This event would be Germany's sinking of an American vessel despite both nations being at a neutral diplomatic standpoint at the time. When the Germans sank the American vessel, without any actual reason to do so, this drastically coldened the relationship between the US and Germany.
Jose de San Martin, Simon Bolivar and Toussiant L'Ouverture were all leaders in South America for independence from European colonizers. So leave it to be Nopoleon was NOT a leader in South America.