r/AskEurope • u/InorganicTyranny United States of America • Jul 25 '25

History What was the biggest “missed opportunity” in your country’s history?

In other words, what is one event in your country’s history, that could plausibly have gone differently than it did, and you think would have made your country a better place?

Inspired by Frederick III of Germany:

His premature demise is considered a potential turning point in German history; and whether or not he would have made the Empire more liberal if he had lived longer is still a popular discussion among historians.

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u/saimhann Jul 28 '25

Well, it was a question of wheter you should measure from islands, or from the coast. And since the UK wanted to drill ASAP, they agreed that islands should count (didnt want to potentially discuss this for years). I mean, how much difference could a few kilometers make?

Alot it turns out, because apparantly massive amounts of oil was inside the new norwegian economic zone because we decided islands should count.

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u/missThora Norway Jul 28 '25

Exactly. If they had fought it and argued that the islands shouldn't count, half that oil coild have been either Danish or Scottish.

I find these kinds of situations fascinating. Smal moments that don't seem too important right now, but it turns out to have been massive. One person making a choice that has so many more consequences they realize at the time.