1673day.year
Second Battle of Khotyn in Ukraine: Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth forces under the command of Jan Sobieski defeat the Ottoman army. In this battle, rockets made by Kazimierz Siemienowicz are successfully used.
Polish–Lithuanian forces under Jan Sobieski defeat the Ottomans at the Second Battle of Khotyn in 1673, using innovative rockets.
On November 11, 1673, near Khotyn in modern-day Ukraine, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth engaged Ottoman forces.
Commander Jan Sobieski employed rockets designed by Kazimierz Siemienowicz.
These early artillery rockets sowed confusion and disrupted enemy ranks.
Sobieski's troops executed a decisive counterattack, forcing the Ottomans to retreat.
The victory boosted Polish morale during the ongoing Polish-Ottoman War.
Sobieski's leadership at Khotyn elevated his reputation, paving the way for his eventual election as king.
The battle demonstrated the evolving nature of early modern warfare.
1673
Battle of Khotyn
Ukraine
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Jan Sobieski
Ottoman
Kazimierz Siemienowicz
1778day.year
Cherry Valley massacre: Loyalists and Seneca Indian forces attack a fort and village in eastern New York during the American Revolutionary War, killing more than forty civilians and soldiers.
During the American Revolutionary War, Loyalist and Seneca forces attacked Cherry Valley in 1778, killing over forty civilians and soldiers.
On November 11, 1778, a combined force of Loyalists and Seneca warriors launched a surprise assault on the settlement of Cherry Valley in eastern New York.
The attack targeted both the military fort and the surrounding village, catching defenders off guard.
More than forty American civilians and soldiers were killed, making it one of the deadliest frontier attacks of the Revolutionary War.
The massacre provoked outrage among colonists and fueled calls for retaliation against British-allied Native American tribes.
It deepened frontier hostilities and led General Washington to authorize punitive expeditions in the region.
The Cherry Valley massacre remains a stark example of the brutal nature of frontier warfare during America’s fight for independence.
1778
Cherry Valley massacre
Loyalists
Seneca
American Revolutionary War
1805day.year
Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Dürenstein: Eight thousand French troops attempt to slow the retreat of a vastly superior Russian and Austrian force.
In the Napoleonic Wars, the Battle of Dürenstein saw French troops attempt to delay a superior Russian and Austrian force in 1805.
On November 11, 1805, during the War of the Third Coalition, eight thousand French soldiers under General Édouard Mortier engaged Russian and Austrian forces near the Danube River at Dürenstein.
Despite being heavily outnumbered, the French rear-guard action inflicted significant casualties on the opposing armies.
Fighting took place in narrow ravines, where artillery and musket fire devastated both sides.
The delay allowed Napoleon’s main forces to regroup after his victory at Ulm.
Although the French eventually withdrew, the clash demonstrated the determination and tactical skill of Napoleon’s troops.
The Battle of Dürenstein remains noted for its fierce combat and high casualty rates in the Napoleonic Wars.
1805
Napoleonic Wars
Battle of Dürenstein
1813day.year
War of 1812: Battle of Crysler's Farm: British and Canadian forces defeat a larger American force, causing the Americans to abandon their Saint Lawrence campaign.
In 1813, British and Canadian forces defeated a larger American army at the Battle of Crysler's Farm, halting the U.S. Saint Lawrence campaign.
On November 11, 1813, during the War of 1812, British and Canadian troops led by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Morrison repelled an American invasion force at Crysler's Farm in present-day Ontario.
Despite being outnumbered, the defenders used disciplined musket volleys and strategic positioning to devastating effect.
The American army suffered heavy casualties and was forced to retreat from its Saint Lawrence River objectives.
The victory secured Upper Canada against further incursion that year.
The battle showcased the resilience of Canadian militia fighting alongside British regulars.
Crysler's Farm is remembered as a pivotal engagement that safeguarded Canada during the conflict.
1813
War of 1812
Battle of Crysler's Farm
1918day.year
World War I: Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car in the forest of Compiègne.
Germany signed the Armistice in a railway carriage at Compiègne on November 11, 1918, ending the fighting in World War I.
Delegates from Germany and the Allied Powers met in a dimly lit railway car deep in the Compiègne forest. The agreement brought an immediate ceasefire to four years of devastating trench warfare. Terms included withdrawal from occupied territories and surrender of military equipment. The armistice took effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, cementing November 11 as Armistice Day. Although fighting ceased, the treaty sowed seeds of resentment that would later fuel World War II. The iconic setting has become a powerful symbol of both peace and unresolved tensions in international diplomacy.
1918
World War I
armistice
the Allies
forest of Compiègne
1919day.year
Latvian forces defeat the West Russian Volunteer Army at Riga in the Latvian War of Independence.
Latvian troops repelled the West Russian Volunteer Army at Riga on November 11, 1919, securing a key victory in their War of Independence.
Under General Edward Berzin, Latvian defenders fortified Riga against Bermondt-Avalov’s counter-revolutionary forces. The decisive battle forced the Volunteer Army to retreat, ending major hostilities in the region. This victory bolstered the fledgling Latvian Republic and paved the way for international recognition. Surrounding nations, concerned about Bolshevik advances, provided diplomatic support. The triumph on Riga’s outskirts is celebrated as one of the most important milestones in Latvia’s quest for sovereignty. Subsequent treaties cemented the nation’s borders and ushered in a period of state-building and cultural revival.
West Russian Volunteer Army
Latvian War of Independence
1923day.year
Adolf Hitler is arrested in Munich for high treason for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch.
Adolf Hitler was arrested in Munich and charged with high treason following the failed Beer Hall Putsch.
On November 11, 1923, Adolf Hitler was apprehended in Munich for his leadership role in the Beer Hall Putsch, an attempted coup against the Weimar Republic.
He was charged with high treason and held in Landsberg Prison, where he would write the first volume of Mein Kampf.
Despite the failure of the march on the Feldherrnhalle, the trial gave Hitler a national platform to broadcast his ideology.
His eventual early release allowed him to reorganize the Nazi Party and pursue power through legal political channels.
This arrest marked a pivotal moment that reshaped Hitler’s strategy and set the stage for his rise to power.
1923
Adolf Hitler
Munich
high treason
Beer Hall Putsch
1940day.year
World War II: In the Battle of Taranto, the Royal Navy launches the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history.
The Royal Navy carried out the first-ever all-aircraft ship-to-ship attack at the Battle of Taranto.
On the night of November 11–12, 1940, the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy struck the Italian fleet anchored at Taranto.
Twenty-one Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers launched from HMS Illustrious in the first mass all-aircraft naval assault.
They inflicted severe damage on two battleships and a cruiser, redefining naval tactics.
The success demonstrated the power of carrier aviation and influenced the Japanese planning for Pearl Harbor.
This operation highlighted the shift from battleship-centric warfare to air power dominance at sea.
1940
World War II
Battle of Taranto
Royal Navy
1940day.year
World War II: The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis captures top secret British mail from the Automedon, and sends it to Japan.
The German cruiser Atlantis seized secret British mail from the Automedon and forwarded it to Japan, altering Axis intelligence.
On November 11, 1940, the Kriegsmarine auxiliary cruiser Atlantis intercepted the British steamer Automedon in the Indian Ocean.
Boarding parties recovered diplomatic dispatches detailing British defense plans in the Far East.
These intercepted documents were sent to Axis partner Japan, influencing its strategic decisions in Southeast Asia.
The operation underscored the significance of naval intelligence in World War II.
It remains one of the most consequential espionage exploits at sea.
Atlantis
top secret
Automedon
1942day.year
World War II: France's zone libre is occupied by German forces in Case Anton.
German forces occupied Vichy France’s ‘Free Zone’ in Operation Case Anton, ending its nominal autonomy.
On November 11, 1942, German and Italian troops launched Case Anton, fully occupying the unoccupied zone of Vichy France.
This move was triggered by the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch).
The remaining French forces were disarmed, and Vichy administration was stripped of power.
The occupation dissolved the illusion of Vichy sovereignty and tightened Axis control over France.
It marked a turning point in the Nazi administration of Western Europe during World War II.
1942
zone libre
Case Anton
1961day.year
Thirteen Italian Air Force servicemen, deployed to the Congo as a part of the UN peacekeeping force, are massacred by a mob in Kindu.
In Kindu, Congo, a mob massacres thirteen Italian Air Force peacekeepers serving with the UN, shocking the international community.
On November 11, 1961, thirteen servicemen of the Italian Air Force deployed with the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC) were brutally killed by a local mob in Kindu. Traveling in a convoy, the soldiers were ambushed amid rumors that they were Belgian mercenaries supporting secessionist forces. The attack underscored the volatility of the Congolese crisis and the dangers faced by UN peacekeepers. Italian and UN officials condemned the massacre, prompting diplomatic protests and calls for justice. The incident strained relations within the UN mission and accelerated discussions on troop security in conflict zones.
1961
Kindu
1967day.year
Vietnam War: In a propaganda ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, three American prisoners of war are released by the Viet Cong and turned over to "new left" antiwar activist Tom Hayden.
The Viet Cong release three American POWs in Phnom Penh, handing them to antiwar activist Tom Hayden in a highly publicized propaganda event.
On November 11, 1967, during the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong held a staged ceremony in Phnom Penh to release three American prisoners of war to be greeted by "new left" activist Tom Hayden. The event was designed to generate global sympathy for the antiwar movement and embarrass U.S. military policy. Hayden’s involvement underscored the growing influence of student-led protestors and critics of the war back home. The released soldiers were flown to Hanoi before returning to U.S. custody in a carefully orchestrated exchange. The propaganda value of the release fueled debates in America over the war’s justification and highlighted the Viet Cong’s strategic use of captured servicemen. This incident became a symbol of the wider ideological struggle surrounding U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
1967
Vietnam War
Phnom Penh
Cambodia
Viet Cong
Tom Hayden