Chance!

Have you ever experienced that sense of Deja vu, where you feel external events are in control of your destiny? Did you feel that decisions that you think you have made are nothing but the throw of a dice? Chance..........

The American War of Independence at its height saw a beleaguered General George Washington fighting for his and his fledgling army's survival. Shortly before the crucial Battle of Brandywine ( What a name? ), while patrolling a battle area, Washington,is said to have chanced upon, a British army Captain. The General, turned his back on the British officer and rode away. The captain was the famed Captain Ferguson, inventor of the Ferguson breech rifle, which was a quantum jump in fire power for those days.The young Captain, raised his rifle and sighted Washington. For some reason, he then lowered his rifle!Had Ferguson killed Washington, that fateful day, the war would have most certainly taken a different turn, as the Americans did not have another leader of the stature of the great General. Why did Ferguson not shoot? We have no answer. However in those fuzzy few moments, a single man's decision altered world history..........

Another good example, is that of the great Mughal emperor Akbar. Akbar was firmly under the thumb of his wet nurse Maham Anga, who from all accounts was an irascible bigot. Akbar could not shake her off as he felt obligated, till her son, Adham Khan, in a drunken fit murdered one of Akbars ministers.The Mughal took an on the spot decision to execute Adham Khan, which in turn sent Maham Anga into retirement, allowing Akbar to be a more benevolent ruler and consolidating his kingdom.History changed course in about an hour. Contrast this with his great grandson Aurangzeb who was a bigot and set in motion, the decline of the great Mughals. Had Adham Khan not got drunk.........

Hitler had Europe beaten. In Asia, Japan was coiled to strike. A single German division under Erwin Rommel, had scattered the British in Africa, threatening the Suez Canal in Egypt. Iraq was lost, cutting off the land route for the Brits to India and then Hitler invaded Russia. The single decision cost Germany the war. Why did Hitler take that decision?

Random decisions, making history, that's what makes life interesting...........the throw of dice. Chance!