would say gunpowder, hands down.

But if you asking for a weapon then i will of course say the AK-47.

Originally posted by Brooks
THE KNIFE. When Cain slew Abel he wiped out one quarter of the world's population.

Although funny, I dont actually think he killed him with a knife, or atleast we dont know for sure.

It says while in the field he rose up against him.

In that case, it could have been with anything...meaning that anything could be an influential weapon depending on how you look at it.

I agree.

I think that anything can be and probably at times have been used as a weapon.