If you were an evil time traveler and wanted to disrupt world history as much as possible, what event during the 20th century would you change, and why?

I would start with J. P. Morgan. Destroy the American economy by stopping him from loaning to it, then hinting to Canada and Mexico that the U. S. would be ripe pickings. Then of course move on to Europe and create a world super power (not Germany). Do the same with Asia, and finally with Australia. Then, I would start an epic war between them.

I’m an evil time traveller? Well in that case my job would already be done, Bush was elected lol.

Kill Morgan Freedman. Who would be in every movie under the sun then?

Dramatically changing the course of WWI would probably be an effective way to disrupt the rest of the century (since that’s my goal) either though subtle manipulation from the top down or by the introduction of something like ebola into the trenches. Why, you said so yourself, because I’m evil! Though even evil people are curious, so baring that, I’d also want to see Rommel replace Hitler (or at least have Hitler take his advice more completely) at some point in WW2 just to see what would have happened. I’m not sure how “evil” that would be but I bet it would sure change history.

@Shield_of_Achilles: D’uh, Gene Hackman.

I’d run a re-election campaign (and win it!) for Herbert Hoover.

@aprilsimnel I was leaning toward Samuel L Jackson. Lol

@Blackberry There is just one thing wrong with what you said. Bush was elected in the 21st century with it all happening in the 2000’s and all…....

Lol I forgot! One of my friends had a grand scheme where Eugene V. Debs became president, then was assassinated, then a Communist became President of the U.S. and ruled the world.

Oops lol!

Go back and explain to the WWII axis leaders where and how they messed up, and show them where current history says that they could done things to complete their dreams.

Prevent the Allies of WWII from winning Normandy.

Prevent the assassination of JFK.

hijack some of the nuclear missiles the russians wanted to station on cuba and launch them into the US.

I guess I’d have to make D-Day go horribly wrong for the Allied Forces then provide the Axis with a lot of uranium and heavy water.

Why is everyone so against America here?

It’s not so much America in and of itself as it is America’s position in the world as the superpower of the 20th century, so if you do something to the US, it has the ability to affect everyone else that much more.

I’d take it out on our presidents. If you look back in history, we were originally supposed to be a unquestionably neutral country. It was others ambitions and cries for help that caused us to be more than just another nation. I mean, Japan could be just as strong as we are if they focused more on weapons than cell phones.

If evil were my intent I’d stop the bombing of pearl harbour, it’d slow down even more or possibly stop the US from joining in world war two.

Think we’d still beat hitler somehow…

…mind you, be a better future for everyone saved at pearl harbour.

Saving Franz Ferdinand would change a lot.

Britain would still have an empire for one thing, and that’d be bad.

If I was an evil time traveller in this century i’d stop janet jacksons “wardrobe malfunction” thus stopping the creation of YouTube.

Then what would people do at work?

I would go back to Roman Times and prevent the Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. That would have prevented the formation of Christianity, the birth of antisemitism, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the pilgrim decimation of native North Americans, the slavery of Africans in America, Segration and lynchings of Blacks, the Salem Witch burnings, the Civil War, the Holocaust…. oh oh
I was supposed to be an evil time traveler – I guess I would have to leave things alone.

Stop wars. Think about all the people who would be completely flummoxed by having to positive way to find solutions without violence.

I would tell gene roddenberry not to make star trek… many people were inspired by that show and its spin-offs…but I only do it If i was evil…I love Star Ttrek

Hmm…tell me about your parents.

I would disrupt the invention of the transistor.

Without transistors in the form of integrated circuits – no computers, no iPods, no digital TV, no iPhones (or any other cell phones), no satellites, no Google, no Fluther (heaven forbid).

You ever tried to go without electronics for even a day?

Cool answers, everyone! Especially funny about Gene Hackman.

@jf9434 I agree that destroying America economically would have a huge downstream impact on history. It might even have more impact than changing the course of WWI or WWII, because it would affect the conditions that led to those wars.

@Blackberry Now I know who to blame… :-)

Travel back to 1941 and figure out some way for Hitler and Stalin to remain good buddies. Then fly over to Tokyo and convince them that they didn’t need to draw the US into a war, just take everything the US doesn’t hold. Result: Germany, with Soviet raw materials is unstoppable, Japan dominates all Asia. German and Japanese forces link up somewhere in the Middle East. The US economy slumps back into depression with no one to sell armaments to. Eventually a much stronger Japan takes away all US possessions in the Pacific. South America falls under the German “sphere of influence”. US totally isolated. +GQ, I had fun with this.

You ARE an evil time traveler, aren’t you… :-)

@Dr_Dredd I love to play the “what if” game. Ever read Harry Turtledove’s “Guns of the South”? Where white supremacist time-travellers equip Lee’s army with automatic rifles in 1864. Surprising end to the story though.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land No, I’ve never read that. Sounds good, though!

I’d open Disneyland Paris! Boo ha ha ha ha ha ha!