 Traditionally, the emergence of phylogenetics has been presented largely in the context of debates between three major schools of twentieth century taxonomic thought, often called “The Systematics Wars”  (§1.2.1).  As centrally important as this was, a singular focus on that history risks overshadowing the impact of the molecular revolution  (§1.2.2)  and ever-increasing access to greater computing power  (§1.2.3)  on the establishment of phylogenetics. Below we consider how each of these twentieth century developments impacted the emergence of phylogenetics as a distinct field of research. Yet, there are many overlapping themes cross-cutting these developments (often reinforced by allegiances between individual researchers), suggesting that, ultimately, an integrated approach is needed for a rich, nuanced history of phylogenetics.