1809day.year
The second day of the Battle of Eckmühl: The Austrian army is defeated by the First French Empire army led by Napoleon and driven over the Danube in Regensburg.
On April 22, 1809, Napoleon's forces achieved a decisive victory over the Austrian army at the Battle of Eckmühl, pushing the enemy across the Danube River.
Part of the War of the Fifth Coalition, the Battle of Eckmühl saw Napoleon's First French Empire forces clash with the Austrian army near Regensburg.
On its second day, French troops outflanked and overwhelmed the Austrians, forcing their retreat across the Danube.
The defeat opened southern Germany to French occupation and disrupted Austrian war plans.
Napoleon's use of coordinated infantry and cavalry proved decisive in breaking Austrian resistance.
This victory reinforced French dominance in Central Europe and hastened the collapse of the Fifth Coalition.
1809
Battle of Eckmühl
Austrian
First French Empire
Napoleon
Danube
Regensburg
1836day.year
Texas Revolution: A day after the Battle of San Jacinto, forces under Texas General Sam Houston identify Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna among the captives of the battle when some of his fellow soldiers mistakenly give away his identity.
In 1836, Texan forces led by Sam Houston captured Mexican President Santa Anna shortly after the Battle of San Jacinto, securing de facto Texas independence.
On April 22, 1836, one day after the Battle of San Jacinto, Texas soldiers recognized General Antonio López de Santa Anna among the Mexican prisoners.
Mistaken identity by some captives led to Santa Anna's reveal, giving the Texans a valuable bargaining chip.
His capture forced him to sign the Treaties of Velasco, officially ending hostilities and granting Texas independence.
The victory at San Jacinto and Santa Anna's captivity marked the turning point of the Texas Revolution.
These events paved the way for the Republic of Texas and its later annexation by the United States.
1836
Texas Revolution
Battle of San Jacinto
Texas
Sam Houston
Antonio López de Santa Anna
1898day.year
Spanish–American War: President William McKinley calls for 125,000 volunteers to join the National Guard and fight in Cuba, while Congress more than doubles regular Army forces to 65,000.
In 1898, President McKinley called for 125,000 volunteers and Congress doubled the Army's size to support the U.S. war effort in Cuba during the Spanish–American War.
Amid the Spanish–American War, President McKinley called for 125,000 volunteers on April 22, 1898, to reinforce U.S. forces in Cuba.
Congress responded by more than doubling the size of the regular Army to 65,000 soldiers.
This rapid expansion underscored America's commitment to overseas intervention and emerging global role.
Volunteers and regulars played key roles in campaigns in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
The war's mobilization efforts boosted U.S. military capability and signaled a shift toward modern expeditionary warfare.
1898
Spanish–American War
William McKinley
National Guard
Cuba
Congress
regular Army
1915day.year
World War I: The use of poison gas in World War I escalates when chlorine gas is released as a chemical weapon in the Second Battle of Ypres.
In 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres marked the first large-scale use of chlorine gas by the German Army, ushering in a new era of chemical warfare.
On April 22, 1915, German forces released over 168 tons of chlorine gas along the Yser Front during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium. The greenish-yellow cloud drifted toward Allied trenches, causing panic, choking, and severe injuries. This attack represented a major escalation in chemical warfare and shattered previous conventions of safe conflict. Both sides scrambled to develop gas masks and countermeasures, leading to a deadly arms race in toxic weapons. Civilians and soldiers alike were horrified by the indiscriminate nature of this new tactic. The event marked a grim turning point in World War I and left a lasting legacy on military strategy and international law regarding chemical weapons.
1915
World War I
poison gas in World War I
chlorine gas
chemical weapon
Second Battle of Ypres
1944day.year
The 1st Air Commando Group using Sikorsky R-4 helicopters stage the first use of helicopters in combat with combat search and rescue operations in the China Burma India Theater.
In 1944, the U.S. 1st Air Commando Group pioneered the first combat deployment of helicopters in rescue and support missions in the China-Burma-India Theater.
On April 22, 1944, the 1st Air Commando Group deployed Sikorsky R-4 helicopters for combat search and rescue in Myanmar (then Burma). These rotary-wing aircraft rescued downed airmen and delivered supplies to forward units in dense jungle terrain. The innovative use of helicopters revolutionized battlefield mobility and shaped future military aviation. Prior to this, rotary flight had been largely experimental and non-combat oriented. The R-4s demonstrated their capability to hover, land in confined areas, and evacuate casualties under fire. The success of this operation spurred further development of helicopter tactics and design. Today’s modern combat search-and-rescue missions trace their roots to these pioneering efforts.
1944
1st Air Commando Group
Sikorsky R-4
combat
combat search and rescue
China Burma India Theater
1944day.year
World War II: Operation Persecution is initiated: Allied forces land in the Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) area of New Guinea.
Operation Persecution began on April 22, 1944, as Allied forces conducted a major amphibious assault in the Hollandia area of New Guinea during World War II.
Launched by American forces under General Douglas MacArthur, Operation Persecution aimed to secure strategic airfields near Hollandia (modern Jayapura) in Dutch New Guinea. Amphibious landings caught the Japanese defenders by surprise and allowed rapid inland advances. The operation provided bases for subsequent campaigns in the Pacific Theater, shortening supply lines and isolating enemy troops. Airborne and ground units worked in coordination, demonstrating improved Allied amphibious tactics. The swift capture of airfields enabled Allied air superiority and supported later pushes toward the Philippines. Operation Persecution showcased the growing logistical prowess and joint operations that defined late-war Allied successes. The victory at Hollandia marked a turning point in the liberation of the Southwest Pacific islands.
World War II
Operation Persecution
Allied
Hollandia
New Guinea
1944day.year
World War II: In Greenland, the Allied Sledge Patrol attack the German Bassgeiger weather station.
On April 22, 1944, the Allied Sledge Patrol attacked the German Bassgeiger weather station in Greenland, disrupting vital enemy meteorological operations.
The Sledge Patrol, a small unit of Danish explorers and Inuit guides serving with the Allies, mounted a daring raid on the Axis weather station codenamed Bassgeiger. Located on the remote Greenland ice cap, the station provided crucial data on North Atlantic weather patterns that influenced naval and air operations. Under harsh Arctic conditions, the patrol traversed glaciers and ice fields to reach the enemy post. The assault neutralized the station and captured valuable intelligence equipment. This bold strike highlighted the strategic importance of meteorology in wartime planning. Loss of the weather data forced German forces to rely on less accurate forecasts, hampering U-boat movements and air missions. The operation remains a remarkable example of Arctic warfare and covert reconnaissance.
Greenland
weather station
1945day.year
World War II: Prisoners at the Jasenovac concentration camp revolt. Five hundred twenty are killed and around eighty escape.
Prisoners at the Jasenovac concentration camp revolted on April 22, 1945, leading to a brutal crackdown with hundreds killed and dozens of escapes.
As World War II drew to a close, inmates at the Jasenovac camp in Yugoslavia organized a revolt against their Ustaše captors. Around 80 prisoners managed to breach the camp perimeter and flee into surrounding forests. In retaliation, guards executed approximately 520 inmates and conducted a ruthless manhunt for escapees. The uprising represented one of the few armed resistances within Nazi-aligned camps. Survivors later recalled the desperate conditions, brutal forced labor, and inhumane treatment that fueled their bid for freedom. Though largely suppressed, the revolt symbolized the prisoners’ courage and defiance in the face of genocide. Jasenovac remains a stark reminder of wartime atrocities and the resilience of those who resisted oppression.
1945
Jasenovac concentration camp
1945day.year
World War II: Sachsenhausen concentration camp is liberated by soldiers of the Red Army and Polish First Army.
On April 22, 1945, Soviet and Polish troops liberated the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, freeing thousands of survivors from Nazi horror.
After months of severe overcrowding and brutal conditions, the Sachsenhausen camp near Berlin was overrun by the Red Army and Polish First Army. The liberation revealed appalling evidence of forced labor, medical experiments, and mass executions. Soldiers discovered emaciated prisoners, piles of personal belongings, and mass graves within the camp grounds. Many survivors required immediate medical care as liberators coordinated with relief organizations to provide food, shelter, and medical aid. Photographs and eyewitness testimonies from Sachsenhausen atrocities became critical evidence in postwar war crimes trials. The camp’s liberation stands as a testament to Allied sacrifice and the global commitment to end the Holocaust. Today, Sachsenhausen serves as a memorial and museum to educate future generations about the horrors of totalitarian regimes.
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Red Army
Polish First Army
1948day.year
Arab–Israeli War: The port city of Haifa is captured by Jewish forces.
During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Jewish forces captured the vital port city of Haifa on April 22, altering control of a strategic Mediterranean gateway.
After weeks of fierce fighting in and around Haifa, Jewish Haganah units launched an offensive that secured the city’s hilltop neighborhoods and port facilities. The capture of Haifa cut off Arab supply lines and provided the nascent State of Israel with its largest commercial harbor. Many Arab residents fled or were displaced during the battle, transforming the city’s demographic landscape. Romanian-Egyptian troops attempting to relieve the garrison were repelled, ensuring Jewish access to the sea. Control of Haifa bolstered Israeli trade, immigration, and military logistics in the ensuing conflict. The successful operation underscored the strategic importance of Mediterranean ports in modern warfare. Haifa’s fall on April 22 became a defining moment in the establishment of Israeli statehood.
1948
Arab–Israeli War
Haifa
captured by Jewish forces
1951day.year
Korean War: The Chinese People's Volunteer Army begin assaulting positions defended by the Royal Australian Regiment and the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at the Battle of Kapyong.
In the Korean War’s Battle of Kapyong on April 22, 1951, Australian and Canadian forces held critical positions against Chinese assaults.
Chinese People’s Volunteer Army troops attacked United Nations lines near the Kapyong River in Korea, aiming to break U.N. defenses. The Royal Australian Regiment and Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry coordinated a stubborn defense on Hill 504. Despite being outnumbered and facing artillery barrages, Allied troops repelled repeated attacks. Medics and stretcher-bearers braved enemy fire to tend to the wounded in trenches. The battle’s outcome prevented a potential breakthrough toward Seoul and secured important supply routes. For their gallantry, both Australian and Canadian units received international commendations, including U.S. Presidential Unit Citations. The defense at Kapyong became a symbol of Commonwealth solidarity and courage under fire. This engagement helped stabilize the front during a pivotal phase of the war.
1951
Korean War
People's Volunteer Army
Royal Australian Regiment
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Battle of Kapyong