These hotly contested historical events continue to spark debates. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining the most debated, controversial, or unsettled events and periods across history.
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00:00 In this photo right here, the official government photos and the press release,
00:03 is not the debris that he found in the field. I see my grandfather holding up something that
00:11 he knew that wasn't what he found. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're examining the
00:16 most debated, controversial, or unsettling events and periods across history. With just 10 days to
00:22 go before the explosion, Catesby's plot began to unravel. From September 1793 to July 1794,
00:32 this period represented the French Revolution's most violent phase, characterized by mass
00:37 executions and political purges. One man would rise to inspire the nation, to cast aside a
00:44 reluctant king and a hated queen, and a new republic would be born in blood. Authorities,
00:51 particularly the Committee of Public Safety, justified these actions as necessary to defend
00:57 the nascent republic against royalist insurgents and foreign invaders. However, many still argue
01:03 the extent to which these measures reflected genuine security concerns versus power consolidation
01:09 by leaders like Maximilien Robespierre. The radical Jacquelines, believing the young revolution is in
01:15 danger of being sabotaged by traitors, are steering the revolution with more and more violent
01:21 means. The scale of executions, estimated between 16 and 40,000 deaths, and the criteria for
01:28 persecution remain points of contention. Scholars also examine the terror's impact on the revolution's
01:33 broader goals, questioning whether it ultimately safeguarded or betrayed the pursuit of liberty,
01:39 equality, and fraternity. What they understood by terror was striking terror into the hearts of the
01:45 enemies of the republic, so that they would be either scared straight, as it were, or arrested
01:53 and disposed of. Its legacy continues to fuel discussions on state power and human rights in
01:59 times of crisis. Origin of World War I. The precipitating event for World War I was the
02:05 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in June 1914. But the war's roots
02:12 are deeply embedded in the intricate web of alliances, military build-ups, imperial ambitions,
02:18 and nationalist fervor that characterized early 20th century Europe. Before the outbreak of war,
02:24 continental Europe is fraught with tension. Its great imperial powers are jostling for position
02:30 against one another, while attempting to suppress the aspirations and rebelliousness of their own
02:36 subjects. Historians wrestle over the relative weight of these factors, with some emphasizing
02:41 the aggressive militarism of certain powers, notably Germany and Austria-Hungary, against
02:46 those who highlight the role of defensive alliances that entangled Britain, France, and Russia in
02:52 conflict following the assassination. Instead of holding back, the politicians and generals are
02:58 rushing headlong towards disaster. The rapid mobilization schedules, lack of diplomatic
03:04 communication, colonial rivalries, and economic competition are also scrutinized for their roles
03:10 in escalating a regional crisis into a global war. August 1914. Europe's old imperial elite
03:17 is at war. A new kind of war, which they do not understand and which will lead to their ruin.
03:23 Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great's conquests from 334 to 323 BCE
03:31 forged one of humanity's largest empires, stretching from Greece to Egypt and into
03:36 the Indian subcontinent. He was ruthless, pragmatic, heroic, and a superb organizer.
03:41 These talents he used to cut a bloody passage across the known world,
03:46 toppling ancient dynasties, creating new cities, and acquiring incredible wealth. Yet the
03:53 interpretation of his achievements and the nature of his empire remain subjects of inquiry. Questions
03:59 linger about the strategic brilliance versus the opportunistic aspects of his military campaigns,
04:04 as well as the sustainability of the empire, which fragmented rapidly after his death at 32.
04:10 He was laying down fairly long-term foundations. He was building cities. He was establishing
04:18 civil administration. He was creating a fused political culture that could last.
04:24 Some historians view Alexander as a visionary who sought to merge Greek and Eastern cultures,
04:30 advocating for Hellenistic ideals, while others criticize his methods and motives,
04:35 pointing to the destruction and displacement caused by his conquests. Additionally,
04:40 his untimely death contributes to discussions on what might have been achieved had he lived longer.
04:45 One of the things that is coming out of Alexander's empire is a reframing of the
04:52 sense of the globe and how large things are. And they are rewriting the way that they thought the
05:00 world looked. Fall of the Roman Empire. The collapse of the Western Roman Empire is subject
05:05 to extensive analysis. Academics have proposed numerous causes for the empire's decline,
05:10 including economic instability, military defeats, and internal corruption. The first signs of the
05:16 empire being torn apart in its very fabric is the crisis of the third century. You've got
05:22 revolts. You've got civil war, hyperinflation, and a string of useless emperors. One significant
05:30 point of contention is the role of external barbarian invasions versus internal decay.
05:35 Scholars emphasize the impact of the Gothic War and the sackings of Rome,
05:39 arguing that these external pressures were critical. Rome has been beaten on its home turf,
05:46 and now many, many, many barbarian tribes will start to feel that they can do the same thing.
05:52 Perception is everything in this, and the Romans are seen to be weak. They're on the way down.
05:59 Different experts focus on the gradual transformation through economic and social
06:03 changes within the empire, suggesting a more complex integration of barbarian groups
06:08 rather than a simple fall. The debate also extends to the influence of Christianity,
06:13 with arguments about whether it strengthened or weakened the imperial structure.
06:17 The universal empire, instead of fighting the universal church, has done a deal with it.
06:23 From now on, empire and church are going to walk side by side.
06:28 Cuban Missile Crisis. October 1962 stands as the Cold War's closest brush with nuclear
06:35 confrontation. Many Soviet ships were crossing the Atlantic. That was, you know, very obvious.
06:41 We were tracking the ships, and it soon became clear that they were not just taking agricultural
06:47 equipment and food supplies to Cuba, they were taking military equipment.
06:51 The strategic decision by the Soviet Union to place nuclear missiles in Cuba,
06:55 just 90 miles from the U.S. coast, prompted a tense 13-day standoff with the United States.
07:01 My fellow citizens, let no one doubt that this is a difficult and dangerous effort
07:07 on which we have set out. There is an ongoing debate over motivations behind a Soviet leader
07:12 Nikita Khrushchev's move, whether it was a bold attempt to shift the nuclear balance,
07:17 or a defensive measure in response to U.S. missiles in Turkey and Italy. The resolution
07:22 of the crisis through secret negotiations leading to the removal of missiles from both Cuba and
07:27 Turkey is also scrutinized for its impact on subsequent U.S.-Soviet relations and its
07:33 betrayal as a diplomatic victory for President John F. Kennedy. I think we were very lucky
07:38 that it was Kennedy, because there's no question in my mind that whether it was Johnson or Nixon
07:47 or Eisenhower, they would have invaded Cuba. Origins of COVID-19. The emergence of COVID-19,
07:55 first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, sparked global efforts to trace its origins.
08:01 The big debate over the origin of the virus, which is dividing the scientific and political world,
08:08 starts in a remote, abandoned copper mine. Initial theories suggested a natural zoonotic
08:13 transmission, potentially from a wet market in Wuhan, aligning with the understanding of
08:17 coronaviruses and their animal reservoirs. However, the exact pathway, whether direct
08:23 from bats or through an intermediary host, remains undetermined, fueling ongoing investigations and
08:28 discussion. Complicating the discourse are suggestions of a laboratory origin,
08:33 including the possibility of an accidental release from a virology lab in Wuhan.
08:37 But it's equally plausible that it may have come from an accidental leak of a virus that was being
08:43 grown in a laboratory. International calls for transparency and comprehensive data have met with
08:49 geopolitical tensions, illustrating the challenges of conducting apolitical scientific inquiries
08:54 into pandemic origins. The scientific community remains divided, advocating for further research
09:00 to conclusively determine the virus's genesis. You've got two competing theories here. You've
09:05 got what Nikolai's talking about, an accidental leak, or you've got an accidental jump from a bat,
09:12 an intermediate species, into a human. In both cases, I still actually think it's accidental.
09:18 Mongol invasions. Genghis Khan and his successors reshaped large portions of the world,
09:23 from Eastern Europe to Asia. The Mongolian tribes exploded out of the Central Asian steppes,
09:29 with a ferocity never seen before, on a campaign of bloodthirsty conquest that would last for the
09:35 next 100 years. Some argue the rapid expansion was driven by the need for new grazing lands for
09:41 their horses, while a different interpretation posits it as an inherent aspect of Mongol
09:46 political strategy to expand their empire. The Mongolian battlefield tactics, and their
09:51 remarkable courage and resilience, have become the stuff of legend. The impact of the Mongols
09:56 is also contested. They are credited with facilitating trade across the Silk Road and
10:01 transmitting ideas and technology between the East and West. Yet they are also criticized for
10:06 the mass destruction and loss of life resulting from their conquests. The legacy of the Mongol
10:11 Empire is thus viewed through a dual lens, as a period of brutal conquest, but also as a catalyst
10:17 for cultural exchange and economic integration. The Mongolian army proved themselves to be adaptable,
10:23 resourceful, astute, and disciplined. Boston Tea Party
10:27 On December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party became a pivotal act of defiance against British rule
10:34 over the American colonies. A group of about 60 Bostonians called the Sons of Liberty,
10:38 wearing mohawk headdresses and war paint, boarded three British East India Company trading ships,
10:44 and dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The event involved American colonists
10:50 throwing 342 chests of British tea into the Boston Harbor as a protest against the Tea Act,
10:56 which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on sales in the colonies.
11:01 The interpretation of the Boston Tea Party varies. Various academics view it as a principled stand
11:07 against taxation without representation, and an early assertion of American political identity.
11:12 The phrase "no taxation without representation" wasn't just a slogan. It was the result of years
11:18 of unfair treatment by the British crown. Others argue it was motivated by economic
11:22 self-interest among local smugglers and merchants, threatened by the legislation's
11:27 implications. Disagreements persist over its symbolism, and the extent to which it reflected
11:32 broader colonial sentiment versus the actions of a radical few.
11:36 After the destruction of the tea, this kernel of an idea of independence began to percolate
11:41 in the hearts and minds of the people. That's what the Boston Tea Party did.
11:45 Gunpowder plot. Gunpowder treason and plot, oh my! November 5, 1605, marked an assassination
11:51 attempt against King James I of England and the Parliament by a group of English Catholics,
11:56 led by Robert Catesby, with Guy Fowlkes famously associated with the failed attempt.
12:01 If they had succeeded in doing what they wanted to do, it would have been the bloodiest and most
12:08 appalling plot in English history. Their aim was to restore a Catholic monarch
12:13 to the throne by blowing up the House of Lords during the state opening of Parliament.
12:18 It was the first attempt to blow up the entire British establishment.
12:22 There remains doubt about the motivations behind the machinations.
12:26 Examining the extent of religious persecution faced by Catholics under James I's rule,
12:31 and whether the planners were provoked by government agents, an early example of state-sponsored
12:36 entrapment. The discovery led to harsher anti-Catholic laws and the annual commemoration
12:41 of Guy Fowlkes Night. One of the consequences of the plot is to produce widespread suspicion
12:48 of Catholics. All Catholics are tired with the brush of terrorism.
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13:06 Roswell Incident. In July 1947, this iconic event emerged as the seminal event in UFO lore,
13:16 following the US military's recovery of debris near Roswell, New Mexico,
13:20 initially reported as a flying disc. In New Mexico, a 48-year-old rancher named
13:25 Mac Brazel had made a rather unusual discovery. A large area of wreckage, including rubber strips,
13:33 tin foil, a rather tough paper, and... sticks. Subsequent military statements reclassified the
13:40 debris as a conventional weather balloon, sparking decades of conspiracy theories about alien
13:45 spacecraft and government cover-ups. Researchers and enthusiasts dissect government documents,
13:51 eyewitness accounts, and subsequent disclosure about the incident.
13:54 When the US government finally revealed Mac was right, it was not a weather balloon.
14:01 It wasn't a Martian spaceship either. While there's an assertion that the
14:05 recovered material was extraterrestrial, skeptics and historians cite Project Mogul,
14:11 a classified project using high-altitude balloons to detect Soviet nuclear tests,
14:16 as a likely explanation. The Roswell debris was part of a different
14:20 kind of balloon, one used in the top secret Project Mogul. Essentially an airborne bugging
14:26 device to listen out for possible Soviet nuclear tests and missile launches.
14:30 The US government's continued release of reports over the decades has failed to quell speculation,
14:36 highlighting the enduring fascination surrounding Roswell.
14:39 Which of these do you find the most open to new context? Let us know in the comments.
14:44 One is the importance of deliberation. I mean, it is remarkable that the president
14:50 in these moments of heightened crisis doesn't always act first. He thinks, he listens, he analyzes.
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