1808day.year
Outbreak of the Peninsular War: The people of Madrid rise up in rebellion against French occupation. Francisco de Goya later memorializes this event in his painting The Second of May 1808.
On May 2, 1808, the people of Madrid rose against French occupation, igniting the Peninsular War, later immortalized by Goya’s painting.
Frustrated by heavy taxation and foreign dominance, citizens of Madrid launched a spontaneous revolt against occupying French troops on May 2, 1808. The violent clashes marked the beginning of the Peninsular War, drawing Spanish guerrilla fighters and British allies into a protracted struggle. Francisco de Goya witnessed the uprising and captured its fury in his painting 'The Second of May 1808,' also known as 'The Charge of the Mamelukes.' Goya’s raw depiction conveyed the brutality and popular defiance of the event. The revolt galvanized national resistance and altered the course of Napoleonic campaigns in Spain. The Dos de Mayo uprising remains a powerful symbol of Spanish patriotism and sacrifice.
1808
Peninsular War
Madrid
rise up in rebellion
Francisco de Goya
The Second of May 1808
1812day.year
The Siege of Cuautla during the Mexican War of Independence ends with both sides claiming victory.
On May 2, 1812, the Siege of Cuautla during the Mexican War of Independence concluded, with both Spanish and insurgent forces claiming victory.
Lasting from February to May 2, 1812, the Siege of Cuautla saw José María Morelos and his insurgent army withstand Spanish royalist assaults. Facing shortages of food and ammunition, the rebels fortified the town’s defenses and repelled multiple attacks. Despite significant casualties on both sides, the insurgents managed a strategic breakout that forced the besiegers to withdraw. The ambiguous outcome allowed both factions to declare success, boosting rebel morale and undermining Spanish authority. The siege exemplified the brutal nature of Mexico’s fight for independence and Morelos’s leadership. It became a celebrated episode in Mexican history and a testament to the resilience of the independence movement.
1812
Siege of Cuautla
Mexican War of Independence
1863day.year
American Civil War: Stonewall Jackson is wounded by friendly fire while returning to camp after reconnoitering during the Battle of Chancellorsville. He succumbs to pneumonia eight days later.
During the Battle of Chancellorsville in the American Civil War, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson is accidentally wounded by his own troops.
During the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863, Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was returning from reconnaissance when he was mistakenly shot by his own pickets. The friendly fire wounds trapped his left arm and struck his right shoulder. He survived the shooting but developed pneumonia during the subsequent weeks of recovery. Jackson succumbed to complications on May 10, dealing a severe blow to Confederate morale. His aggressive tactics at Chancellorsville had contributed to one of the South’s greatest victories. Historians regard his death as a turning point that weakened Confederate leadership in the eastern theater. Stonewall Jackson’s legacy endures as one of the most revered figures in American military history.
1863
American Civil War
Stonewall Jackson
Battle of Chancellorsville
pneumonia
1866day.year
Peruvian defenders fight off the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Callao.
In the Battle of Callao, Peruvian forces successfully repel a Spanish naval attack, safeguarding Lima from bombardment.
On May 2, 1866, Peruvian coastal defenses successfully repelled the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Callao during the Chincha Islands War. Spanish ironclads and warships bombarded the port in an attempt to coerce Peru into submission. Peruvian gunners and shore batteries held firm despite heavy fire and superior enemy firepower. The Spanish fleet ultimately withdrew without achieving its objectives, preserving Lima’s defenses. The battle boosted Peruvian national pride and resistance against foreign intervention. It marked one of the last major naval engagements of the conflict. The stand of the Peruvian defenders remains a celebrated episode in the country’s naval history.
1866
Peruvian
Battle of Callao
1876day.year
The April Uprising breaks out in Ottoman Bulgaria.
The April Uprising erupts in Ottoman-ruled Bulgaria as local revolutionaries stage an armed revolt against Ottoman authority.
In 1876, Bulgarian revolutionaries in the Ottoman Empire launched the April Uprising against Ottoman rule. The revolt began in the town of Koprivshtitsa and quickly spread to surrounding regions. Insurgent bands aimed to secure freedom and national independence for Bulgarians under foreign domination. While initially successful in seizing local towns, the uprising was brutally suppressed by Ottoman forces. Reports of atrocities against civilians attracted international attention and sympathy. The harsh crackdown influenced European public opinion and diplomatic pressure on the Ottoman government. Although it failed militarily, the April Uprising galvanized the Bulgarian national movement. It is remembered as a key step toward Bulgaria’s eventual liberation.
1876
April Uprising
Ottoman Bulgaria
1885day.year
Cree and Assiniboine warriors win the Battle of Cut Knife, their largest victory over Canadian forces during the North-West Rebellion.
During the North-West Rebellion, Cree and Assiniboine warriors secure a decisive victory over Canadian forces at the Battle of Cut Knife.
On May 2, 1885, Cree and Assiniboine warriors led by Chief Poundmaker achieved a decisive victory over Canadian forces at the Battle of Cut Knife. The clash occurred during the North-West Rebellion on the plains of Saskatchewan. Cree and Assiniboine fighters repelled an assault by Major-General Frederick Middleton’s troops. Their coordinated tactics and use of terrain inflicted heavy casualties and forced a Canadian withdrawal. The victory demonstrated Indigenous resistance to Canadian expansion and military suppression. It remains the most significant Indigenous victory in the rebellion. Following the battle, government forces eventually regrouped and subdued the uprising. The Battle of Cut Knife is commemorated as a symbol of Indigenous courage and resilience.
1885
Cree
Assiniboine
Battle of Cut Knife
North-West Rebellion
1941day.year
World War II: Following the coup d'état against Iraq Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah earlier that year, the United Kingdom launches the Anglo-Iraqi War to restore him to power.
In World War II, the United Kingdom launches the Anglo-Iraqi War to restore Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah to power after a coup in Iraq.
On May 2, 1941, British forces launched the Anglo-Iraqi War to oust the pro-Axis government installed in Iraq. Earlier that year, a coup had overthrown the regent Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah and aligned the country with Nazi Germany. British troops landed at Basra and advanced north toward Baghdad in a swift campaign. Despite initial Iraqi resistance, superior British firepower and control of the air forced Iraqi forces to retreat. Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah was restored to power, ensuring continued Allied access to vital oil supplies and strategic territory. The conflict lasted just over a month before armistice on May 31. The Anglo-Iraqi War underscored the global reach of World War II and the importance of Middle Eastern oil. It also demonstrated Britain’s willingness to intervene militarily to protect its imperial interests.
1941
World War II
coup d'état
Iraq
'Abd al-Ilah
Anglo-Iraqi War
1945day.year
World War II: The Soviet Union announces the fall of Berlin.
On May 2, 1945, the Soviet Union publicly declared the capture of Berlin, signaling the imminent end of Nazi Germany's capital. This announcement marked a decisive turning point in World War II in Europe.
On the morning of May 2, 1945, Soviet forces completed their encirclement and assault on Berlin after weeks of intense urban combat.
Marshal Georgy Zhukov officially declared the city fully under Soviet control, effectively ending Germany's ability to continue the war.
The fall of Berlin came after brutal battles that resulted in massive civilian and military casualties on both sides.
News of the city's capture sent shockwaves through Europe and boosted Allied morale as the Third Reich collapsed.
Germany's unconditional surrender followed days later, formally closing the European chapter of World War II.
The event stands as one of the most significant moments in 20th-century history, symbolizing the defeat of fascism.
1945
Soviet Union
fall of Berlin
1945day.year
World War II: The surrender of Caserta comes into effect, by which German troops in Italy cease fighting.
On May 2, 1945, the armistice signed at Caserta took effect, ordering German forces in Italy to lay down their arms. This ceasefire brought an end to hostilities on the Italian front.
The surrender document, signed on April 29, 1945, at the Royal Palace of Caserta, mandated that all German units in Italy halt combat operations.
At 2:30 AM on May 2, 1945, the terms officially went into force, leading to the peaceful disarmament of thousands of troops.
The agreement marked the conclusion of six years of fierce fighting across mountainous terrain and urban centers.
Liberated Italian cities celebrated as Allied forces secured full control over the peninsula.
The Caserta armistice allowed Allied planners to redirect resources toward central Europe, hastening the collapse of the Third Reich.
This event remains a key milestone in the final surrender of German forces during World War II.
surrender of Caserta
1945day.year
World War II: The US 82nd Airborne Division liberates Wöbbelin concentration camp finding 1,000 dead prisoners, most of whom starved to death.
On May 2, 1945, the US 82nd Airborne Division liberated the Wöbbelin concentration camp, uncovering over one thousand victims who had starved to death. Their discovery exposed the brutal reality of the Holocaust.
Wöbbelin camp, a subcamp of Neuengamme, was discovered with approximately one thousand unburied corpses scattered across the grounds.
Allied soldiers uncovered evidence of starvation, disease, and neglect in the camp barracks.
The 82nd Airborne Division's medics immediately began providing care to the surviving prisoners.
Eyewitness photographs and written accounts became crucial evidence during the Nuremberg Trials.
The liberation underscored the Allied commitment to ending Nazi war crimes and relieving human suffering.
Wöbbelin's liberation remains a powerful reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust.
Wöbbelin concentration camp
1945day.year
World War II: A death march from Dachau to the Austrian border is halted by the segregated, all-Nisei 522nd Field Artillery Battalion of the U.S. Army in southern Bavaria, saving several hundred prisoners.
On May 2, 1945, the all-Nisei 522nd Field Artillery Battalion intercepted a death march from Dachau, liberating several hundred prisoners. Their courageous action saved countless lives in southern Bavaria.
In the closing days of World War II, SS guards forced concentration camp inmates on a brutal march from Dachau toward Austria.
The segregated 522nd Battalion, composed of Japanese American soldiers, encountered the column near Waakirchen.
Under fire and facing harsh conditions, the unit halted the march and secured the safety of the prisoners.
They provided medical treatment, food, and water to hundreds of emaciated survivors.
Despite facing discrimination back home, these soldiers displayed extraordinary valor on the battlefield.
The 522nd's intervention became a celebrated chapter in both military and civil rights history.
death march
Dachau
Nisei
522nd Field Artillery Battalion
1964day.year
Vietnam War: An explosion sinks the American aircraft carrier USNS Card while it is docked at Saigon. Two Viet Cong combat swimmers had placed explosives on the ship's hull. She is raised and returned to service less than seven months later.
On May 2, 1964, Viet Cong swimmers attached explosives to the USNS Card in Saigon, sinking the carrier while docked. The ship was later raised and returned to service.
USNS Card, an escort carrier converted for aircraft transport, was anchored in the Saigon River when combat swimmers planted limpet mines on its hull.
Powerful explosions struck the ship's side, causing it to settle in shallow water without loss of life.
Crew members evacuated safely and witnessed the dramatic breach in the carrier's hull.
Salvage teams refloated and repaired the ship, restoring it to service within seven months.
The attack demonstrated the reach and ingenuity of Viet Cong naval sabotage tactics.
It prompted the U.S. Navy to enhance port security measures in Vietnam.
1964
Vietnam War
An explosion
combat swimmers