1386day.year
Timur of Samarkand captures and sacks the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive.
In 1386, Timur of Samarkand captured and sacked Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive.
Timur, a Turco-Mongol conqueror, led his forces into the Caucasus region.
On this day he stormed Tbilisi, the capital of the Kingdom of Georgia.
The city was plundered and its king, Bagrat V, was taken prisoner.
This assault marked a brutal episode in Timur's campaigns of expansion.
The fall of Tbilisi weakened Georgian resistance against the Timurid Empire.
The event had lasting impacts on the region's political dynamics.
1386
Timur of Samarkand
captures and sacks
Georgian
Tbilisi
Bagrat V of Georgia
1851day.year
Mutineers take control of the Chilean penal colony of Punta Arenas in the Strait of Magellan.
In 1851, mutineers seized control of the Chilean penal colony at Punta Arenas in the Strait of Magellan.
Prisoners aboard the ship Tres Amigos led a revolt against their captors.
They overpowered guards and took command of the Punta Arenas settlement.
The mutiny disrupted the Spanish colonial administration in the region.
Although temporary, the uprising exposed vulnerabilities in penal systems.
It remains a dramatic example of resistance within isolated colonies.
The incident highlighted tensions in mid-19th-century colonial governance.
1851
take control
penal colony
Punta Arenas
Strait of Magellan
1894day.year
Port Arthur, China, falls to the Japanese, a decisive victory of the First Sino-Japanese War; Japanese troops are accused of massacring the remaining inhabitants.
In 1894, Japanese forces capture Port Arthur during the First Sino-Japanese War, securing a pivotal victory amid allegations of civilian massacres.
The fall of Port Arthur marked a turning point in the First Sino-Japanese War, demonstrating Japan’s emerging military prowess. The strategic naval base on the Liaodong Peninsula was besieged for months before its defenders surrendered. Reports of widespread violence against civilians and prisoners sparked international outcry. The victory weakened Qing China’s hold on Manchuria and forced the cession of territory in subsequent treaties. The event reshaped regional power dynamics and foreshadowed Japan’s imperial ambitions.
1894
Port Arthur, China
falls to the Japanese
First Sino-Japanese War
massacring
1910day.year
Sailors on board Brazil's warships including the Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Bahia, violently rebel in what is now known as the Revolta da Chibata (Revolt of the Lash).
In 1910, Brazilian sailors aboard battleships including Minas Gerais stage the Revolt of the Lash to protest brutal corporal punishment and demand naval reform.
The Revolta da Chibata saw Afro-Brazilian sailors seize control of key warships to challenge the navy’s use of the whip for discipline. Sparked by mounting resentment over inhumane treatment, the revolt compelled the government to negotiate with the mutineers. Although promises were made to abolish corporal punishment, many leaders faced reprisals once order was restored. The uprising highlighted racial and social inequalities in early 20th-century Brazil and set the stage for future reform movements within the military.
1910
Minas Gerais
São Paulo
Bahia
Revolt of the Lash
1916day.year
Mines from SM U-73 sink HMHS Britannic, the largest ship lost in the First World War.
In 1916, HMHS Britannic strikes a mine laid by German U-boat SM U-73 and sinks, marking the largest ship loss of World War I.
Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, served as a hospital vessel in the Aegean Sea when she hit a mine near the Greek island of Kea. Despite having increased safety features, the ship sank rapidly, resulting in the loss of dozens of medical staff and sailors. Survivors endured cold waters before rescue vessels arrived. The tragedy underscored the dangers civilian ships faced in wartime zones and influenced subsequent naval protocols for hospital ships and mine warfare.
1916
SM U-73
HMHS Britannic
First World War
1918day.year
A pogrom takes place in Lwów (now Lviv); over three days, at least 50 Jews and 270 Ukrainian Christians are killed by Poles.
In 1918, a three-day pogrom in Lwów (now Lviv) results in the deaths of at least 50 Jews and 270 Ukrainian Christians amid ethnic violence.
In the chaotic aftermath of World War I and the collapse of empires, competing Polish and Ukrainian claims over Eastern Galicia erupted into violence. Polish forces and civilians targeted minority neighborhoods in Lwów, leading to mass killings and widespread destruction. The pogrom deepened ethnic animosities and hindered reconciliation efforts. International observers raised concerns, but the region remained contested until the Peace of Riga. The event remains a tragic chapter in the city’s complex history of multiethnic coexistence.
A pogrom
Lviv
1920day.year
Irish War of Independence: On "Bloody Sunday" in Dublin, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassinated a group of British Intelligence agents, and British forces killed 14 civilians at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park.
On Bloody Sunday in 1920, the IRA targets British intelligence in Dublin, and later British forces open fire on civilians at Croke Park, killing 14.
In a coordinated morning operation, the IRA’s Dublin Brigade executed a series of assassinations against suspected British agents, significantly disrupting intelligence networks. That afternoon, Auxiliaries and RIC officers entered Croke Park during a football match and fired into the crowd, causing civilian casualties. The dual events shocked both Irish and British public opinion, intensifying the conflict. Bloody Sunday became emblematic of the brutal tactics employed in the struggle for Irish independence and galvanized further support for the nationalist cause.
1920
Irish War of Independence
Bloody Sunday
Irish Republican Army
group of British Intelligence agents
Gaelic football
Croke Park
1944day.year
World War II: American submarine USS Sealion sinks the Japanese battleship Kongō and Japanese destroyer Urakaze in the Formosa Strait.
The U.S. submarine USS Sealion sinks the Japanese battleship Kongō and destroyer Urakaze in the Formosa Strait.
During World War II, on November 21, 1944, USS Sealion launched a surprise torpedo attack on a Japanese task force navigating the Formosa Strait. The assault resulted in the sinking of the battleship Kongo, a veteran of two world wars, and the destroyer Urakaze. This operation dealt a significant blow to the Imperial Japanese Navy's surface fleet. The loss of Kongo, a symbol of Japanese naval power, accelerated Allied dominance in the Pacific. USS Sealion's success underscored the strategic impact of submarine warfare on the course of the conflict.
1944
World War II
USS Sealion
Japanese battleship Kongō
Japanese destroyer Urakaze
Formosa Strait
1962day.year
The Chinese People's Liberation Army declares a unilateral ceasefire in the Sino-Indian War.
China announces an immediate ceasefire to halt the 1962 border conflict with India.
After weeks of intense border clashes in the Himalayas, the Chinese People's Liberation Army declared a unilateral ceasefire on November 21, 1962. The move effectively ended major hostilities in the Sino-Indian War, preventing further casualties on both sides. While Chinese forces withdrew from some contested areas, the ceasefire solidified a Line of Actual Control that remains disputed to this day. The agreement alleviated immediate tensions but left long-term diplomatic and territorial issues unresolved. It marked a pivotal moment in India-China relations and reshaped security policies in the region.
1962
People's Liberation Army
ceasefire
Sino-Indian War
1967day.year
Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland tells news reporters: "I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing."
General Westmoreland expresses confidence in US progress during the Vietnam War.
On November 21, 1967, American General William Westmoreland told reporters that the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces were losing ground compared to two years earlier. His optimistic statement came amid rising US casualties and growing domestic opposition to the war. Westmoreland's assessment was meant to reassure the public and Congress about the effectiveness of US military strategy. However, critics later argued that his view underestimated the enemy's resilience and misrepresented the conflict's realities. The comments highlighted the disconnect between official reports and battlefield challenges.
1967
Vietnam War
William Westmoreland
1970day.year
Vietnam War: Operation Ivory Coast: A joint United States Air Force and Army team raids the Sơn Tây prisoner-of-war camp in an attempt to free American prisoners of war thought to be held there.
Operation Ivory Coast: a daring US raid on Sơn Tây POW camp in Vietnam.
On November 21, 1970, a joint US Air Force and Army special operations team launched Operation Ivory Coast, a nighttime raid on the Sơn Tây prisoner-of-war camp near Hanoi. The mission aimed to rescue American soldiers believed to be held there and involved over 50 aircraft and helicopters. Despite precise execution, the camp was empty, as prisoners had been relocated prior to the assault. Although no captives were freed, the operation showcased US special forces' reach and coordination skills. The bold mission led North Vietnam to consolidate POW locations, improving conditions for remaining American prisoners.
1970
Operation Ivory Coast
Sơn Tây
prisoner-of-war camp
1971day.year
Indian troops, partly aided by Mukti Bahini (Bengali guerrillas), defeat the Pakistan army in the Battle of Garibpur.
Indian forces and Mukti Bahini secure victory over Pakistan at Garibpur.
On November 21, 1971, Indian Army units, supported by Bengali Mukti Bahini guerrillas, engaged Pakistani forces at Garibpur in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Utilizing anti-tank weapons and coordinated artillery fire, the allies repelled repeated Pakistani armored assaults. The swift victory disrupted enemy supply lines and boosted morale for the upcoming full-scale Indo-Pakistani War. It demonstrated effective joint operations and the growing proficiency of the Mukti Bahini fighters. The battle helped set the stage for Bangladesh's liberation just weeks later.
1971
Mukti Bahini
Bengali
guerrillas
Battle of Garibpur