1279day.year
A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen ends the Song dynasty in China.
The Mongols defeated the Song navy at the Battle of Yamen in 1279, bringing an end to China's Song dynasty.
In March 1279, the Mongol forces under Kublai Khan delivered a crushing defeat to the Song dynasty's navy at Yamen. The naval engagement featured the Mongols employing fire ships and superior maneuvers against the ill-prepared Song fleet. The collapse of the Song resistance at Yamen effectively ended nearly three centuries of southern Chinese dynastic rule. Emperor Huaizong and remaining court officials perished at sea, marking a tragic close to the dynasty. The Mongol victory allowed the complete unification of China under the Yuan dynasty. This pivotal battle reshaped the political landscape of East Asia. It also demonstrated the Mongols' naval adaptability following their earlier reliance on land campaigns. Yamen remains a symbol of the Song dynasty's final stand.
1279
Mongol
Battle of Yamen
Song dynasty
1865day.year
American Civil War: The Battle of Bentonville begins. By the end of the battle two days later, Confederate forces had retreated from Four Oaks, North Carolina.
The Battle of Bentonville, one of the last major engagements of the American Civil War, began in North Carolina. Confederate troops retreated from Four Oaks after two days of fighting.
On March 19, 1865, Union and Confederate forces clashed at Bentonville, North Carolina, in what would become one of the final large-scale battles of the Civil War.
General William T. Sherman led Union troops against General Joseph E. Johnston’s Confederates in a bid to crush remaining resistance.
Over three days of intense combat, both sides fought fiercely near the village of Bentonville.
Despite strong Confederate defenses, Union forces gradually advanced and forced Johnston’s army to fall back.
By March 21, Confederate troops had retreated from Four Oaks, marking a decisive Union victory in the Carolinas.
This battle underscored the waning strength of the Confederacy and hastened the conflict’s end.
1865
American Civil War
Battle of Bentonville
Four Oaks, North Carolina
1885day.year
Louis Riel declares a provisional government in Saskatchewan, beginning the North-West Rebellion.
Louis Riel established a provisional government in Saskatchewan, sparking the North-West Rebellion against the Canadian government.
On March 19, 1885, Métis leader Louis Riel proclaimed a provisional government at Duck Lake in present-day Saskatchewan.
His declaration was aimed at defending Métis land rights and resisting Ottawa’s encroachment on indigenous territories.
This act ignited the North-West Rebellion, involving Métis and allied First Nations groups in armed resistance.
Riel’s administration demanded recognition of French language rights and Catholic education.
The conflict led to key engagements at Duck Lake, Fish Creek, and Batoche.
Although government forces eventually suppressed the uprising, it highlighted pressing issues of western expansion and indigenous rights in Canada.
1885
Louis Riel
provisional government
Saskatchewan
North-West Rebellion
1921day.year
Irish War of Independence: One of the biggest engagements of the war takes place at Crossbarry, County Cork. About 100 Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteers escape an attempt by over 1,300 British forces to encircle them.
During the Irish War of Independence, IRA volunteers at Crossbarry evaded encirclement by British forces, marking one of the conflict’s largest engagements.
On March 19, 1921, roughly 100 Irish Republican Army volunteers found themselves surrounded by over 1,300 British troops at Crossbarry in County Cork.
Employing guerrilla tactics and intimate knowledge of local terrain, the IRA fighters launched a daring breakout.
Their successful escape became a celebrated morale boost for the Irish independence movement.
British forces suffered casualties and failed to capture the republicans despite superior numbers.
The Battle of Crossbarry highlighted the effectiveness of IRA operations and weakened British resolve.
This engagement remains one of the largest and most significant skirmishes of the Irish War of Independence.
1921
Irish War of Independence
the biggest engagements
Crossbarry
County Cork
Irish Republican Army
1944day.year
World War II: The German army occupies Hungary.
Nazi Germany launched Operation Margarethe and occupied Hungary, ending its semi-independence and tightening control during World War II.
On March 19, 1944, Nazi Germany initiated Operation Margarethe, deploying troops to occupy Hungary and secure its loyalty.
Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy had been exploring a separate peace with the Allies, prompting Hitler’s intervention.
German forces swiftly seized control of key military and government installations across Budapest.
This occupation abolished Hungary’s autonomy and installed a collaborationist administration.
In the months that followed, deportations of Hungarian Jews escalated dramatically under German supervision.
The event marked a tragic turning point in Hungary’s wartime experience and civilian suffering.
1944
World War II
occupies Hungary
1945day.year
World War II: Off the coast of Japan, a dive bomber hits the aircraft carrier USS Franklin, killing 724 of her crew. Badly damaged, the ship is able to return to the US under her own power.
A Japanese dive bomber severely damages the USS Franklin, causing heavy casualties but allowing the carrier to limp back to the United States.
On March 19, 1945, a Japanese dive bomber attacked the USS Franklin, one of the US Navy’s Essex-class aircraft carriers. The bomb struck near the ship’s island structure, triggering massive explosions and fires that claimed 724 lives and injured hundreds more. Despite catastrophic damage, the Franklin’s crew worked tirelessly to contain the blaze and keep the vessel afloat. Skilled damage control teams fought raging fires in the hangar and flight deck areas, preventing further destruction. The carrier’s propulsion systems remained partially operational, allowing the Franklin to sail unaided toward Pearl Harbor. This remarkable feat of seamanship and resilience demonstrated the crew’s resolve under extreme conditions. The incident underscored the ongoing dangers of carrier operations in the Pacific theater. After temporary repairs, USS Franklin eventually returned to the continental United States for restoration. The attack remains one of the deadliest single strikes on an American warship in World War II.
1945
dive bomber
aircraft carrier
USS Franklin
1945day.year
World War II: Adolf Hitler issues his "Nero Decree" ordering all industries, military installations, shops, transportation facilities, and communications facilities in Germany to be destroyed.
Adolf Hitler issues the Nero Decree, mandating the destruction of Germany’s infrastructure to hinder advancing Allied forces.
On March 19, 1945, Adolf Hitler signed the Nero Decree, ordering the systematic destruction of German industry, transportation, and communications facilities. The decree aimed to deny the Allies any logistical advantage but risked devastating Germany’s own civilian population. Hitler instructed military commanders, local administrators, and SS leaders to implement scorched earth tactics across the Reich. Many officials, including Albert Speer, covertly resisted or ignored parts of the order to preserve vital infrastructure. The decree demonstrated the regime’s fanaticism in its final days, prioritizing vengeance over the welfare of its people. Widespread sabotage could have led to a humanitarian catastrophe had resistance not limited its scope. After the war, the Nero Decree became symbolic of Nazi Germany’s destructive policies at the end of the conflict. Historians continue to study the decree’s impact on post-war reconstruction and German society.
Adolf Hitler
Nero Decree
Germany
1962day.year
The Algerian War of Independence ends.
The Algerian War of Independence officially ends, granting Algeria independence from France.
On March 19, 1962, the Evian Accords came into effect, formally ending the eight-year Algerian War of Independence. The agreements, negotiated between the French government and the National Liberation Front (FLN), provided for a ceasefire and a framework for Algeria’s self-determination. French President Charles de Gaulle and FLN leaders overcame deep mistrust to reach the landmark accord. The ceasefire reduced violence across Algeria, allowing for peaceful political transition. A referendum held later that year saw overwhelming support for independence. On July 5, 1962, Algeria officially proclaimed its sovereignty. The end of the war marked the conclusion of one of the most bitter and protracted conflicts of decolonization. The legacy of the war continues to influence Franco-Algerian relations and Algerian national identity.
1962
Algerian War of Independence
1982day.year
Falklands War: Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, precipitating war with the United Kingdom.
Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, triggering the Falklands War with the UK.
On March 19, 1982, Argentinian commandos landed on South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic, escalating long-standing sovereignty disputes. The invasion was part of Argentina’s plan to assert claims over the Falkland Islands and surrounding territories. British forces, taken by surprise, scrambled a response to reclaim the strategically important island. The skirmish at Grytviken quickly turned into the first armed confrontation of the Falklands War. Reports of casualties on both sides underscored the conflict’s seriousness. The landing galvanized British public opinion and prompted the dispatch of a naval task force to the South Atlantic. Over the following weeks, the war intensified, ultimately ending in Argentine surrender in June 1982. The South Georgia operation remains a critical early episode in the short but fierce conflict.
1982
Falklands War
Argentinian
South Georgia Island
1990day.year
The ethnic clashes of Târgu Mureș begin four days after the anniversary of the Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire.
Violent ethnic tensions erupt in Târgu Mureș, pitting Romanian and Hungarian communities against each other.
On March 19, 1990, longstanding ethnic hostilities boiled over in the Transylvanian city of Târgu Mureș.
Four days after commemorations of the 1848 revolutions, clashes between Romanian and Hungarian groups erupted in the streets.
The violence left dozens wounded and highlighted deep-rooted divisions over cultural and language rights.
Local authorities struggled to restore order amid protests and counter-protests.
The incident prompted national and international concern over minority protections and triggered legal and political reforms.
1990
ethnic clashes of Târgu Mureș
Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire
2003day.year
United States President George W. Bush addresses the nation, announcing the invasion of Iraq.
President George W. Bush addresses Americans to announce the start of military operations in Iraq.
On the evening of March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush delivered a televised address declaring the commencement of the Iraq invasion.
Citing allegations of weapons of mass destruction and ties to terrorism, the U.S.-led coalition moved to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime.
This announcement marked the beginning of the Iraq War, a major international conflict lasting more than eight years.
Public opinion was deeply divided over the justification and potential consequences of the intervention.
The address set in motion large-scale military operations and reshaped geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.
2003
United States President
George W. Bush
invasion of Iraq
2004day.year
Catalina affair: A Swedish DC-3 shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 in 1952 over the Baltic Sea is finally recovered after years of work.
The DC-3 aircraft shot down during the 1952 Catalina affair is recovered from the Baltic Sea after extensive efforts.
On March 19, 2004, salvage crews recovered a Swedish military DC-3 aircraft sunk in 1952 during the Cold War Catalina affair.
The plane had been shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 while conducting signals intelligence over international waters.
Over five decades, historians and divers campaigned for its location to honor the lost crew members.
Advanced underwater search techniques and sonar helped locate the wreck in deep waters of the Baltic.
The recovery provided closure to families and shed new light on Cold War espionage incidents.
2004
Catalina affair