70day.year
First Jewish–Roman War: Titus and his armies breach the walls of Jerusalem. (17th of Tammuz in the Hebrew calendar).
On July 15, 70 AD, Emperor Titus’s legions breached Jerusalem’s formidable walls during the First Jewish–Roman War. This pivotal assault led to the city’s ultimate fall.
Part of the First Jewish–Roman War, the siege of Jerusalem culminated when Titus’s forces exploited a breach in the city walls on July 15, 70 AD.
After months of famine and fierce resistance, Roman soldiers poured into the Second Wall, overwhelming the defenders.
The breach took place on the 17th of Tammuz according to the Hebrew calendar, adding religious resonance to the event.
Following the entrance, Roman troops systematically destroyed the Temple precincts, inciting a profound loss for the Jewish people.
The fall of Jerusalem marked a turning point in the war, leading to the diaspora of Jewish communities across the Roman world.
Titus celebrated a triumph in Rome, showcasing captives and sacred artifacts, including the Temple menorah.
70
First Jewish–Roman War
Titus
breach the walls of Jerusalem
17th of Tammuz
756day.year
An Lushan Rebellion: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang is ordered by his Imperial Guards to execute chancellor Yang Guozhong by forcing him to commit suicide or face a mutiny. General An Lushan has other members of the emperor's family killed.
During the An Lushan Rebellion in 756, Emperor Xuanzong’s guards forced Chancellor Yang Guozhong to commit suicide amid fears of mutiny. This dramatic purge reflected the rebellion’s turmoil.
The An Lushan Rebellion, a major uprising against Tang authority, reached its climax when Imperial Guards turned against Chancellor Yang Guozhong on July 15, 756.
Fearing his perceived corruption and military failures, the guards demanded his execution, offering suicide as his only reprieve.
Under duress, Yang took his own life, while rebel general An Lushan ordered members of the imperial family killed, deepening the crisis.
The purge highlighted the erosion of central authority and the intense court intrigues that plagued Emperor Xuanzong’s rule.
This internal collapse paved the way for widespread violence and further rebellions, ultimately weakening the Tang dynasty.
Historians view these events as a turning point that ushered in decades of instability across China.
756
An Lushan Rebellion
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Imperial Guards
Yang Guozhong
An Lushan
1099day.year
First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final assault of a difficult siege.
On July 15, 1099, Crusader forces captured the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after a grueling siege. This triumph marked the fall of Jerusalem during the First Crusade.
Following weeks of fierce resistance, Christian soldiers stormed the walls of Jerusalem on July 15, 1099, securing a breach near the city’s northern quarter.
In the final assault, Crusaders made straight for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered as the site of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Its capture signified both a military and spiritual victory, fulfilling vows taken by knights at the outset of the First Crusade.
Pilgrims and warriors alike flocked to the church, turning it into a focal point for religious fervor and celebration.
The fall of Jerusalem established several Crusader states in the Levant and reshaped Christian–Muslim relations for generations.
Contemporary accounts describe the day as a mix of jubilation, massacres, and solemn religious ceremonies.
1099
First Crusade
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jerusalem
a difficult siege
1240day.year
Swedish–Novgorodian Wars: A Novgorodian army led by Alexander Nevsky defeats the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva.
On July 15, 1240, Alexander Nevsky led Novgorodian forces to victory over the Swedes at the Battle of the Neva. This triumph bolstered his reputation as a defender of Russia.
The Battle of the Neva took place near present-day Saint Petersburg as part of the Swedish–Novgorodian Wars.
On July 15, 1240, Prince Alexander of Novgorod marshaled a smaller force to repel a Swedish naval invasion along the river.
Despite being outnumbered, his tactical flanking maneuvers secured a decisive victory that prevented Swedish advances.
Celebrated as a national hero, Alexander earned the moniker “Nevsky” and secured his place in Russian folklore.
The win strengthened Novgorod’s northern defenses and affirmed its sovereignty amid regional power struggles.
The legacy of the battle lived on as a symbol of unity and resistance against foreign threats.
1240
Swedish–Novgorodian Wars
Novgorodian
Alexander Nevsky
Swedes
Battle of the Neva
1410day.year
Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War: Battle of Grunwald: The allied forces of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeat the army of the Teutonic Order.
In 1410, Polish and Lithuanian forces defeated the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald. This decisive medieval clash altered Eastern Europe’s power balance.
Fought on July 15, 1410, the Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg) saw the allied armies of King Władysław II Jagiełło of Poland and Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania confront the Teutonic Order.
It ranked among the largest battles in medieval Europe, with tens of thousands of troops engaged on both sides.
Polish-Lithuanian coordination and Vytautas’s cavalry charges broke the Teutonic lines, capturing their Grand Master.
This crushing defeat marked the decline of Teutonic power and secured the eastern frontier of the Polish–Lithuanian union.
The victory was celebrated in chronicles and monuments, reinforcing a shared sense of national identity.
Its outcome influenced diplomatic alliances and territorial settlements in the region for decades.
1410
Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War
Battle of Grunwald
Kingdom of Poland
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Teutonic Order
1815day.year
Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon Bonaparte surrenders aboard HMS Bellerophon.
Napoleon Bonaparte surrenders aboard HMS Bellerophon, effectively ending his reign and marking the close of the Napoleonic Wars.
After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon sought refuge and was taken aboard the British warship HMS Bellerophon on July 15, 1815. He officially surrendered to Captain Frederick Maitland, hoping for mercy and fair treatment. The British government decided to exile him to the remote island of Saint Helena instead of granting asylum. This formal surrender brought an end to more than a decade of European conflict initiated by Napoleon's campaigns. His removal reshaped the power balance at the Congress of Vienna and ushered in a new era of peace in Europe.
1815
Napoleonic Wars
Napoleon Bonaparte
HMS Bellerophon
1849day.year
The first air raid in history occurs; Austria launches pilotless balloons against the city of Venice
Austria carries out the world's first recorded air raid by launching pilotless balloons to bomb Venice.
During the First Italian War of Independence, Austrian forces sought to break Venetian resistance with unmanned incendiary balloons. These pilotless aircraft were released from naval ships and drifted over the city carrying explosives. Although the operation achieved limited military success, it marked the advent of airborne warfare. The balloons lacked precision and many failed to detonate on target. Nevertheless, this event foreshadowed the strategic use of air power in future conflicts.
1849
air raid
Venice
1862day.year
American Civil War: The CSS Arkansas, the most effective ironclad on the Mississippi River, battles with Union Navy ships commanded by Admiral David Farragut, severely damaging three ships and sustaining heavy damage herself.
The Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas clashes with Union Navy vessels commanded by Admiral David Farragut on the Mississippi River, inflicting heavy damage.
On July 15, 1862, during the American Civil War, the armored CSS Arkansas steamed into action on the Mississippi River to challenge the Union blockade. In a fierce engagement with Admiral Farragut's squadron, the ironclad rammed and damaged three Union vessels, forcing them to withdraw. Despite sustaining heavy damage to her hull and machinery, Arkansas demonstrated the power of ironclad warships. This action boosted Confederate morale and underscored the strategic importance of river operations. However, mechanical failures days later left Arkansas stranded.
1862
American Civil War
CSS Arkansas
ironclad
Mississippi River
Union Navy
David Farragut
1918day.year
World War I: The Second Battle of the Marne begins near the River Marne with a German attack.
The Second Battle of the Marne begins as German forces launch a major offensive in World War I, signaling a turning point on the Western Front.
On July 15, 1918, the German Army initiated its last significant attack of World War I across the Marne River in France. Aimed at drawing Allied reserves south, the offensive initially achieved surprise and territorial gains. However, well-coordinated counterattacks by French, British, and American forces soon halted the advance. The battle marked the failure of Germany's spring offensives and shifted momentum to the Allies. This turning point paved the way for the Allied Hundred Days Offensive and ultimately led to the Armistice in November 1918.
1918
World War I
Second Battle of the Marne
River Marne
1942day.year
The Holocaust: Nazi Germany begins the deportation of 100,000 Jews from the occupied Netherlands to extermination camps.
Nazi Germany commences mass deportations of over 100,000 Dutch Jews to extermination camps.
On July 15, 1942, the Nazi regime launched the largest mass deportation of Jews from the occupied Netherlands. Over 100,000 Jewish men, women, and children were rounded up and sent to Westerbork transit camp. From there, they were transported to extermination camps such as Auschwitz and Sobibor. This brutal operation marked the height of the Holocaust in Western Europe. Dutch Jewish communities were decimated, with more than 75% of pre-war Jewish population perishing. The deportations were carried out by SS troops and Dutch police collaborating under German orders. Survivors recall harrowing journeys and the trauma of separation from loved ones. The event stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of hatred and totalitarianism.
1942
The Holocaust
Nazi Germany
occupied Netherlands
extermination camps
1966day.year
Vietnam War: The United States and South Vietnam begin Operation Hastings to push the North Vietnamese out of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.
U.S. and South Vietnamese forces launch Operation Hastings to expel North Vietnamese troops from the DMZ.
On July 15, 1966, U.S. Marines and South Vietnamese troops initiated Operation Hastings along the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. Intelligence had revealed a buildup of North Vietnamese Army units infiltrating into South Vietnam. The campaign involved amphibious landings and helicopter assaults to dislodge enemy forces from concealed positions. Fierce combat raged in the rugged hills near the Rockpile and Con Thien outposts. Operation Hastings marked one of the first large-scale engagements between American and North Vietnamese regular forces. Casualties were significant on both sides, but the operation succeeded in pushing PAVN units back across the DMZ. The battle demonstrated the challenges of conventional warfare in dense jungle terrain. Lessons learned would shape future U.S. military tactics in Vietnam.
1966
Vietnam War
Operation Hastings
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
1983day.year
An attack at Orly Airport in Paris is launched by Armenian militant organisation ASALA, leaving eight people dead and 55 injured.
Armenian militant group ASALA bombs a terminal at Paris's Orly Airport, killing eight and injuring dozens.
On July 15, 1983, members of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) detonated rockets and grenades at Orly Airport in Paris. The coordinated attack targeted the Turkish airline counter but affected travelers indiscriminately. Eight people lost their lives, including French and Turkish nationals, and 55 others were wounded. The incident shocked Europe and underscored the reach of political violence. French authorities tightened security measures and launched an international investigation. ASALA claimed the attack as part of its campaign to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide, drawing global condemnation.
1983
attack
Orly Airport
Paris
Armenian
ASALA