598day.year
Goguryeo-Sui War: In response to a Goguryeo (Korean) incursion into Liaoxi, Emperor Wéndi of Sui orders his youngest son, Yang Liang (assisted by the co-prime minister Gao Jiong), to conquer Goguryeo during the Manchurian rainy season, with a Chinese army and navy.
In 598, Emperor Wéndi of the Sui Dynasty launches a major military expedition against Goguryeo, dispatching his son Yang Liang with an army and navy during the rainy season.
Facing a Goguryeo incursion into Liaoxi, Emperor Wéndi commissions his youngest son Yang Liang to lead a combined army and naval force. Assisted by co-prime minister Gao Jiong, the campaign presses into the challenging terrain of Manchuria during the rainy season. This expedition marks one of the earliest major Sui efforts to subjugate the northeastern Korean kingdom of Goguryeo. The harsh weather and logistical difficulties severely tested the troops and commanders alike. Despite initial advances, the campaign would struggle against Goguryeo's strong defenses and supply issues. The operation set the stage for future Sino-Korean conflicts that would define regional power dynamics.
598
Goguryeo-Sui War
Goguryeo
Wéndi
Sui
Yang Liang
Gao Jiong
Manchurian
1265day.year
Second Barons' War: Battle of Evesham: The army of Prince Edward (the future king Edward I of England) defeats the forces of rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, killing de Montfort and many of his allies.
Prince Edward's forces decisively defeat Simon de Montfort's baronial army at the Battle of Evesham in 1265.
As part of the Second Barons' War, Prince Edward—later Edward I—leads royal troops against the rebel barons assembled at Evesham. On August 4, 1265, the royal army strikes with surprise, routing Simon de Montfort's forces. De Montfort, the 6th Earl of Leicester, is killed in the fighting, effectively ending the baronial revolt. This victory restores King Henry III's authority and paves the way for Edward's eventual succession. The battle is remembered as a turning point that reinforced the power of the English crown.
1265
Second Barons' War
Battle of Evesham
Edward I of England
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
1327day.year
First War of Scottish Independence: James Douglas leads a raid into Weardale and almost kills Edward III of England.
Scottish hero James Douglas spearheads a raid into Weardale, nearly assassinating King Edward III in 1327.
During the early phase of the First War of Scottish Independence, Sir James Douglas leads a bold incursion across the border into England's Weardale. His mounted troops strike with speed and surprise, catching the English off guard. In the chaos of the raid, Douglas almost reaches King Edward III himself, showcasing Scottish determination. Although the assassination attempt fails, the raid boosts Scottish morale and cements Douglas's reputation as a daring warrior. The skirmish highlights the fluid, guerrilla-style warfare that characterized much of the conflict.
1327
First War of Scottish Independence
James Douglas
leads a raid
Weardale
Edward III of England
1578day.year
Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir: The Moroccans defeat the Portuguese. King Sebastian of Portugal is killed in the battle, leaving his elderly uncle, Cardinal Henry, as his heir. This initiates a succession crisis in Portugal.
Moroccan forces crush the Portuguese at Al Kasr al Kebir, killing King Sebastian and triggering a succession crisis.
On August 4, 1578, Moroccan Sultan Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik leads his troops to a decisive victory over King Sebastian's Portuguese army at Al Kasr al Kebir. King Sebastian falls in the melee, leaving Portugal without a direct heir and precipitating a dynastic crisis. His elderly uncle, Cardinal Henry, ascends the throne amid political uncertainty. The battle shifts the balance of power in North Africa and Portugal's imperial ambitions. It remains one of Morocco's most celebrated military triumphs and a tragic turning point for Portugal.
1578
Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir
Moroccans
Sebastian of Portugal
Cardinal Henry
1704day.year
War of the Spanish Succession: Gibraltar is captured by an English and Dutch fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir George Rooke and allied with Archduke Charles.
An English and Dutch fleet captures Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession.
As part of the War of the Spanish Succession, an Anglo-Dutch fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke sails to the strategic Rock of Gibraltar. Supported by Archduke Charles of Austria, the allied force lays siege to the fortress town on August 4, 1704. Despite strong Spanish resistance, the attackers breach the defenses and secure the harbour. Gibraltar's capture provides the Allies with a key Mediterranean naval base. The town remains under British control, marking the beginning of Britain's long-standing presence on the rock. The operation demonstrates the importance of naval power in early 18th-century conflicts.
1704
War of the Spanish Succession
Gibraltar
Admiral
George Rooke
Archduke Charles
1781day.year
Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, a fleet of six East India Company ships sets sail from Fort Marlborough to raid the Dutch VOC factories on the West coast of Sumatra including the major port of Padang.
An East India Company squadron departs Fort Marlborough to attack Dutch VOC outposts in Sumatra.
During the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, the British East India Company dispatches a squadron of six merchant ships from Fort Marlborough (modern-day Bengkulu) on August 4, 1781. Their mission: to raid Dutch VOC trading posts along Sumatra's west coast, including the vital port of Padang. Under sail and protected by armed escorts, the fleet targets VOC warehouses and currency stores. The raids aim to disrupt Dutch trade monopolies and weaken their colonial foothold in the East Indies. This expedient expedition reflects the intertwined commercial and military objectives of European powers in Asia.
1781
Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
East India Company
Fort Marlborough
VOC factories
Sumatra
Padang
1796day.year
French Revolutionary Wars: Napoleon leads the French Army of Italy to victory in the Battle of Lonato.
Napoleon Bonaparte secures a key victory at the Battle of Lonato during the Italian campaign of 1796.
In 1796, during his Italian campaign, General Napoleon Bonaparte confronted Austrian forces near Lonato del Garda.
On August 4, the French Army of Italy engaged in fierce skirmishes to dislodge the Austrians from Lombardy's key positions.
Napoleon coordinated rapid troop movements and local militias to surround and outflank the enemy in and around Lonato.
The successful assault forced the Austrians to withdraw, strengthening French control over northern Italy.
This victory contributed to Bonaparte's rising military reputation and paved the way for further advances into Austrian-held territory.
It exemplified his innovative tactics of speed, surprise, and concentration of force.
1796
French Revolutionary Wars
Napoleon
French Army of Italy
Battle of Lonato
1873day.year
American Indian Wars: While protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the United States 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer clashes for the first time with the Cheyenne and Lakota people near the Tongue River; only one man on each side is killed.
U.S. 7th Cavalry under Lt. Col. Custer clashes with Cheyenne and Lakota warriors near the Tongue River in 1873.
On August 4, 1873, elements of the U.S. 7th Cavalry, led by Lt. Col. George A. Custer, encountered Cheyenne and Lakota forces while surveying a Montana railroad route.
The brief engagement along the Tongue River marked the first direct combat between Custer's cavalry and the Plains tribes.
Despite being outnumbered, both sides suffered only one fatality each, yet tensions escalated in the region.
This skirmish presaged the more intense conflicts of the Great Sioux War later in the decade.
The clash highlighted the U.S. Army's expanding presence in Indian Territory and the resistance of Native American nations.
It underscored the underlying conflicts over land, sovereignty, and railroad expansion in the American West.
1873
American Indian Wars
Montana
United States 7th Cavalry
Lieutenant Colonel
George Armstrong Custer
Cheyenne
Lakota people
Tongue River
1914day.year
World War I: In response to the German invasion of Belgium, Belgium and the British Empire declare war on Germany. The United States declares its neutrality.
Belgium and the British Empire declared war on Germany after its invasion of Belgium, while the United States proclaimed neutrality, escalating World War I in Europe.
On August 4, 1914, the German army invaded neutral Belgium to outflank French defenses, violating Belgium's sovereignty. In response, Belgium and its ally, the British Empire, formally declared war on Germany, opening a new front in World War I. This declaration marked the end of Britain's hesitancy to join the conflict and brought the war to a global stage. Meanwhile, President Woodrow Wilson announced the United States' neutrality, reflecting American reluctance to enter the European war. The clash underscored the fragility of 19th-century alliances and the volatile political landscape of early 20th-century Europe.
1914
World War I
German invasion of Belgium
British Empire
1915day.year
World War I: The German 12th Army occupies Warsaw during the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive and the Great Retreat of 1915.
During World War I's Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive, the German 12th Army captured Warsaw, triggering the Russian Great Retreat.
On August 4, 1915, the German 12th Army, under General Max von Gallwitz, entered Warsaw as part of the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive. The offensive had begun in May and aimed to break Russian lines in Galicia. The fall of Warsaw forced Russian troops into the Great Retreat, abandoning key positions and vast territories. Civilians in the city faced shortages and displacement under advancing forces. This victory demonstrated German coordination and the shifting tides on the Eastern Front, reshaping the course of World War I in Eastern Europe.
1915
German 12th Army
Warsaw
Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive
Great Retreat of 1915
1921day.year
Bolshevik–Makhnovist conflict: Mikhail Frunze declares victory over the Makhnovshchina.
Bolshevik commander Mikhail Frunze announced the defeat of the Makhnovist anarchist forces in Ukraine, ending major resistance.
On August 4, 1921, Soviet commander Mikhail Frunze proclaimed the victory of Bolshevik forces over the Makhnovshchina, the anarchist army led by Nestor Makhno. The Makhnovists had waged guerrilla warfare against both White and Red armies during the Russian Civil War. Their defeat allowed the Bolsheviks to consolidate control over Ukraine and implement centralized policies. The closing chapter of this conflict reflected the brutality of the civil war and the emergence of a unified Soviet state. Former allies turned adversaries, illustrating the chaotic alliances of post-revolutionary Russia.
1921
Bolshevik–Makhnovist conflict
Mikhail Frunze
Makhnovshchina
1944day.year
The Holocaust: A tip from a Dutch informer leads the Gestapo to a sealed-off area in an Amsterdam warehouse, where they find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others.
Gestapo agents discovered and arrested Anne Frank and her companions in Amsterdam, ending their time in hiding during the Holocaust.
On August 4, 1944, a Dutch informant led the Gestapo to the Secret Annex in Amsterdam where Anne Frank, her family, and four others had lived in hiding for over two years. The group was arrested and sent to transit camps, and ultimately to concentration camps where most perished. Anne Frank's diary, hidden and later published, became one of the most powerful personal testimonies of Jewish persecution under Nazi rule. Her candid observations captured the fears, hopes, and daily life of those in hiding. The discovery of the annex highlighted the perilous conditions for Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe. Today, Anne Frank's legacy continues to educate generations about the horrors of hatred and the resilience of the human spirit.
1944
The Holocaust
Gestapo
Amsterdam
Anne Frank