1795day.year
War of the First Coalition: The British capture Trincomalee (present-day Sri Lanka) from the Dutch in order to keep it out of French hands.
During the War of the First Coalition on August 31, 1795, British forces seized the port of Trincomalee from the Dutch.
Trincomalee, a deep-water harbor on the eastern coast of Ceylon, was strategically vital for naval operations. British troops launched a surprise assault to prevent French expansion in the Indian Ocean. The swift capture secured a critical outpost for resupplying and repairing ships. This operation weakened Dutch colonial presence and bolstered British maritime dominance. The fall of Trincomalee exemplified the global reach of European conflicts during the Revolutionary Wars.
1795
War of the First Coalition
capture Trincomalee
Sri Lanka
1798day.year
Irish Rebellion: Irish rebels, with French assistance, establish the short-lived Republic of Connacht.
Irish rebels, aided by French forces, proclaim the Republic of Connacht during the 1798 uprising.
In August 1798, Irish insurgents joined by a detachment of French troops declared the Republic of Connacht in western Ireland.
They sought to establish an independent Irish government against British rule.
Under the leadership of General Jean Humbert, the republic was proclaimed in Castlebar but lacked widespread support.
British forces responded swiftly, defeating the rebels at the Battle of Ballinamuck on September 8.
The short-lived republic lasted less than a month before it was suppressed.
Despite its brief existence, it became a symbol of Irish resistance and inspired future nationalists.
1798
Irish Rebellion
Republic of Connacht
1813day.year
Peninsular War: Spanish troops repel a French attack in the Battle of San Marcial.
In the Peninsular War, Spanish forces successfully thwart a French offensive at San Marcial.
In late August 1813, during the Peninsular War, French forces under Marshal Soult attempted to cross into Spain via the Bidasoa River.
Spanish troops led by General Freire entrenched on the high ground at San Marcial hill.
On August 31, they repelled repeated French assaults in fierce close combat.
The victory marked one of the first occasions Spanish soldiers beat French regulars without direct British support.
Heavy casualties forced the French to withdraw towards their own borders.
The battle bolstered Spanish morale and paved the way for further allied advances into western Spain.
1813
Peninsular War
Battle of San Marcial
1864day.year
During the American Civil War, Union forces led by General William T. Sherman launch an assault on Atlanta.
Sherman’s Union troops initiate a major assault on Confederate defenses around Atlanta in the Civil War.
In late August 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign, Union General William T. Sherman prepared for a major assault on the city.
On August 31, Sherman’s forces launched an attack aimed at breaching Confederate defenses around Atlanta.
Heavy fighting ensued as Union troops probed fortifications and sought weak points in the defensive line.
Although the assault did not immediately capture the city, it set the stage for the subsequent siege.
The operation cut off vital rail connections and supply lines to the Confederacy.
Sherman’s campaign would eventually lead to the fall of Atlanta on September 2, boosting Northern morale.
1864
American Civil War
Union
William T. Sherman
assault
Atlanta
1918day.year
World War I: Start of the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin, a successful assault by the Australian Corps during the Hundred Days Offensive.
Australian Corps launches a daring assault on Mont Saint-Quentin, securing a key victory in World War I's Hundred Days Offensive.
On August 31, 1918, the Australian Corps launched a surprise assault on Mont Saint-Quentin in France.
Under the command of General John Monash, troops scaled steep slopes under heavy fire.
The capture of the summit provided a strategic vantage point over the Somme Valley.
This victory formed a key part of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive against Germany.
Péronne fell shortly after, dealing a blow to German morale and defensive lines.
The battle is celebrated as one of Australia’s greatest military achievements.
1918
World War I
Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin
Australian Corps
Hundred Days Offensive
1920day.year
Polish–Soviet War: A decisive Polish victory in the Battle of Komarów.
Polish cavalry achieves a decisive victory over Soviet forces at the Battle of Komarów during the Polish–Soviet War.
On August 31, 1920, Polish forces decisively defeated the Soviet 1st Cavalry Army at Komarów.
The clash near Zamość was one of the last great cavalry battles in military history.
Polish cavalry brigades under General Juliusz Rómmel outflanked and shattered Soviet lines.
The victory halted the Soviet advance towards Warsaw and secured Poland’s eastern border.
It boosted Polish morale during the critical final phase of the Polish–Soviet War.
Komarów remains a celebrated example of effective cavalry tactics.
1920
Polish–Soviet War
Battle of Komarów
1939day.year
Nazi Germany mounts a false flag attack on the Gleiwitz radio station, creating an excuse to attack Poland the following day, thus starting World War II in Europe.
On August 31, 1939, Nazi forces staged a false flag attack at the Gleiwitz radio station to fabricate a pretext for invading Poland, igniting World War II.
The Gleiwitz incident on August 31, 1939, was a covert operation by Nazi Germany to justify military aggression against Poland. SS operatives posed as Polish soldiers and attacked the German border station at Gleiwitz, leaving staged evidence. The incident provided Adolf Hitler with a propaganda pretext to claim self-defense and launch the invasion of Poland the next day. This calculated deception marked the official outbreak of World War II in Europe. Eyewitness accounts and later investigations revealed the operation's orchestration by Reinhard Heydrich and Heinrich Müller. The false flag served as a chilling reminder of propaganda's role in modern warfare. Its impact resonates as an early example of state-sponsored disinformation and military aggression.
1939
Nazi Germany
false flag
attack on the Gleiwitz radio station
World War II in Europe
1941day.year
World War II: Serbian paramilitary forces defeat Germans in the Battle of Loznica.
During World War II on August 31, 1941, Serbian paramilitary forces defeated German troops at the Battle of Loznica in occupied Yugoslavia.
The Battle of Loznica took place on August 31, 1941, as part of the early partisan resistance against Axis occupation in Yugoslavia. Serbian paramilitary units led a surprise attack on German garrisons in the town of Loznica, successfully expelling occupiers. This victory represented one of the first armed uprisings in the region and inspired broader resistance movements. Partisans seized weapons, liberated prisoners, and gained crucial morale boosts from the success. Despite facing better-equipped German forces, they leveraged local support and intimate knowledge of the terrain. The battle underscored the effectiveness of guerrilla tactics and bolstered hopes for national liberation. It remains a celebrated episode in Serbian and Yugoslav wartime history.
1941
World War II
Serbian paramilitary forces
Battle of Loznica
1949day.year
The retreat of the Democratic Army of Greece into Albania after its defeat on Gramos mountain marks the end of the Greek Civil War.
On August 31, 1949, the Democratic Army of Greece retreated into Albania after defeat on Gramos mountain, effectively ending the Greek Civil War.
The Greek Civil War, which had raged since 1946, reached its climax on August 31, 1949, when communist forces of the Democratic Army of Greece were decisively beaten on Gramos mountain. Facing overwhelming government and British-backed troops, the partisans withdrew across the Albanian border. This retreat signaled the collapse of organized communist resistance and officially ended the conflict. The war had devastated the Greek countryside, displaced communities, and strained the nation's economy. Its conclusion paved the way for political stabilization under a Western-oriented government. Veteran fighters faced imprisonment or exile, while the surviving populace embarked on the long road to reconstruction. The Greek Civil War's end also influenced Cold War dynamics in the Balkans.
1949
Democratic Army of Greece
Albania
Gramos
Greek Civil War
1996day.year
Saddam Hussein's troops seized Irbil after the Kurdish Masoud Barzani appealed for help to defeat his Kurdish rival PUK.
In August 1996, Saddam Hussein's forces captured Irbil, intervening in a Kurdish power struggle.
On August 31, 1996, forces loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein captured the city of Irbil in northern Iraq. The operation followed an appeal from Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, who sought support against his rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Saddam's intervention intensified internal Kurdish tensions and shifted the balance of power among Kurdish factions. Government troops occupied strategic sites and imposed security measures in the city. The clash underscored the fragile nature of Kurdish autonomy under Saddam's regime. International observers expressed concern over potential human rights abuses. The event foreshadowed further conflict between Baghdad and Kurdish regions in the late 1990s.
1996
Saddam Hussein
Masoud Barzani
PUK
1999day.year
The first of a series of bombings in Moscow kills one person and wounds 40 others.
On August 31, 1999, the first in a series of Moscow bombings killed one person and injured dozens in the Russian capital.
On August 31, 1999, a bomb exploded in central Moscow, killing one individual and wounding around 40 others. This was the first attack in a series of apartment and public bombings that shook Russia at the end of the 20th century. The explosions targeted residential buildings and public areas, stirring fear across the nation. Authorities attributed the attacks to terrorists linked to the ongoing conflict in Chechnya. The bombings heightened security measures in Moscow and other major cities. They influenced public opinion and policy towards the Second Chechen War. The events marked a turning point in Russia's domestic counterterrorism strategy.
1999
bombings