re: History Nerds: The most decisive battle fought since the year 1800?

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The most decisive battle fought since the year 1800?

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A-10 Warthogs vs camel jockeys circa 1990.

Waterloo

Desert Storm.

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Then the ramifications:
- Allowed the greatest stateman of the 19th century to unify Germany
- Created the largest and most powerful country in Europe
- Set in motion the alliances that would lead to WW1, some of which changed after Bismarck died
- Would mark the peak of Bismarck’s power

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Now, we're on to something. If by decisive, you mean most consequential, how about the battle for Belgium when Germany invaded Belgium in WWI in blind adherence to the Schlieffen Plan? Had Germany not invaded Belgium, then Britain likely stays out of the war, there's no resulting naval blockade of Germany, and Germany doesn't have to sink British ships and antagonize the U.S. into joining the war. Without the British involved, and weaker than anticipated Russian forces, Germany is able to hold its own against France, and they don't need to transport Lenin to Russia to foment the Communist revolution. In due course, the war parties agree to terms, and the circumstances are not present for Hitler to rise to power or for WWII to break out.

Or how about the battles of Tours, Vienna, and Lepanto? If the Christians had lost any of those battles, then, arguably, Europe would have been converted to Islam 500 or more years earlier than it was.