Alexander the Great Defeats Darius III at Gaugamela
On October 1, 331 BC, Alexander defeated Darius III at Gaugamela, opening the Persian Empire to Macedonian conquest.
Brutus Falls at Philippi
Brutus was defeated and killed himself at the Second Battle of Philippi on October 23, 42 BC. The Roman Republic was over.
Odoacer Deposes Romulus Augustulus, Ending the Western Roman Empire
On September 4, 476, Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustulus, ending the line of Western Roman emperors and ruling Italy himself.
Belisarius Defeats the Vandals at Ad Decimum
On September 13, 533, Belisarius defeated the Vandals at Ad Decimum and went on to retake North Africa for the empire.
William of Normandy Defeats Harold at Hastings
William of Normandy defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, and was crowned on Christmas Day.
Crusaders and Portuguese Take Lisbon
On October 25, 1147, Portuguese and crusader forces took Lisbon from its Muslim ruler after a long siege, shaping early Portugal.
Saladin Takes Jerusalem
On October 2, 1187, Jerusalem surrendered to Saladin, ending 88 years of Crusader rule over the city.
Henry V Crushes the French at Agincourt
Henry V beat a much larger French force at Agincourt on October 25, 1415. English longbowmen decided the battle in the Hundred Years' War.
The Battle of Lepanto Breaks Ottoman Naval Power in the Mediterranean
The Holy League fleet destroyed the Ottoman navy at Lepanto on October 7, 1571, in the last great battle fought by oared galleys.
Francis Drake Returns to Plymouth After Circumnavigating the Globe
On September 26, 1580, Francis Drake returned to Plymouth after becoming the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.
Tokugawa Ieyasu Wins the Battle of Sekigahara
Tokugawa Ieyasu won the Battle of Sekigahara on October 21, 1600. The victory founded the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years.
The Qing Court Moves to Beijing
On October 30, 1644, the Qing dynasty made Beijing its capital, when the young Shunzhi emperor was enthroned there after the fall of the Ming.
A Christian Alliance Breaks the Ottoman Siege of Vienna
On September 12, 1683, a Polish-led relief army broke the Ottoman siege of Vienna, ending Turkish expansion in Europe.
The British Win the Plains of Abraham Outside Quebec
On September 13, 1759, Wolfe defeated Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec; both generals died of their wounds.
The Continental Congress Establishes the Continental Navy
The Continental Congress voted on October 13, 1775 to fit out two warships, the origin of the United States Navy.
Nathan Hale Is Hanged as a Spy in New York
On September 22, 1776, Nathan Hale was hanged by the British in New York for spying, at the age of 21.
Washington's Army Is Repulsed at Germantown
On October 4, 1777, Washington's attack on the British at Germantown failed in heavy fog.
Benedict Arnold Gives the British the Plans of West Point
On September 21, 1780, Benedict Arnold gave the British the plans of West Point, the fort he commanded, in the most famous treason in American history.
British Spy John Andre Is Hanged
On October 2, 1780, British major John Andre was hanged as a spy after the plot to surrender West Point.
The French Fleet Wins the Battle of the Chesapeake
On September 5, 1781, the French fleet beat the British at the Battle of the Chesapeake, leaving Cornwallis trapped at Yorktown.
St. Clair's Defeat on the Wabash
On November 4, 1791, an American army under General Arthur St. Clair was destroyed on the Wabash by a Native confederation.
Nelson Wins Trafalgar and Dies
Admiral Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805 but was killed. The victory secured British naval supremacy for a century.
Napoleon Defeats Prussia at Jena and Auerstedt
On October 14, 1806, Napoleon defeated the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstedt, and Prussia collapsed within two weeks.
Allied Fleet Destroys Ottoman Navy at Navarino
The Battle of Navarino on October 20, 1827 destroyed the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet and secured Greek independence. It was the last major naval battle under sail.
The Texas Revolution Begins at Gonzales
On October 2, 1835, Texian militia turned back Mexican cavalry at Gonzales, starting the Texas Revolution.
The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava
At Balaclava on October 25, 1854, a confused order sent the British Light Brigade into Russian cannon. The charge became legend.
The Arrow Incident Starts the Second Opium War
Chinese officials searched the lorcha Arrow at Guangzhou on October 8, 1856, and Britain used the incident to start the Second Opium War.
The Arrow Incident Opens the Second Opium War
On October 23, 1856, British forces attacked the forts on the Pearl river near Guangzhou, opening the Second Opium War.
The Convention of Beijing Ends the Second Opium War
On October 24, 1860, the Qing court signed the Convention of Beijing with Britain, ending the Second Opium War on terms imposed on China.
Battle of Sedan: Napoleon III Captured
On September 1, 1870, Prussia destroyed the French army at Sedan and captured Napoleon III, ending the Second Empire.
Peng Dehuai Is Born in Hunan
On October 24, 1898, Peng Dehuai, one of the ten marshals of the People's Liberation Army and commander in the Korean War, was born in Hunan.
The Second Boer War Begins in South Africa
The Second Boer War began on October 11, 1899, when the Transvaal and Orange Free State attacked British territory.
The Battle of Coronel
On November 1, 1914, a German squadron under Maximilian von Spee destroyed a British force off Coronel on the coast of Chile.
Russia Declares War on the Ottoman Empire
On November 2, 1914, Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire after its warships shelled Russian ports on the Black Sea.
Britain and France Declare War on the Ottoman Empire
On November 5, 1914, Britain and France declared war on the Ottoman Empire, opening fronts from the Caucasus to the Suez Canal.
Edith Cavell Is Executed by a German Firing Squad
British nurse Edith Cavell was executed in Brussels on October 12, 1915, for helping Allied soldiers escape occupied Belgium.
Tanks Are Used in Battle for the First Time
On September 15, 1916, British tanks were used for the first time in battle at Flers-Courcelette on the Somme.
Mata Hari Is Executed by a French Firing Squad
Mata Hari, the Dutch dancer Margaretha Zelle, was executed by firing squad at Vincennes on October 15, 1917, for espionage.
The Battle of Caporetto
On October 24, 1917, Austro-German forces broke the Italian line at Caporetto, forcing a retreat of more than 100 kilometres to the Piave river.
The Mukden Incident Gives Japan a Pretext to Invade Manchuria
On September 18, 1931, the staged Mukden Incident gave Japan's Kwantung Army a pretext to invade and occupy Manchuria.
Italy Invades Ethiopia
On October 3, 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia from Eritrea and Somalia, beginning the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
The Three Red Armies Meet in Gansu
On October 22, 1936, the main Red Army forces met at Jiangtaibao in Gansu, completing the Long March that had begun in 1934.
The Defence of Sihang Warehouse
On October 26, 1937, a Chinese battalion under Xie Jinyuan began defending Sihang warehouse in Shanghai, holding out for four days.
The Battle of Wuhan Ends
On October 25, 1938, Chinese forces withdrew from Wuhan, ending a four and a half month battle and beginning a long stalemate in the war with Japan.
The Soviet Union Invades Eastern Poland
On September 17, 1939, Soviet forces invaded eastern Poland under the secret protocol of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, partitioning the country.
The Blitz on London Begins
On September 7, 1940, the Luftwaffe bombed London, starting the Blitz, 57 consecutive nights of attacks on the capital.
Roosevelt Signs the First Peacetime Draft in American History
On September 16, 1940, Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act, the first peacetime military draft in United States history.
The Babi Yar Massacre Begins Near Kiev
On September 29, 1941, German forces began the Babi Yar massacre outside Kiev, killing some 33,771 Jews in two days.
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress Makes Its First Flight
On September 21, 1942, the first B-29 Superfortress flew from Seattle, the largest and most advanced bomber of the Second World War.
The First V-2 Rocket Reaches Space
On October 3, 1942, a German V-2 rocket reached 84.5 km, the first man-made object to reach space.
The Second Battle of El Alamein Begins
The Second Battle of El Alamein began on October 23, 1942. Montgomery's Eighth Army broke Rommel's line and turned the tide in North Africa.
Italy Signs the Armistice of Cassibile With the Allies
On September 3, 1943, Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile with the Allies, a secret surrender announced five days later as German troops moved in.
German Commandos Rescue Benito Mussolini
On September 12, 1943, German commandos rescued Mussolini from house arrest on the Gran Sasso in central Italy.
Operation Market Garden Begins in the Netherlands
On September 17, 1944, Operation Market Garden dropped 35,000 airborne troops into the Netherlands to seize bridges to Arnhem.
The Warsaw Uprising Surrenders
On October 2, 1944, the Warsaw Uprising ended after 63 days, and German forces destroyed the city.
Japan Signs the Instrument of Surrender Aboard USS Missouri
On September 2, 1945, Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, formally bringing World War II to an end.
Japan Surrenders to China in Nanjing
On September 9, 1945, Japan surrendered to China in Nanjing, ending a war that had cost China tens of millions of lives.
The Nuremberg Tribunal Sentences Nazi Leaders
On October 1, 1946, the Nuremberg tribunal sentenced twelve Nazi leaders to death after the first war crimes trial.
Hermann Goering Takes Poison Before His Execution
Hermann Goering took cyanide in his Nuremberg cell on October 15, 1946, hours before his execution for war crimes.
The Nuremberg Sentences Are Carried Out
Ten Nazi leaders condemned at Nuremberg were hanged on October 16, 1946, the first executions by an international tribunal.
The National Security Act Creates the CIA
On September 18, 1947, the National Security Act created the CIA, the National Security Council and an independent Air Force.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea Is Proclaimed
On September 9, 1948, the DPRK was proclaimed in the north of Korea with Kim Il Sung as premier, splitting the peninsula.
The Liaoshen Campaign Ends
On November 2, 1948, Shenyang fell to the People's Liberation Army, ending the Liaoshen campaign and the Nationalist hold on the northeast.
UN Forces Land at Inchon
On September 15, 1950, UN forces landed at Inchon behind North Korean lines, reversing the course of the Korean War.
Britain Tests Its First Atomic Bomb
On October 3, 1952, Britain detonated its first atomic bomb, Hurricane, off Western Australia.
The United States Tests the First Hydrogen Bomb
On November 1, 1952, the U.S. detonated Ivy Mike, the first hydrogen bomb, at Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific.
The Suez War Begins
On October 29, 1956, Israeli forces entered Sinai and the Suez war began, after Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal company.
Soviet Tanks Crush the Hungarian Revolution
On November 4, 1956, Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest and crushed the Hungarian Revolution.
British and French Troops Land at Port Said
On November 5, 1956, British and French forces began to land at Port Said, two weeks after Israel invaded the Sinai.
The United States Conducts Its First Underground Nuclear Test
On September 19, 1957, the US fired Rainier, its first fully contained underground nuclear test, in a tunnel in Nevada.
Chinese Troops Leave North Korea
On October 26, 1958, the last Chinese units withdrew from North Korea, five years after the armistice that ended the fighting.
The USS Enterprise, First Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier, Is Launched
On September 24, 1960, the USS Enterprise was launched at Newport News, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world.
The Soviet Union Tests the Tsar Bomba
On October 30, 1961, the Soviet Union detonated the Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear blast ever.
War Breaks Out on the China-India Border
On October 20, 1962, fighting began along the China-India border in the Himalayas, opening a war that lasted about a month.
The Cuban Missile Crisis Ends
On October 28, 1962, Khrushchev announced the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, ending the thirteen day Cuban missile crisis.
South Vietnam's President Ngo Dinh Diem Is Killed
On November 2, 1963, South Vietnam's President Diem was killed in a coup in Saigon.
China Explodes Its First Atomic Bomb
China exploded its first atomic bomb at Lop Nur on October 16, 1964, becoming the fifth country with nuclear weapons.
China Tests a Nuclear-Armed Missile
On October 27, 1966, China carried out its first flight test of a nuclear-armed missile, which detonated at its target in the west.
Gaddafi Seizes Power in Libya
On September 1, 1969, Muammar Gaddafi and a group of army officers overthrew King Idris I of Libya without a shot being fired.
Egypt and Syria Attack Israel, Starting the Yom Kippur War
Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on October 6, 1973, opening the Yom Kippur War and triggering the Arab oil embargo.
Anwar Sadat Is Assassinated at a Military Parade in Cairo
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated at a military parade in Cairo on October 6, 1981, by Islamist officers.
Bombing of the Beirut Barracks
A truck bomb killed 241 US Marines in Beirut on October 23, 1983. A second bomb killed 58 French troops. The force withdrew soon after.
A Suicide Bomber Attacks the US Embassy Annex in Beirut
On September 20, 1984, a suicide bombing at the US embassy annex in Beirut killed 23 people and deepened the American withdrawal from Lebanon.
The September 11 Attacks on the United States
On September 11, 2001, hijackers flew four planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people.
George W. Bush Announces the War on Terror to Congress
On September 20, 2001, Bush addressed Congress after 9/11 and demanded the Taliban surrender al-Qaeda, setting out what became the war on terror.
The United States Begins Air Strikes in Afghanistan
American and British forces began air strikes in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, starting a war that ran for almost twenty years.
The Moscow Theatre Hostage Crisis
On October 23, 2002, armed hostage takers seized a Moscow theatre with about 850 people inside, demanding a Russian withdrawal from Chechnya.