Last minute decisions that changed history

Did You Know? 11th Hour Decisions That Changed History

Did you know that some last-minute decisions have drastically altered the course of history? From a personnel change that led to over 1,500 deaths to a single wrong turn that sparked one of the deadliest wars in history, join me as we explore some of the most significant last-minute choices that reshaped the world.

The Titanic’s Fatal Last-Minute Change

The Titanic is often remembered as the most infamous shipwreck, with over 1,500 passengers losing their lives when the massive 900-foot cruise liner collided with an iceberg in April 1912. While this tragedy is well-known, less is said about the last-minute personnel change that sealed the ship’s fate.

Before setting sail from Southampton to New York, the White Star Line made a sudden staff change, replacing Second Officer David Blair with Charles Loler. This seemed like a minor adjustment, but Blair accidentally took with him the key to a locker that contained essential binoculars for the lookouts.

For the first four days of the voyage, no one noticed the missing key. But on the night of April 14th, as the Titanic neared an iceberg, lookout Frederick Fleet could not use the binoculars due to the oversight. As a result, he only spotted the iceberg too late. The Titanic struck the iceberg, and the rest is history. In a later inquiry, Fleet said that had he had binoculars, he would have seen the iceberg sooner, possibly averting the disaster.

The Titanic disaster could have been avoided if Blair had simply checked his pockets before leaving the ship.

The King’s Speech That Almost Wasn’t

Martin Luther King Jr. is celebrated for his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, and his most iconic moment came during the “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in front of 250,000 people. But those four famous words almost didn’t make it into the speech at all.

King had used the phrase “I have a dream” in prior speeches, but his advisers had discouraged him from using it again, considering it too cliché. So, King began his speech by reading from his notes. Then, during a brief pause, his close friend, singer Mahalia Jackson, shouted, “Tell him about the dream!”

King, inspired, abandoned his notes and delivered the now-famous segment that captivated millions. Within two years, the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act were passed, crucial victories in the fight for racial equality. If Mahalia Jackson hadn’t spoken up, who knows how history might have unfolded?

Saved by the Script: Theodore Roosevelt’s Close Call

After serving as president from 1901 to 1909, Theodore Roosevelt sought another term in 1912. While campaigning in Milwaukee, Roosevelt began his speech with a strange announcement: “I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot.”

As it turned out, Roosevelt had been shot in the chest by an assassin before entering the auditorium. Yet, he went on to deliver a 90-minute speech before seeking medical attention. How did he survive?

It turns out that the folded 50-page speech and his metal eyeglass case, both in his breast pocket, absorbed the bullet’s impact, preventing it from reaching vital organs. Without these last-minute decisions, Roosevelt might not have lived to finish his speech or to serve another term in office.

Apprehensive Abe: Lincoln’s Last-Minute Decision

Abraham Lincoln, one of the most influential figures in American history, made a series of last-minute decisions that led to his tragic assassination. After the Union victory in the Civil War, Lincoln was scheduled to attend a play at Ford’s Theater on April 14, 1865. Though both Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant were supposed to go, Grant canceled at the last minute due to a personal dispute. Lincoln, though reluctant, decided to attend.

Lincoln also dismissed his trusted bodyguard, Ward Hill Lamon, for a trip to Richmond just a day before the event. This left him vulnerable at the theater. That evening, his bodyguard, John Parker, left his post to watch the play and later went to a saloon during intermission, leaving Lincoln unprotected. Just after Parker left, John Wilkes Booth entered Lincoln’s box and shot him.

One of the most tragic events in American history might have been avoided had Lincoln made different last-minute decisions regarding his safety.

The American Revolution’s Turning Point: Johann Rall’s Fatal Mistake

In December 1776, George Washington’s American forces were struggling in the Revolutionary War. But a last-minute decision by German Colonel Johann Rall would change the course of the war.

Rall, stationed at Trenton, received a warning about Washington’s troops’ movements, but he chose not to read the message, instead continuing a card game. The next day, Washington’s forces successfully attacked Trenton, defeating Rall’s unprepared troops. This victory boosted American morale, and soon after, Washington’s forces secured another victory at Princeton.

Rall’s failure to act on the warning letter ultimately helped secure American independence.

Governor Baker’s Catastrophic Fire Decision

In December 1666, a fire broke out in London, starting in Thomas Farriner’s bakery. Though Farriner claimed he extinguished the fire before bed, a spark from his wood-fired oven started the blaze, which spread quickly due to the city’s wooden structures.

The fire burned for five days, destroying a third of London and leaving 100,000 homeless. Had Farriner properly checked his oven before going to sleep, the Great Fire of London might have been avoided.

Buddy Holly’s Fatal Last-Minute Flight

In February 1959, Buddy Holly and his band were touring in the Midwest. To save time, Holly chartered a plane to their next gig. The young pilot, Roger Peterson, was exhausted and flying through a snowstorm. Although Holly’s bassist, Waylon Jennings, had been scheduled to fly but gave up his seat to the Big Bopper, the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all aboard.

Had they not made the decision to charter the plane, the tragic crash might have been avoided, leaving us to wonder how much further Holly’s career could have gone.

Castro’s Close Call: Marita Lorenz’s Last-Minute Change of Heart

In 1959, CIA agent Marita Lorenz was tasked with poisoning Cuban leader Fidel Castro. However, when the time came, she lost her nerve and flushed the deadly pills down the toilet. Castro went on to rule Cuba for another 56 years until his death in 2016. Had Lorenz followed through, the course of history could have been drastically different.

Torpedo Trouble: The Cuban Missile Crisis

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the Soviet submarine B-59 came close to launching a nuclear torpedo at American forces. Fortunately, Vasili Arkhipov, the second-in-command, refused to authorize the launch, preventing a nuclear disaster.

His calm decision helped avert global catastrophe, showcasing how one person’s judgment in the heat of the moment can change the fate of the world.

The Missile Crisis That Wasn’t: Stanislav Petrov’s Cool Head

In 1983, Soviet lieutenant colonel Stanislav Petrov was faced with a false missile alert indicating five U.S. missiles were heading toward the Soviet Union. Despite being expected to trigger a retaliatory strike, Petrov decided to treat the alert as a malfunction. He was correct, as the warning system had misinterpreted sunlight reflecting off clouds.

Petrov’s decision prevented a potential nuclear war, proving how crucial last-minute judgment can be in preventing global conflict.

The D-Day Decision That Turned the Tide of WWII

During World War II, German general Erwin Rommel made the fateful decision to leave his post to attend his wife’s birthday during the critical days leading up to D-Day in 1944. This allowed the Allies to land at Normandy unchallenged, leading to the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.

Had Rommel been present, the German response might have been faster and more coordinated, possibly altering the course of the war.

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: A Driver’s Error

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914 sparked World War I. After a failed bombing attempt, the Archduke’s driver took a wrong turn, bringing Ferdinand’s car into the path of his assassin, Gavrilo Princip, who shot and killed him. This seemingly small mistake led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia and triggered a chain reaction that led to World War I.

Kokura’s Lucky Escape from the Atomic Bomb

In August 1945, Kokura was scheduled to be the next target for the U.S. atomic bomb after Hiroshima. However, when the bomber’s pilot found the city shrouded in clouds, he diverted to Nagasaki, which was bombed instead. Had the weather been clear, Kokura would have been devastated, and Nagasaki might have been spared.