1568day.year
The Spanish Duke of Alba defeats a Dutch rebel force under William the Silent.
In 1568, the Duke of Alba defeated William the Silent's rebel force, marking a key confrontation in the Eighty Years' War.
In 1568, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, the Duke of Alba, led Spanish troops against Dutch insurgents commanded by William the Silent. His victory demonstrated Spain's military strength and temporarily suppressed the growing revolt in the Low Countries. The battle inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels and solidified Alba's reputation for ruthless efficiency. William the Silent survived and continued to inspire resistance against Habsburg rule. This clash underscored the intensity of the conflict that would continue for decades.
1568
Duke of Alba
defeats
William the Silent
1572day.year
Eighty Years' War: Three thousand Spanish soldiers wade through fifteen miles of water in one night to effect the relief of Goes.
In 1572, three thousand Spanish soldiers marched through inland waterways overnight to break the siege of Goes during the Eighty Years' War.
During the Eighty Years' War, Spanish forces embarked on a daring nocturnal operation to relieve the besieged town of Goes. Under cover of darkness, over three thousand soldiers navigated canals and flooded fields for more than fifteen miles. Their unexpected arrival forced the Dutch rebels to abandon the siege, restoring Spanish control over the region. The relief demonstrated the strategic ingenuity and determination of Alba’s army. This operation boosted morale among Spanish troops and emphasized the high stakes of the protracted conflict.
1572
Eighty Years' War
relief of Goes
1740day.year
France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony refuse to honour the Pragmatic Sanction, and the War of the Austrian Succession begins.
In 1740, major European powers rejected the Pragmatic Sanction, triggering the War of the Austrian Succession.
King Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire had issued the Pragmatic Sanction to secure his daughter Maria Theresa's succession. However, France, Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony refused to recognize Maria Theresa’s inheritance. Their open defiance on October 20, 1740, sparked the War of the Austrian Succession. The conflict would draw in most of Europe, redefining alliances and territorial boundaries. It lasted until 1748 and marked a turning point in the balance of power on the continent.
1740
Pragmatic Sanction
War of the Austrian Succession
1827day.year
Greek War of Independence: In the Battle of Navarino, a combined Turkish and Egyptian fleet is defeated by British, French and Russian naval forces in the last significant battle fought with wooden sailing ships.
In 1827, British, French, and Russian fleets defeated the Ottoman-Egyptian navy at Navarino, a decisive victory in the Greek War of Independence.
Allied naval squadrons from Britain, France, and Russia engaged and destroyed the combined Ottoman and Egyptian fleet in the Bay of Navarino on October 20, 1827. The encounter marked the last major battle fought entirely with wooden sailing ships. The Allied victory crippled Ottoman sea power and boosted the Greek struggle for independence. It also signaled the rising influence of European Great Powers in Mediterranean affairs. The outcome paved the way for the eventual establishment of an autonomous Greek state in 1830.
1827
Greek War of Independence
Battle of Navarino
1935day.year
The Long March, a mammoth retreat undertaken by the armed forces of the Chinese Communist Party a year prior, ends.
After a grueling year-long trek, the Red Army of the Chinese Communist Party completes the Long March, arriving in northwestern China.
On October 20, 1935, the Red Army of the Chinese Communist Party completed the Long March after a year of arduous retreat from Nationalist forces. Covering nearly 9,000 kilometers across difficult terrain, the march tested the endurance and resolve of thousands of soldiers. Along the way, they overcame natural obstacles such as mountains, marshes, and rivers while skirmishing with Kuomintang troops. The journey forged a sense of unity and leadership within the Party, elevating Mao Zedong's role. The survivors arrived in Shaanxi province and established a new base from which the CCP would eventually triumph. The Long March became a foundational legend in Chinese revolutionary history, symbolizing perseverance under adversity.
1935
Long March
armed forces
Chinese Communist Party
1941day.year
World War II: Thousands of civilians in German-occupied Serbia are murdered in the Kragujevac massacre.
In German-occupied Serbia, thousands of civilians are massacred in retaliation by occupying forces in the Kragujevac massacre.
On October 20, 1941, German Wehrmacht and SS units executed approximately 2,300 civilians in the Serbian town of Kragujevac as a reprisal for partisan attacks. Under a cruel policy of collective punishment, local men and boys were rounded up and shot without trial. Among the victims were schoolchildren, teachers, and community leaders, some as young as thirteen. This atrocity was part of a larger campaign of terror against the Yugoslav population under Axis occupation. It shocked the world and fueled further resistance against the occupiers. Today, the Kragujevac massacre stands as one of the darkest chapters of World War II in the Balkans.
1941
World War II
German-occupied Serbia
Kragujevac massacre
1944day.year
World War II: The Soviet Red Army and Yugoslav Partisans liberate Belgrade.
Soviet and Yugoslav forces liberate Belgrade from Nazi occupation, reclaiming the capital of Yugoslavia.
On October 20, 1944, the Red Army and Yugoslav Partisans joined forces to liberate Belgrade, ending years of Axis occupation. The coordinated assault involved fierce urban combat and support from local resistance fighters. After heavy fighting, the German garrison surrendered and the city fell into Allied hands. The liberation marked a significant turning point in the Balkans campaign and restored the Yugoslav capital. Soviet troops remained in the region until a new government could be established. The event strengthened ties between Tito's movement and the Soviet Union, shaping postwar Yugoslavia.
1944
Red Army
Yugoslav Partisans
liberate Belgrade
1944day.year
American general Douglas MacArthur fulfills his promise to return to the Philippines when he comes ashore during the Battle of Leyte.
General Douglas MacArthur returns to the Philippines, landing on Leyte and fulfilling his famous promise, 'I shall return'.
On October 20, 1944, General Douglas MacArthur made his highly anticipated return to the Philippine Islands during the Battle of Leyte. His amphibious landing at Leyte Gulf marked the beginning of the liberation campaign against Japanese forces that had occupied the archipelago since 1942. The phrase 'I shall return', spoken upon his evacuation in 1942, became a symbol of hope for Filipinos enduring years of enemy rule. Allied forces secured a beachhead and advanced inland, liberating key areas and disrupting Japanese supply lines. MacArthur's return boosted morale across the Pacific theater and underscored the Allies' commitment to defeating Imperial Japan. The Leyte operation set the stage for the eventual liberation of the entire Philippines.
Douglas MacArthur
Battle of Leyte
1952day.year
The Governor of Kenya Evelyn Baring declares a state of emergency and begins arresting hundreds of suspected leaders of the Mau Mau Uprising.
Kenya's colonial governor declares a state of emergency to suppress the Mau Mau uprising, leading to mass arrests.
On October 20, 1952, Evelyn Baring, Governor of Kenya, declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating Mau Mau Uprising. British colonial authorities began rounding up hundreds of suspected Mau Mau leaders and sympathizers. The measure granted sweeping powers for detention without trial, censorship, and forced relocations. Villages were cordoned off, and suspects were sent to detention camps under harsh conditions. The crackdown intensified the conflict and led to widespread human rights abuses. The state of emergency remained in effect until 1960, shaping the path to Kenya's eventual independence.
1952
Evelyn Baring
Mau Mau Uprising
1962day.year
China launches simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line, igniting the Sino-Indian War.
China launches simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line, triggering the Sino-Indian War.
On October 20, 1962, the People's Liberation Army launched coordinated attacks along the disputed Himalayan border.
Troops advanced into Ladakh in the west and crossed the McMahon Line in the east, catching Indian forces unprepared.
These offensives marked the opening salvo of the Sino-Indian War, a brief but intense border conflict.
High-altitude combat in treacherous mountain terrain led to heavy casualties on both sides.
India scrambled to reinforce its frontier defenses amid logistical challenges.
A ceasefire was declared on November 21, 1962, but the war left lasting tensions between the two nations.
1962
China
Ladakh
McMahon Line
Sino-Indian War
2011day.year
Libyan Crisis: Rebel forces capture Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his son Mutassim in his hometown of Sirte and kill him shortly thereafter, ending the first Libyan civil war.
Rebel forces captured and killed Muammar Gaddafi in Sirte, ending the First Libyan Civil War in 2011.
On October 20, 2011, Libyan rebel fighters seized former dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his son Mutassim in their hometown of Sirte. Following a NATO-backed uprising, the capture marked the culmination of months of armed conflict. Gaddafi was killed shortly after his capture, effectively ending the First Libyan Civil War. The event brought an end to his 42-year rule and signaled a significant shift in Libya’s political landscape. In the aftermath, Libya faced ongoing instability as various factions vied for power.
2011
Libyan Crisis
Muammar Gaddafi
Mutassim
kill him
first Libyan civil war
2017day.year
Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declare victory in the Raqqa campaign.
The Syrian Democratic Forces declared victory in the Raqqa campaign against ISIS in 2017.
On October 20, 2017, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces officially declared the liberation of Raqqa from ISIS control. The Raqqa campaign, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, lasted over four months and involved intense urban combat. Coalition airpower and ground offensives weakened ISIS defenses and allowed SDF fighters to advance through the city. The fall of Raqqa marked a major symbolic and strategic defeat for ISIS in Syria. Following the victory, efforts began to rebuild the city and address humanitarian challenges among displaced residents.
2017
Syrian civil war
Syrian Democratic Forces
Raqqa campaign