Napolean invades Russia The French invasion of Russia took place in 1812, in an attempt to force Russia back into the Continental blockade. The Russians fought a war of attrition as they retreated, forcing the French forces to rely on increasingly strained supply lines. When winter came, the French army was unable to cope and forced into retreat.

Hitler invades Russia Adolf Hitler amazingly had not learned the lesson that France had when he invaded Russia in WW2. Similar to the French experience, Germany found themselves in a war of attrition and devastated by the Russian winter. The repeated failures of Western European powers in Russia found note in the Princess Bride. "Never fight a land war in Russia!!"

Filling the Hindeburg with Hydrogen In May 1937 the Hindenburg burst into flames killing several passengers and crew. It had been a marvel of engineering and was hoped to usher in a new era of luxury air travel. One of the primary causes of the fire: filling it with a highly flammable gas such as Hydrogen instead of a less combustible alternative.

Decca Records passes on the Beatles In 1962, just a year a half before the Beatles played the Ed Sullivan show, Decca records passed up an opportunity to sign the Beatles because they felt that guitar music was on the way out.

Accepting the Trojan Horse In Homers epic, the Illiad, the Trojans successfully repel the Greek attack of their city for years, until the famous moment when the Greeks trick the Trojans into thinking they have left, while leaving the Trojan horse at their gate.

The Titanic The name that has almost become synonymous with bad decisions.

Adam and Eve The importance of human decisions have been recognized since antiquity. Most cultures have origin stories which feature a protagonist who makes a fatal decision affecting their descendants through the centuries.