text: Battle of Sadowa, 1866. This Prussian victory over the Austrians during the Seven Weeks War paved the way for a German empire.
  First Battle of the Marne, 1914. The British and French prevented a German assault on Paris and an early German victory in World War I.
  Battle of Midway, 1942. The beginning of the United States offensive in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and the devastating loss of four Japanese aircraft carriers.
  Battle of Stalingrad, 1942–43. The defeat of the German attempt to conquer the Soviet Union and a significant loss of German resources in World War II.
  In 1976, Noble Frankland and Christopher Dowling published Decisive Battles of the Twentieth Century, which listed 23 battles, from the Battle of Tsushima to the Tet Offensive.
  In 100 Decisive Battles: From Ancient Times to the Present (2001), Paul K. Davis listed battles from Megiddo to Desert Storm.
  In popular culture
  Referring to Creasy's work in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley boasts that he is able to "quote the fights historical; from Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical."
  Criticism
  Creasy's text, while immensely popular at the time, and still frequently read today came into an increasing amount of criticism from the 20th century onwards in regards to several aspects.