Top 10 Saddest Years in History
Was there a time that you thought was very sad. Maybe there were some years that were the most upsetting to you.
Not much can be said about 1939. It should be first, as I think the beginning of a conflict that cost over 50 million lives is more significant than a bunch of stuff being destroyed in the US.
The Holocaust, the Battle of Stalingrad, the atomic bomb explosion - this year started the conflict where all these took place. With nearly the whole world taking part in war, every last penny was spent to kill. Good thing people realized the conflict needed to end. Sad that it took over six years for them to come to this conclusion. By that time, the damage done was incalculable.
This is where it all started when Hitler's invasion of Poland caused the British and French to declare war. That's why 1939 can be considered the worst year in human history, and 1 September 1939 can be said to be the worst day.
2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2001st year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 1st year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 2nd year of the 2000s decade. An awful tragedy occurred, yes, but:
1. This tragedy started the current crisis in the Middle East. When the Americans heavily weakened Al-Qaeda and the Taliban after 9/11, members of Al-Qaeda banded together to form ISIL. Almost like a Hydra, terrorists restored their tactics of fear into the hearts of every breathing soul.
2. Do not listen to that moron Rubio. Islamophobia is one of the biggest discrimination issues facing the US right now. One thousand hate crimes against Muslims occurred in 2001.
3. We trained the men who would train the psychopaths that drove the planes into the WTC.
2011 (MMXI) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2011th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations. That year was a disaster. They had a Japan tsunami and earthquake on March 11th, and many more people died than in the terrorist attack on 9/11. In the 9/11 terrorist attack, about 2,000 people were killed, but in the Japan tsunami, 15,891 people died.
Come on, Americans, why do you guys only care about 9/11, Michael Jackson's death, MLK assassination, and other sad events only in the United States? Stop being so selfish and also care and support Japan too. Many Japanese people are shedding tears and praying for their people who died in the tsunami disaster.
Plus, I also had sad things happen that year, so this should be at least in the top 5.
2009 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2009th year of the Common Era and Anno Domini designations. It was the 10th and final year of the 2000s decade. I was born this year. I thought it was amazing (mostly because my mum told me it was). But then I noticed, Michael died that year, technology took over, and the economy fell. It makes me feel so bad for no reason.
I've always had a bond with Michael Jackson, and it scares me. No one told me about him, and I never saw his name. I just knew him. I look like him. I have his hair, his personality, and everything, and I was born a month after his death, on July 27.
When I say I have a bond with him, I mean it. His voice comes in my head, and I always dream of him.
2016 (MMXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2016th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 16th year of the 3rd millennium, the 16th year of the 21st century, and the 7th year of the 2010s decade. I was 35, and to me, 2016 will go down as the most remembered year of the 2010s. So much happened this year, including Trump getting elected as president and ongoing celebrity deaths such as Prince, Bowie, Ali, and so many more.
And who could forget the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series for the first time in over a century? The Cleveland Cavs came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA championship. Peyton Manning retired after winning his second Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos. After years of being nominated, Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar for his role in The Revenant.
The Pulse nightclub shooting became the worst mass shooting in U.S. history at that time. Former San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick started a trend that is still happening in the NFL. There were also reports of creepy clowns trying to lure children into the woods.
Hitler tortured so many people, and many innocent people died and were in severe pain for being Jewish. How does this rank under Michael Jackson's death? No offense, but that is one guy.
Worst entire year of the Second World War (WW2, WWII, World War 2).
Attacks on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941). The Holocaust resulted in many deaths. Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Communist USSR (Soviet Union, 1922 - 1991), and the fighting in Russia evolved from 1941 - 1945.
Do not forget that there was the Pearl Harbor attack. This was the worst year in America.
2020 (MMXX) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 20th year of the third millennium, the 20th year of the 21st century, and the 1st year of the 2020s... read more Let's see what happened so far: It has Corona and all that came with it (we in Germany have actually had our second lockdown), the hurricane season for you over there in America (especially poor Louisiana), the historic wildfires in Australia and California (yes, wildfires happen every year in those areas, but they were never that catastrophic), another celebrity mass extinction (starting with Kobe Bryant), that freak show that is actually the US elections, and the actual wave of terrorist attacks here in mid-Europe.
Oh, and for me and my family personally, it is the worst year ever. Unlucky and bad things are happening to our family members like every other day, literally no time to take a breath in between, and that has been going on since February.
But all that still doesn't make 2020 worse than the WWI/WWII years, in my opinion.
1994, the year more than 800,000 people were killed needlessly in Rwanda. France, the UN, and Belgium gave little or no help! You're voting this just because Justin Bieber was born? Come on!
I don't give two damns about Justin Bieber being born this year. He's a dead horse beaten to bits. But the Rwandan genocide happening the same year... dear lord...
1994 had a massacre, and Cobain died. That little abomination Bieber was born too.
2014 (MMXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2014th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 14th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 5th year of the 2010s decade. The Syrian civil war got worse. The use of chemical weapons, banned in the Geneva conventions, increased. ISIS gained power and made the Middle East worse than it already was. Robin Williams died.
2014 was very bad, though 2017 was worse! Strangely enough, 2017 reminds me a lot of 2014 because they were both terrible years.
A lot of man-made and natural disasters happened in 2014, and I was in the hospital a lot that year as well. 2014 was hell for sure.
Terrorism came into full effect, and now Europe faces a mass wave of terrorist attacks. Who is to blame? Tony Blair and George W. Bush.
2012 (MMXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2012th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 12th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 3rd year of the 2010s decade. Many famous stars died: Whitney Houston, Donna Summer, Carson Daly, and Neil Armstrong.
Syria had a war and conflict. Hurricane Sandy hit New York, killing 233. Many of the best shows ended, including iCarly. Many video games ended too. Sandy Hook was terrorized with a shooting that killed 26 people.
What was worse was the day the bravest ordinary man of all time, Neil Armstrong, died of heart problems at 82. He was the first person ever to set foot on another world besides ours. His death ended our golden age.
The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School happened this year. It was so very sad for the parents.
The Newcomers
2021 (MMXXI) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar, the 21st year of the third millennium, the 21st year of the 21st century, and the 2nd year of the 2020s. 2021 was scheduled to host many major events that were originally scheduled for 2020... read more Where do I start? The attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters, COVID still lingering around, lots and lots of shootings, many of them at the most innocent places such as grocery stores, malls, graduation parties, and retirement homes. You name it.
And this is all happening in the US, which is why I want to leave and move somewhere else because I cannot stand it anymore.
It was another horrible year. It was actually worse than 2020. COVID-19 became deadlier, the U.S. Capitol got mobbed, Daft Punk disbanded, there were massive floods, a deadly earthquake in Haiti, Sidharth Shukla suddenly passed away, Nick Kamen passed away, ABBA announced their album Voyage would be their last, Marilia Mendonca was killed in a plane crash, and Betty White passed away on New Year's Eve before her 100th birthday.
2024 (MMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. It was the 2024th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations.
It was the 24th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 5th year of the 2020s decade.
2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2007th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 7th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 8th year of the 2000s decade. The Virginia Tech shooting occurred.
Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany, and the Great Depression was still going.
This is the year an awful genocide began.
Hitler gained power in Germany.
2005 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2005th year of the Common Era and Anno Domini designations. It was the 6th year of the 2000s decade. Hurricane Katrina took place. It killed more than 1,500 people and caused so much damage in New Orleans.
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season happened and much more. Enough said.
The start of the biggest economic collapse in all of modern history. That's pretty sad. It sucked to be alive in the '30s.
The year in which the Great Depression took place. It was a very bad time for everyone back in the 1930s.
The Great Depression, one of the worst economic recessions in history, starts.
2018 (MMXVIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2018th year of the Common Era (CE), the 9th year of the 2010s decade, the 18th year of the 21st century, and the 18th year of the 3rd millennium. We've had a shooting in Parkland on Valentine's Day.
We lost Stephen Hawking, Avicii, XXXTentacion, Alan Bean, Aretha Franklin, John McCain, and Mac Miller.
We had Hurricane Florence and Michael as well as Typhoon Mangkhut and Yutu. And we're having the worst wildfires in California, destroying the homes of many famous celebrities and killing people.
The creator of Marvel, Stan Lee, is dead. Roy Clark, from the GRAMMYs, CMAs, and co-host of the television series Hee Haw, died of complications from pneumonia at 85.
This has been quite a horrible year so far and not better than the previous horrible years (except 2001, and you all know why).
2017 (MMXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2017th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 17th year of the 3rd millennium, the 17th year of the 21st century, and the 8th year of the 2010s decade. The Vegas shooting (yet another worst shooting in modern US history), Sutherland Springs shooting, Trump becoming president, more terrorist attacks, and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma (which actually hit relatively close to where I live), and Maria.
This year was so bad, and the following year, 2018, which I can't find on this list, was just as bad. I had so many problems, and there was so much drama. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, and there were so many shootings.
I want to say that 2017 changed my mind about humanity. From the terrorist attacks to many Europeans dying. Changes to the world can happen to us if we all join to be brothers and sisters. Together nothing is impossible! I want to cover that.
1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. It was the 1945th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 945th year of the 2nd millennium, the 45th year of the 20th century, and the 6th year of the 1940s decade... read more Why did the US have to end the war in Japan in a horrible way by killing innocent civilians with a nuclear bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Why?
Never forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
2008 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2008th year based on the Common Era/Anno Domini designations. It is the 8th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 9th year of the 2000s decade. Heath Ledger died in January before The Dark Knight was released that year.
The great recession and Obama's election both sucked.
2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2002nd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 2nd year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 3rd year of the 2000s decade.
2015 (MMXV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2015th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 15th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 6th year of the 2010s decade. We are letting them win.
We have given these sick-minded people (ISIL, Boko Haram, the KKK, all xenophobes, homophobes, murderers, rapists, etc.) exactly what they want: fear. The NATO countries fear another Paris or San Bernardino every month. Minorities feel fear that they will be gunned down for their religion or skin color every week. A woman walking in the dark fears being kidnapped every day. A closeted young LGBTQ+ kid fears being exposed every hour. A little kid is terrified of a bully at school every half hour. A person with an anxiety disorder fears an attack every minute. Every second of your life is filled with some kind of fear. This is what a monster wants. They will manipulate our fears to control us like they are gods.
I'm afraid of them. I'm not going to lie. And you are too. We, as citizens of America, Britain, France, Spain, Canada, Russia, China, Iran, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Mexico, Iraq, Syria, and all the countries of this world, need to admit our fears. But we must be able to stand up and fight them.
The very year which marked the beginning of the downfall of Europe's great empires. The effects of the Great War haunt the continent even to this day. This year should be on top.
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand marked the start of a World War.
It caused World War 1, which caused Versailles, which caused WWII, which caused the Cold War. Wow.
2019 (MMXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was the 2019th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 19th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 10th and last year of the 2010s decade... read more The tragic death of Cameron Boyce is the one that made me feel the saddest and the most heartbroken so far in 2019. Even though I don't watch Jessie at all, I've seen the first Descendants movie. Cameron Boyce is very talented, smart, and beautiful. I wish that he was still alive! Why did he have to go way too soon at such a young age? Why? Cameron had a whole milestone ahead of him! I miss him!
This year is really saddening. Our society is falling apart little by little. It is slowly fading away. This absolutely needs to be #1 on this list.
I don't know what to say. This year is slowly dying in our world.
1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was the 1980th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 980th year of the 2nd millennium, the 80th year of the 20th century, and the 1st year of the 1980s decade. The year John Lennon was killed. The most famous Beatle, murdered. So sad.
John Lennon was assassinated.
Bad things that happened this year:
- John Lennon was murdered.
- Mount St. Helens erupted.
- MV Derbyshire sank.
- And the notoriously controversial organization known as PETA was founded.
If you know of more, let me know by replying.