1598day.year
Juan de Oñate begins the conquest of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.
In 1598, Spanish explorer Juan de Oñate embarks on an expedition to claim and conquer Santa Fe de Nuevo México for the Spanish Crown.
Juan de Oñate, appointed by the Viceroy of New Spain, set out with settlers, soldiers, and missionaries to extend Spanish rule into the American Southwest. Landing near present-day El Paso, he led a column northward, engaging with various Indigenous Pueblo communities. The campaign aimed to establish Spanish settlements, spread Christianity, and extract tribute. After a long journey across harsh desert terrain, Oñate’s forces reached the Rio Grande valley, where they founded the colony of San Juan on June 22, 1598. His march set the stage for the formation of New Mexico as a Spanish province. The expedition also marked the beginning of conflict and cultural exchanges between Europeans and Indigenous peoples.
1598
Juan de Oñate
Santa Fe de Nuevo México
1636day.year
Eighty Years' War: Dutch Republic forces recapture a strategically important fort from Spain after a nine-month siege.
In 1636, during the Eighty Years' War, Dutch forces recapture a vital fort from Spanish control after besieging it for nine months.
The Eighty Years’ War, fought for Dutch independence from Spanish rule, saw key engagements such as the 1635–1636 siege of the unnamed fort along the Scheldt River. Dutch commanders, backed by citizen militias and allied Protestant states, encircled the fortress in mid-1635. After months of bombardment, trench warfare, and cutting off supplies, Spanish defenders surrendered on April 30, 1636. The capture secured Dutch access to important waterways and protected vital trade routes. This victory bolstered the Republic’s strategic position and demonstrated its growing military prowess. It also encouraged further alliances against Habsburg Spain, accelerating the decline of Spanish influence in the Low Countries.
1636
Eighty Years' War
Dutch Republic
a nine-month siege
1863day.year
A 65-man French Foreign Legion infantry patrol fights a force of nearly 2,000 Mexican soldiers to nearly the last man in Hacienda Camarón, Mexico.
In 1863, a 65-man French Foreign Legion patrol fought nearly 2,000 Mexican soldiers at Hacienda Camarón, Mexico, exemplifying fierce resistance against overwhelming odds.
As part of the French intervention in Mexico, a small detachment of Legionnaires found itself besieged at Hacienda Camarón. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the 65-man patrol held its ground in a desperate fight for survival. The battle lasted for several hours, with both sides suffering significant casualties. Although most of the French troops were killed or captured, their valor became legendary within the Legion. The engagement inspired the Legion's enduring motto and traditions. To this day, the heroism displayed at Camarón remains a defining moment in French military history.
1863
French Foreign Legion
Hacienda Camarón
1864day.year
American Civil War: Confederate forces led by General E. Kirby Smith attack federal troops retreating across the Saline at Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas.
In 1864, Confederate forces under General E. Kirby Smith attacked retreating Union troops at Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, during the American Civil War.
The encounter at Jenkins' Ferry occurred amid the Camden Expedition in the Trans-Mississippi theater of the Civil War. Retreating Union soldiers were forced to cross the flooded Saline River under adverse conditions. General E. Kirby Smith led Confederate forces in a coordinated assault aimed at turning the tide in Arkansas. Fierce skirmishing and artillery fire marked the engagement, causing heavy casualties on both sides. Despite the Confederates' aggressive tactics, Union troops managed to complete their crossing and continue their withdrawal. The battle underscored the challenges of river crossings and logistics in Civil War campaigns.
1864
American Civil War
Confederate
E. Kirby Smith
attack
federal
Saline
Jenkins' Ferry
1871day.year
The Camp Grant massacre takes place in Arizona Territory.
In 1871, the Camp Grant massacre saw a brutal attack by settlers and militia on a peaceful Apache community in the Arizona Territory.
Tensions between Apache bands and frontier settlers had escalated in the Arizona Territory by the early 1870s. On April 30, 1871, a group of local militia and settlers launched a dawn raid on a camp of Aravaipa Apaches near Camp Grant. Many of the victims were non-combatants, including women and children. News of the massacre shocked the nation and led to federal investigations and trials, though few perpetrators faced serious consequences. The event deepened hostilities and influenced subsequent Apache Wars campaigns. It stands as one of the darker chapters of the American frontier era.
1871
Camp Grant massacre
Arizona Territory
1943day.year
World War II: The British submarine HMS Seraph surfaces near Huelva to cast adrift a dead man dressed as a courier and carrying false invasion plans.
HMS Seraph stages a daring World War II deception by releasing a corpse with fake invasion plans off Huelva, Spain.
During a covert operation on April 30, 1943, the British submarine HMS Seraph surfaced near Huelva, Spain.
A dead body disguised as a British courier, complete with falsified Allied invasion plans, was cast adrift.
Known as Operation Mincemeat, the ruse aimed to mislead German intelligence about Allied invasion targets.
MI5 and naval officers crafted personal effects and correspondence to lend authenticity to the deception.
Spanish authorities recovered the corpse and passed the documents to German agents, who took the bait.
The diversionary tactic successfully drew enemy forces away from Sicily, contributing to the success of Operation Husky.
1943
World War II
HMS Seraph
Huelva
false invasion plans
1945day.year
World War II: Führerbunker: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for less than 40 hours. Soviet soldiers raise the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building.
Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun die by suicide in the Führerbunker, while Soviet troops hoist the Victory Banner over the Reichstag.
On April 30, 1945, with Soviet forces closing in on Berlin, Adolf Hitler and his wife Eva Braun took their own lives in the Führerbunker beneath the Reich Chancellery.
Their marriage had lasted less than two days before they died by ingesting cyanide (and in Hitler's case, also by gunshot).
Meanwhile, Soviet soldiers stormed the Reichstag building and raised the iconic Victory Banner over its dome.
The dual suicides and raised flag symbolized the imminent collapse of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe.
These events marked a decisive turning point, leading to Germany's unconditional surrender just days later.
The images of the Victory Banner became an enduring emblem of Soviet triumph in the war.
1945
Führerbunker
Adolf Hitler
Eva Braun
commit suicide
Soviet
Victory Banner
Reichstag building
1945day.year
World War II: Stalag Luft I prisoner-of-war camp near Barth, Germany is liberated by Soviet soldiers, freeing nearly 9,000 American and British airmen.
Soviet troops liberate Stalag Luft I POW camp in Barth, freeing nearly 9,000 Allied airmen.
On April 30, 1945, Soviet forces reached Stalag Luft I near Barth, Germany, and liberated almost 9,000 American and British airmen imprisoned there.
The camp, opened in 1941, had housed Allied pilots shot down over Europe under harsh winter conditions.
Liberation brought immediate relief, as soldiers received food, warm clothing, and medical care from their liberators.
Many former prisoners later recounted the hardship of captivity and their profound emotions upon seeing Soviet troops.
The camp's release underscored the broader collapse of the Third Reich and the Allies' impending victory.
Stalag Luft I's liberation became a lasting symbol of the end of World War II's air war and the return of servicemen to freedom.
Stalag Luft I
1975day.year
Fall of Saigon: Communist forces gain control of Saigon. The Vietnam War formally ends with the unconditional surrender of South Vietnamese president Dương Văn Minh.
Communist forces capture Saigon, marking the end of the Vietnam War with South Vietnam's unconditional surrender.
On April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese troops stormed Saigon, bringing the capital of South Vietnam under Communist control. President Dương Văn Minh signed an unconditional surrender, officially ending the long and divisive Vietnam War. Images of fleeing helicopters and crowds at the U.S. embassy symbolized the chaotic pullout of American personnel. The event concluded nearly two decades of armed conflict and reshaped the geopolitical balance in Southeast Asia. Reunification of Vietnam under Communist rule followed, leading to significant social and economic reforms. The fall of Saigon remains a poignant reminder of war's human cost and the complexities of international intervention.
1975
Fall of Saigon
Communist
Saigon
Vietnam War
South Vietnamese
Dương Văn Minh
1980day.year
The Iranian Embassy siege begins in London.
Armed militants take hostages at the Iranian Embassy in London, initiating a tense six-day siege.
On April 30, 1980, six armed gunmen stormed the Iranian Embassy in London, seizing hostages and demanding the release of Arab prisoners. The siege quickly captured global headlines as British police and negotiators attempted to resolve the crisis. After days of tense standoffs and failed negotiations, the British Special Air Service (SAS) launched a dramatic assault to rescue the hostages. Operation Nimrod, broadcast live on television, showcased elite counter-terrorism tactics and decisive action. Five of the six militants were killed, and all hostages were freed, though one died during the assault. The event reshaped Britain's counter-terrorism policies and public perception of special forces.
Iranian Embassy siege
1982day.year
The Bijon Setu massacre occurs in Calcutta, India.
A violent mob attacks and kills members of a minority community on Bijon Setu bridge in Calcutta.
On April 30, 1982, a group of unidentified assailants brutally murdered 16 members of the Ananda Marga sect on the Bijon Setu bridge in Calcutta. The victims were reportedly rounded up from passenger buses and set ablaze or beaten to death. The gruesome massacre shocked India and sparked outrage over law and order failures. Despite widespread protests and demands for justice, the case remains mired in controversy and largely unsolved. The tragedy highlighted communal tensions and the vulnerability of minority groups. Bijon Setu massacre stands as a dark chapter in Kolkata's history and a symbol of unresolved violence.
1982
Bijon Setu massacre
Calcutta
2004day.year
U.S. media release graphic photos of American soldiers committing war crimes against Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
On April 30, 2004, U.S. media outlets published graphic photographs of American soldiers abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.
In April 2004, major news networks released images showing U.S. service members humiliating and torturing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. The photos depicted detainees forced into stress positions, hooded, and subjected to physical and sexual abuse. The revelations sparked global outrage and intense debate over U.S. interrogation practices during the Iraq War. Military investigations led to the conviction of several low-ranking soldiers and reprimands for senior officers. Human rights organizations condemned the abuses as violations of international law. The scandal prompted the Department of Defense to overhaul detainee treatment policies and strengthen oversight measures.
2004
American soldiers committing war crimes
Iraqi
Abu Ghraib prison