1408day.year
Seeking to resubjugate Muscovy, Emir Edigu of the Golden Horde reaches Moscow, burning areas around the city but failing to take the city itself.
Emir Edigu’s Golden Horde force attacked Moscow’s outskirts but failed to breach the city walls.
In December 1408, Edigu, a powerful emir of the Golden Horde, advanced on the Muscovite capital.
His cavalry raided and burned villages and suburbs surrounding Moscow, spreading panic.
Despite the devastation beyond its walls, Moscow’s fortifications held firm against the siege.
The failed assault marked a turning point in Muscovy’s resilience against Tatar incursions.
Edigu’s retreat signaled the shifting balance of power in Eastern Europe and the rise of Moscow.
1408
Muscovy
Edigu
Golden Horde
1578day.year
Sir Francis Drake, after sailing through Strait of Magellan, raids Valparaiso.
Sir Francis Drake raided the Spanish port of Valparaíso during his circumnavigation voyage.
On December 5, 1578, Sir Francis Drake emerged from the Strait of Magellan into the Pacific.
He launched a surprise attack on the heavily guarded port of Valparaíso, seizing ships and loot.
Drake’s raid disrupted Spanish shipping and showcased English naval daring.
The expedition weakened Spain’s Pacific defenses and bolstered Drake’s reputation back home.
It became one of the most famous episodes of Elizabethan maritime warfare.
1578
Francis Drake
Strait of Magellan
Valparaiso
1757day.year
Seven Years' War: Battle of Leuthen: Frederick II of Prussia leads Prussian forces to a decisive victory over Austrian forces under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine.
Frederick the Great achieves a stunning victory over Austria at the Battle of Leuthen during the Seven Years' War.
On December 5, 1757, Prussian King Frederick II achieved one of his greatest military triumphs at the Battle of Leuthen. Facing a numerically superior Austrian army under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, Frederick executed a daring oblique order attack that caught the Austrians off-guard. His well-timed flanking maneuver and disciplined infantry formations overwhelmed the enemy, ensuring a crushing Prussian victory. The triumph at Leuthen solidified Frederick's reputation as a master tactician and boosted Prussian morale. It also shifted the momentum of the Seven Years' War in favor of Prussia and influenced later diplomatic negotiations and alliances. Today, Leuthen remains studied as a classic example of 18th-century battlefield innovation.
1757
Seven Years' War
Battle of Leuthen
Frederick II of Prussia
Prussian
Austrian
Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
1775day.year
At Fort Ticonderoga, Henry Knox begins his historic transport of artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Henry Knox embarks on his famous expedition to move captured artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston.
On December 5, 1775, Colonel Henry Knox set out from Fort Ticonderoga with a convoy of 59 heavy cannons destined for the Continental Army's siege of Boston. Over the following months, Knox and his men endured harsh winter conditions, hauling the artillery over ice-covered lakes, rugged mountain passes, and muddy roads. Known as the 'noble train of artillery,' this logistical feat provided George Washington's forces with crucial firepower to force the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776. Knox's ingenuity and determination demonstrated the importance of artillery in siege warfare and solidified his reputation as a skilled military leader. The successful transport remains celebrated as one of the early engineering marvels of the American Revolution.
1775
Fort Ticonderoga
Henry Knox
transport of artillery
Cambridge, Massachusetts
1865day.year
Chincha Islands War: Peru allies with Chile against Spain.
Peru and Chile form an alliance against Spain in the Chincha Islands War.
On December 5, 1865, following rising tensions over Spanish occupation of the guano-rich Chincha Islands, Peru and Chile signed a treaty of alliance against Spain. The pact united the two South American republics in defense of regional sovereignty and control of valuable resources. As allied forces coordinated naval operations along the Pacific coast, the conflict expanded to involve Ecuador and Bolivia in later stages. The Chincha Islands War highlighted emerging nationalist sentiments in post-colonial Latin America and reshaped power dynamics in the region. Although the war ended inconclusively, the alliance laid the groundwork for future cooperation between Peru and Chile.
1865
Chincha Islands War
Peru
Chile
1919day.year
Ukrainian War of Independence: The Polonsky conspiracy is suppressed and its participants are executed by the Kontrrazvedka.
During the 1919 Ukrainian War of Independence, the Kontrrazvedka suppressed the Polonsky conspiracy, executing its leaders to quash an anti-Bolshevik uprising.
In December 1919, under the Ukrainian War of Independence, revolutionary leader Ivan Polonsky plotted to overthrow Bolshevik authority.
The Kontrrazvedka, the Bolshevik military intelligence arm, uncovered and crushed the conspiracy within days.
Polonsky and key conspirators were swiftly executed, demonstrating the Red forces' determination to maintain control.
This decisive action helped the Bolsheviks stabilize their hold over Ukrainian territories during a tumultuous civil war.
The suppression highlighted the ruthless tactics of early Soviet security services in enforcing political order.
1919
Ukrainian War of Independence
Polonsky conspiracy
Kontrrazvedka
1934day.year
Abyssinia Crisis: Italian troops attack Wal Wal in Abyssinia, taking four days to capture the city.
In 1934, during the Abyssinia Crisis, Italian forces attacked the Ethiopian fort at Wal Wal, capturing it after four days of fierce fighting.
The Wal Wal oasis in the Ogaden region was a flashpoint between Italy and Ethiopia amid Mussolini's colonial ambitions.
On December 5, Italian troops commenced their assault and faced stiff resistance from Ethiopian defenders.
After four days of combat, Italy secured the fort, escalating tensions that foreshadowed a full-scale invasion.
The League of Nations condemned the aggression but failed to prevent Italy's subsequent conquest in 1935.
The crisis exposed the weaknesses of interwar collective security and emboldened Axis aggression in the lead-up to World War II.
1934
Abyssinia Crisis
Italian
Wal Wal
Abyssinia
1941day.year
World War II: In the Battle of Moscow, Georgy Zhukov launches a massive Soviet counter-attack against the German army.
On December 5, 1941, General Georgy Zhukov launched a major Soviet counteroffensive in the Battle of Moscow, halting the German advance.
After the German assault on Moscow stalled, Soviet forces prepared a strategic response.
General Georgy Zhukov organized a large-scale counterattack on December 5, striking German Army Group Centre.
The operation pushed German units away from Moscow's outskirts, easing pressure on the capital.
This victory marked the first significant setback for the Germans in Operation Barbarossa.
The counteroffensive boosted Soviet morale and signaled a turning point on the Eastern Front.
1941
World War II
Battle of Moscow
Georgy Zhukov
1941day.year
World War II: Great Britain declares war on Finland, Hungary and Romania.
On December 5, 1941, the United Kingdom declared war on Finland, Hungary, and Romania in support of its Soviet ally during World War II.
After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Finland, Hungary, and Romania joined the Eastern Front against the USSR.
On December 5, Britain declared war on these nations, aligning itself with its Soviet ally.
The declarations underscored the global scope of alliances and hostilities in World War II.
Although the military impact was limited, the moves reinforced diplomatic ties and wartime solidarity.
Britain's decision highlighted its commitment to the Soviet Union amid the brutal conflict on the Eastern Front.
Finland
Hungary
Romania
1943day.year
World War II: Allied air forces begin attacking Germany's secret weapons bases in Operation Crossbow.
Allied air forces launch Operation Crossbow against Germany’s secret weapons bases in late 1943.
Operation Crossbow begins as Allied bombers target Nazi Germany's V-weapon sites.
The campaign aims to disrupt the development and deployment of V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rockets.
Over several months, thousands of sorties attack launch sites, production facilities, and storage depots.
Intelligence gathered from these raids shapes future bombing strategies and hinders the German secret weapon program.
Operation Crossbow sets the stage for Allied air superiority in the final phase of World War II.
1943
Operation Crossbow
1964day.year
Vietnam War: For his heroism in battle earlier in the year, Captain Roger Donlon is awarded the first Medal of Honor of the war.
Captain Roger Donlon receives the first Medal of Honor of the Vietnam War for his valor at the Battle of Nam Dong in 1964.
During a Viet Cong attack on the Special Forces camp at Nam Dong, Captain Roger Donlon leads a fierce defense.
Despite being wounded multiple times, Donlon organizes medical evacuation and resupply under heavy fire.
His actions save numerous casualties and prevent the camp’s overrun by enemy forces.
On December 5, 1964, Donlon is presented with the Medal of Honor, the first awarded in the Vietnam conflict.
His citation highlights extraordinary bravery and leadership, setting a precedent for U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
1964
Vietnam War
Roger Donlon
Medal of Honor
1971day.year
Battle of Gazipur: Pakistani forces stand defeated as India cedes Gazipur to Bangladesh.
During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Indian forces defeat Pakistan at Gazipur, ceding the area to Bangladesh.
In December 1971, the Battle of Gazipur sees Indian and allied Mukti Bahini forces confront Pakistani troops.
After intense fighting, Pakistani defenders are overwhelmed and must withdraw from the strategic town.
The victory at Gazipur helps secure supply lines and territorial gains for the emerging nation of Bangladesh.
India’s success in eastern theaters contributes to the swift end of the conflict and Pakistan’s surrender.
The battle underscores the pivotal role of joint operations and local resistance in Bangladesh’s independence.
1971
Battle of Gazipur
Gazipur
Bangladesh