1426day.year
Lam Sơn uprising: Lam Sơn rebels emerge victorious against the Ming army in the Battle of Tốt Động – Chúc Động taking place in Đông Quan, in now Hanoi.
Lam Sơn rebels defeated the Ming army at the Battle of Tốt Động – Chúc Động near modern Hanoi in 1426.
On November 7, 1426, the Lam Sơn uprising led by Lê Lợi achieved a decisive victory against the Ming dynasty’s forces at the twin battlefields of Tốt Động and Chúc Động near Đông Quan (present-day Hanoi). Utilizing guerrilla tactics and intimate knowledge of the terrain, the Vietnamese rebels ambushed and routed a vastly larger Ming army. This triumph significantly weakened Chinese control in northern Vietnam and boosted morale among the insurgents. The successful engagement paved the way for the eventual establishment of the Lê dynasty and the restoration of Vietnam’s independence. The battle is celebrated as a turning point in Vietnamese resistance against foreign rule.
1426
Lam Sơn uprising
Ming
Battle of Tốt Động – Chúc Động
Hanoi
1811day.year
Tecumseh's War: The Battle of Tippecanoe is fought near present-day Battle Ground, Indiana, United States.
In 1811, US forces clash with Tecumseh’s confederacy at the Battle of Tippecanoe near present-day Battle Ground, Indiana.
In November 1811, Governor William Henry Harrison led US troops against a confederation of Native American tribes under Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa.
The battle unfolded along the Tippecanoe River, driving off native forces after a day of fierce fighting.
Harrison’s forces claimed a tactical success but suffered significant casualties.
The encounter heightened tensions on the frontier and galvanized Tecumseh’s push for a pan-Indian alliance.
Often cited as a key prelude to the War of 1812, the battle shaped American expansion and Native American resistance in the Old Northwest.
1811
Tecumseh's War
Battle of Tippecanoe
Battle Ground, Indiana
1861day.year
American Civil War: Battle of Belmont: In Belmont, Missouri, Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant overrun a Confederate camp but are forced to retreat when Confederate reinforcements arrive.
In 1861, Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant attack a Confederate camp at Belmont, Missouri, but withdraw after enemy reinforcements arrive.
On November 7, 1861, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant led Union troops in the first combat command of his career.
They surprised a Confederate encampment at Belmont on the Mississippi River’s Missouri bank.
Grant’s men initially overran enemy positions but retreated in the face of fresh Confederate reinforcements.
Although inconclusive, the skirmish boosted Union morale and provided Grant with valuable battlefield experience.
This engagement foreshadowed Grant’s rise to prominence as one of the Civil War’s most successful generals.
1861
American Civil War
Battle of Belmont
Belmont, Missouri
Union
General
Ulysses S. Grant
Confederate
1881day.year
Mapuche uprising of 1881: Mapuche rebels destroy the Chilean settlement of Nueva Imperial after defenders fled to the hills.
In 1881, Mapuche rebels destroy the Chilean settlement of Nueva Imperial during their uprising in southern Chile.
During the Mapuche uprising of 1881, indigenous warriors in southern Chile challenged Chilean expansion in Araucanía.
On November 7, they attacked the frontier town of Nueva Imperial, forcing settlers to flee.
The rebels razed buildings, seizing livestock and supplies in a show of resistance.
This action highlighted longstanding tensions over land, autonomy, and cultural survival.
The Chilean government later mounted a brutal campaign to pacify the region, shaping the area’s future.
1881
Mapuche uprising of 1881
Mapuche
Nueva Imperial
1900day.year
Second Boer War: The Battle of Leliefontein takes place, during which the Royal Canadian Dragoons win three Victoria Crosses.
At the Battle of Leliefontein during the Second Boer War on November 7, 1900, the Royal Canadian Dragoons distinguished themselves, earning three Victoria Crosses for extraordinary bravery.
On November 7, 1900, during the Second Boer War in South Africa, cavalry from the Royal Canadian Dragoons held off a larger Boer force at Leliefontein to protect a vital artillery convoy. Their steadfast defense under intense fire demonstrated remarkable courage and discipline. Three members were awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Empire’s highest military honor, for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. The battle became a celebrated episode in Canadian military history, highlighting the nation’s emerging identity on the world stage. Their actions boosted Allied morale and underscored the importance of cavalry operations in colonial warfare.
1900
Second Boer War
Battle of Leliefontein
Royal Canadian Dragoons
Victoria Crosses
1914day.year
The German colony of Kiaochow Bay and its centre at Tsingtao are captured by Japanese forces.
Japanese forces capture the German colony of Kiaochow Bay, including the port city of Tsingtao, on November 7, 1914.
On November 7, 1914, during World War I, the Imperial Japanese Army seized the German-leased territory of Kiaochow Bay in China. The strategic port city of Tsingtao fell after a protracted siege, which included naval bombardments and ground assaults. This victory marked Japan’s first major military engagement of the conflict and bolstered its regional influence. The fall of Tsingtao deprived Germany of a crucial foothold in East Asia and shifted the balance of colonial power. After the war, the territory was transferred to Japanese control under the Treaty of Versailles, extending Japan’s presence on the Chinese mainland. The event illustrates how global the First World War had become, reaching far beyond European battlefields.
1914
German
Kiaochow Bay
Tsingtao
1917day.year
The October Revolution, which gets its name from the Julian calendar date of 25 October, occurs, according to the Gregorian calendar; on this date, the Bolsheviks storm the Winter Palace.
Bolshevik forces storm the Winter Palace in Petrograd on November 7, 1917 (October 25 Julian), marking the climax of the October Revolution.
On November 7, 1917, by the Gregorian calendar, Bolshevik Red Guards launched their assault on the Winter Palace, the seat of Russia’s Provisional Government in Petrograd. Under leaders like Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, the revolutionaries swiftly overwhelmed the palace defenses. The victory effectively dissolved the Provisional Government and laid the groundwork for Soviet rule. The winter backdrop added dramatic imagery to the Bolsheviks’ rise, which would soon ignite a civil war across Russia. While the assault itself involved minimal bloodshed, its symbolic and political impact was immense. The storming of the palace became an enduring emblem of revolutionary change and shaped the course of 20th-century history.
1917
October Revolution
25 October
Winter Palace
1917day.year
World War I: The Third Battle of Gaza ends, with British forces capturing Gaza from the Ottoman Empire.
British forces capture Gaza from the Ottoman Empire, bringing an end to the Third Battle of Gaza during World War I.
The Third Battle of Gaza marked a key turning point in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. British Egyptian Expeditionary Force, under General Sir Edmund Allenby, launched coordinated attacks after previous attempts had stalled. On November 7, 1917, British troops broke through well-defended Ottoman lines and seized Gaza. This victory severed Ottoman control over southern Palestine and opened the way to Jerusalem. It demonstrated the effectiveness of combined arms tactics, including infantry, artillery, and cavalry. The capture of Gaza boosted Allied morale and shifted momentum in the Middle Eastern theatre.
World War I
Third Battle of Gaza
Gaza
Ottoman Empire
1936day.year
Spanish Civil War: The Madrid Defense Council is formed to coordinate the Defense of Madrid against nationalist forces.
Republican leaders establish the Madrid Defense Council to organize the city’s defense against Franco’s forces.
As Spain’s civil war intensified, Republican authorities formed the Madrid Defense Council on November 7, 1936, to coordinate military and civic responses to the Nationalist siege. Headed by political and military figures, the council managed troop deployments, civilian mobilization, and supply distribution within the capital. It also oversaw propaganda efforts to boost morale and maintain order during relentless bombardment. The council’s creation reflected the desperate struggle to keep Madrid under Republican control. Despite severe shortages and fierce fighting, the city held out, symbolizing resistance against General Franco’s uprising. The Madrid Defense Council became a focal point for international attention and support for the Republican cause.
1936
Spanish Civil War
Madrid Defense Council
Defense of Madrid
nationalist forces
1941day.year
World War II: Soviet hospital ship Armenia is sunk by German planes while evacuating refugees and wounded military and staff of several Crimean hospitals. It is estimated that over 5,000 people died in the sinking.
In 1941, the Soviet hospital ship Armenia was sunk by German aircraft while evacuating wounded and civilians from Crimea.
On November 7, 1941, the Soviet hospital ship Armenia was carrying refugees, wounded soldiers, and medical staff from Crimea to safety.
German warplanes intercepted and bombed the vessel in the Black Sea off Sevastopol.
The attack caused catastrophic damage, leading to the ship's rapid sinking.
An estimated over 5,000 people, including patients and crew, perished in the tragedy.
The loss of the Armenia remains one of the deadliest maritime disasters in wartime history.
1941
World War II
hospital ship
Armenia
Crimean
1944day.year
Soviet spy Richard Sorge, a half-Russian, half-German World War I veteran, is hanged by his Japanese captors along with 34 of his ring.
Soviet spy Richard Sorge was executed by hanging in Japan in 1944, marking the end of one of World War II's most infamous espionage operations.
Richard Sorge, a Soviet intelligence officer, had operated undercover in Japan, providing critical information to the USSR.
On November 7, 1944, after months of surveillance, Japanese authorities arrested and tried him.
He was hanged along with 34 members of his spy ring.
Sorge's intelligence work contributed to the Soviet defense strategy on the Eastern Front.
His dedication and ultimate sacrifice have made him a legendary figure in espionage history.
1944
Richard Sorge
1983day.year
Cold War: The command post exercise Able Archer 83 begins, eventually leading to the Soviet Union to place air units in East Germany and Poland on alert, for fear that NATO was preparing for war
Cold War tensions soared on November 7, 1983, as NATO’s Able Archer exercise prompted the Soviet Union to place its nuclear forces on high alert.
Exercise Able Archer 83 was a NATO command post exercise simulating a coordinated nuclear release. It employed realistic protocols, including new communication methods and radio silences, which alarmed Soviet intelligence. Believing the drill might mask preparations for a real strike, the Soviet Union positioned air units in East Germany and Poland on alert. The incident represents one of the closest moments the Cold War came to accidental nuclear war. It revealed deep mistrust between superpowers at the height of the Reagan administration. Able Archer’s legacy influenced future transparency measures and dialogue to reduce the risk of nuclear misunderstanding.
Cold War
command post exercise
Able Archer 83
Soviet Union
East Germany
Poland
NATO