1190day.year
Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.
On March 16, 1190, a mob besieged York’s Jewish community in Clifford’s Tower, resulting in a tragic massacre.
Rising anti-Semitic sentiment swept medieval England after rumors spread that Jews had kidnapped Christian children. Over a hundred Jewish men, women, and children took refuge in the tower, only to be slaughtered or forced to commit suicide upon surrender. They were promised safe conduct but instead met a brutal fate at the hands of the crowd. Witnesses described horrific scenes as the mob broke in and fire consumed the tower. The massacre left a lasting scar on English history and stands as one of the darkest episodes of medieval anti-Semitism. Modern archaeological excavations have since uncovered human remains beneath the site, confirming the scale of the tragedy.
1190
Clifford's Tower
York
1244day.year
Over 200 Cathars who refuse to recant are burnt to death after the Fall of Montségur.
Following the Fall of Montségur in 1244, over two hundred Cathar faithful were executed by burning for refusing to renounce their beliefs.
The siege of the Cathar stronghold at Montségur by Crusader forces culminated in a tragic mass execution. More than two hundred Cathars chose death over recantation, bound at the base of the hill and set ablaze. This event marked the brutal suppression of the Cathar movement in southern France. Contemporary chroniclers recorded the victims singing hymns as flames rose around them. Montségur became a symbol of martyrdom and religious persecution. The episode remains a stark reminder of the lengths to which religious conflict can escalate.
1244
Cathars
Fall of Montségur
1696day.year
The Dutch bombard Givet during the Nine Years' War.
During the Nine Years’ War on March 16, 1696, Dutch forces bombarded the strategic French fortress town of Givet on the Meuse River.
As part of the Grand Alliance’s efforts against Louis XIV, Dutch artillery and naval units targeted Givet to disrupt French border defenses. The bombardment aimed to weaken the fortress walls and cut supply routes along the Meuse. Despite intense shelling, the garrison held firm behind its fortifications. The raid demonstrated the reach of Dutch military power into inland waterways. Although the town was not captured, the attack forced the French to allocate additional troops for its defense. The action exemplified siege warfare tactics of the late 17th century and the importance of river strongholds. It provided a morale boost for Allied forces in a protracted conflict.
1696
bombard Givet
Nine Years' War
1916day.year
The 7th and 10th US cavalry regiments under John J. Pershing cross the US–Mexico border to join the hunt for Pancho Villa.
Under General John J. Pershing, the US 7th and 10th Cavalry cross into Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa, intensifying the Mexican Expedition.
In March 1916, President Woodrow Wilson authorized a punitive expedition into Mexico following Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico.
General John J. Pershing led the 7th and 10th Cavalry regiments across the US–Mexico border to hunt the revolutionary leader.
The operation aimed to capture Villa and deter further raids along the frontier.
The incursion strained US-Mexico relations and sparked debates over sovereignty.
Despite extensive patrols, Villa evaded capture and the expedition withdrew by early 1917.
The Mexican Expedition highlighted challenges of cross-border military action and influenced future US border policy.
1916
John J. Pershing
US–Mexico border
Pancho Villa
1918day.year
Finnish Civil War: Battle of Länkipohja is infamous for its bloody aftermath as the Whites execute 70–100 capitulated Reds.
The Battle of Länkipohja ends with a decisive White victory in the Finnish Civil War, followed by mass executions of captured Reds.
On March 16, 1918, during the Finnish Civil War, White forces attacked the village of Länkipohja.
After intense fighting, the Whites captured the Reds and executed between 70 and 100 prisoners in a brutal aftermath.
This incident became infamous for its summary executions and harsh treatment of capitulated enemies.
The battle illustrated the deep divisions in Finnish society following independence from Russia.
The summary executions at Länkipohja remain a tragic symbol of the civil war's brutality.
1918
Finnish Civil War
Battle of Länkipohja
Whites
Reds
1939day.year
From Prague Castle, Hitler proclaims Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate.
From Prague Castle, Hitler proclaims Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate, completing the occupation of Czech lands.
On March 16, 1939, Adolf Hitler declared the remaining Czech territories of Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate.
This proclamation at Prague Castle transformed Czechoslovakia into a de facto German colonial administration.
The move disregarded the Munich Agreement and ended Czech independence.
German forces occupied Prague without significant resistance, imposing direct rule under a Reich Governor.
The protectorate served as a strategic industrial base for the Nazi war machine.
The event underscored the failure of appeasement and signaled further Nazi expansion in Europe.
1939
Prague Castle
Bohemia and Moravia
protectorate
1941day.year
Operation Appearance takes place to re-establish British Somaliland
Operation Appearance sees British forces reoccupy British Somaliland from Italian control, securing a strategic Horn of Africa outpost.
On March 16, 1941, Allied forces launched Operation Appearance to retake British Somaliland from Italian East Africa.
British troops landed at Berbera and advanced inland, meeting little organized resistance.
The swift campaign reclaimed the protectorate and restored British authority to the region.
Operation Appearance boosted Allied morale and secured a key port on the Gulf of Aden.
The success demonstrated coordinated amphibious and ground operations in East Africa.
Somaliland’s recapture also safeguarded Red Sea shipping lanes vital for Allied logistics.
1941
Operation Appearance
British Somaliland
1945day.year
World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ends, but small pockets of Japanese resistance persist.
On March 16, 1945, the United States declared the capture of Iwo Jima, though isolated pockets of Japanese defenders continued to resist.
This marked the end of one of the fiercest battles in the Pacific.
On March 16, 1945, after more than five weeks of brutal combat, American forces announced the capture of Iwo Jima.
The island served as a strategic airbase for U.S. operations against mainland Japan.
Despite the official victory, small groups of Japanese soldiers refused to surrender, engaging in guerrilla tactics for weeks.
Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photograph of the second flag-raising on Mount Suribachi immortalized the battle’s intensity.
Iwo Jima’s airfields provided emergency landing sites for wounded airmen and escorted bombers.
The fierce resistance demonstrated the determination of Japanese defenders to fight to the last man.
1945
World War II
Battle of Iwo Jima
1945day.year
Ninety percent of Würzburg, Germany is destroyed in only 20 minutes by British bombers, resulting in at least 4,000 deaths.
On March 16, 1945, British bombers devastated Würzburg, reducing ninety percent of the city to rubble in just twenty minutes.
On the night of March 16, 1945, the Royal Air Force launched a massive air raid on Würzburg.
In only 20 minutes, the ancient city was largely destroyed, with buildings reduced to ruins.
At least 4,000 civilians lost their lives in one of the most destructive single raids of World War II.
The ensuing firestorm consumed entire neighborhoods and historic landmarks.
The aftermath left tens of thousands homeless and marked Würzburg as one of the war’s hardest-hit cities.
Reconstruction efforts would take decades to restore its baroque architecture.
Würzburg, Germany
1968day.year
Vietnam War: My Lai massacre occurs; between 347 and 500 Vietnamese villagers are killed by American troops.
On March 16, 1968, American soldiers carried out the My Lai massacre in Vietnam, killing hundreds of unarmed villagers.
The My Lai massacre unfolded on March 16, 1968, in the village of My Lai in Quang Ngai Province.
Members of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, killed between 347 and 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians, including women and children.
The atrocity remained hidden until investigative journalist Seymour Hersh exposed it to the world in 1969.
The massacre fueled global outrage and intensified protests against the Vietnam War.
A U.S. Army inquiry led to convictions, though only Lieutenant William Calley served prison time.
My Lai became a symbol of the war’s moral controversies and the horrors of civilian casualties in combat.
1968
Vietnam War
My Lai massacre
Vietnamese
1977day.year
Assassination of Kamal Jumblatt, the main leader of the anti-government forces in the Lebanese Civil War.
Lebanese political leader Kamal Jumblatt was assassinated on March 16, 1977, escalating tensions in the civil war.
On March 16, 1977, Kamal Jumblatt, head of the Lebanese National Movement, was killed by a sniper ambush.
A champion of social reform and Shiite representation, Jumblatt opposed foreign interventions in Lebanon.
His assassination deepened sectarian divides and intensified the Lebanese Civil War.
Responsibility was widely attributed to rival militias and foreign intelligence agencies.
Jumblatt’s legacy continued through his son, Walid Jumblatt, who took up leadership of the Progressive Socialist Party.
His death marked a turning point, reshaping alliances and fueling further conflict.
1977
Kamal Jumblatt
Lebanese Civil War
1979day.year
Sino-Vietnamese War: The People's Liberation Army crosses the border back into China, ending the war.
On March 16, 1979, the People's Liberation Army withdrew back into China, officially ending the brief Sino-Vietnamese War.
The Sino-Vietnamese War began on February 17, 1979, when China launched an incursion into northern Vietnam.
The conflict was sparked by Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia earlier that year, which Beijing viewed as a threat to its borders.
Chinese forces advanced across the border, engaging in fierce battles and suffering heavy casualties on both sides.
After several weeks of fighting, China announced on March 16 that its military objectives had been met and ordered the withdrawal of the PLA.
The brief, intense conflict concluded with the retreat of Chinese forces and left a legacy of regional tension.
The operation highlighted the fragile balance of power in Southeast Asia amid the broader context of the Cold War.
1979
Sino-Vietnamese War
People's Liberation Army