1240day.year
Mongol invasion of Rus': Kyiv, defended by Voivode Dmytro, falls to the Mongols under Batu Khan.
Mongol forces under Batu Khan capture Kyiv after its defense by Voivode Dmytro.
On December 6, 1240, the Mongol army led by Batu Khan breached the walls of Kyiv after a fierce siege. The city's defense was commanded by Voivode Dmytro, who fought valiantly to protect Kievan Rus. Despite strong resistance, the defenders were overwhelmed and the city fell. The fall of Kyiv dealt a devastating blow to the political and cultural center of Eastern Europe. This event marked a turning point in the Mongol invasion, paving the way for centuries of influence and tribute demands on the Rus principalities.
1240
Mongol invasion of Rus'
Kyiv
Voivode Dmytro
falls
Mongols
Batu Khan
1745day.year
Charles Edward Stuart's army begins retreat during the second Jacobite Rising.
Charles Edward Stuart’s forces begin their retreat during the 1745 Jacobite Rising.
After penetrating into England and reaching as far south as Derby, the Jacobite army paused and on December 6, 1745 decided to retreat northward. Under the command of Charles Edward Stuart, they retraced their steps back to Scotland amid dwindling support. The decision followed pressure from lack of English Jacobite uprisings and fear of government forces. The retreat weakened morale and resources, setting the stage for the eventual defeat at Culloden in 1746. The episode remains a poignant moment in Highland history.
1745
Charles Edward Stuart
second Jacobite Rising
1803day.year
Five French warships attempting to escape the Royal Naval blockade of Saint-Domingue are all seized by British warships, signifying the end of the Haitian Revolution.
British warships capture French vessels at Saint-Domingue, signaling the end of the Haitian Revolution.
On December 6, 1803, five French naval ships attempting to break the British blockade of Saint-Domingue were intercepted and seized by the Royal Navy. This decisive action effectively cut off French military support to the colony. It marked the practical end of the Haitian Revolution, which had begun years earlier with a slave uprising. The withdrawal of French forces paved the way for Haitian independence under leaders like Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Haiti would declare independence in January 1804, becoming the first Black republic. The event reshaped colonial power dynamics in the Caribbean and the Atlantic world.
1803
French warships
Royal Naval blockade of Saint-Domingue
Haitian Revolution
1916day.year
World War I: The Central Powers capture Bucharest.
Central Powers forces occupy Bucharest during World War I after Romania's defenses collapse.
On December 6, 1916, German, Austro-Hungarian, and Bulgarian troops entered Bucharest following a series of victories against the Romanian Army. Romania had entered World War I on the side of the Allies in August 1916 to gain territories from Austria-Hungary but was quickly overwhelmed. The fall of the capital forced King Ferdinand I and government officials to relocate to Iași, leaving Bucharest under military occupation until the end of the war. This event underscored the shifting balance on the Eastern Front and had lasting consequences for Romania's post-war borders and politics.
1916
World War I
capture Bucharest
1917day.year
World War I: USS Jacob Jones is the first American destroyer to be sunk by enemy action when it is torpedoed by German submarine SM U-53.
The USS Jacob Jones becomes the first U.S. destroyer sunk by enemy fire after being torpedoed by German U-53.
During the night of December 6, 1917, the American destroyer USS Jacob Jones was patrolling the Atlantic when it encountered German submarine SM U-53. At 3:30 a.m., the U-53 fired torpedoes that struck the Jacob Jones, causing catastrophic damage and sinking the ship within minutes. Forty-eight crew members were lost, and the survivors were rescued by nearby vessels. This event marked a significant escalation in submarine warfare and underscored the vulnerability of Allied shipping. The loss influenced future convoy tactics and anti-submarine measures adopted by the U.S. Navy.
USS Jacob Jones
destroyer
torpedoed
SM U-53
1939day.year
Winter War: The Red Army's advance on the Karelian Isthmus is stopped by Finns at the Mannerheim Line during the Battle of Taipale.
During the Winter War on December 6, 1939, Finnish forces halted the Soviet Red Army's advance at the Mannerheim Line in the Battle of Taipale.
The Winter War erupted when the Soviet Union invaded Finland on November 30, 1939.
By December 6, Soviet troops had reached the defensive Mannerheim Line on the Karelian Isthmus.
At Taipale, Finnish soldiers used knowledge of the harsh terrain to stop repeated Red Army assaults.
Outnumbered and outgunned, the defenders’ resilience earned close international admiration.
The Battle of Taipale became emblematic of Finland’s determination to defend its sovereignty.
The clash highlighted the strategic importance of fortifications in cold‐weather warfare.
1939
Winter War
Red Army
Karelian Isthmus
Mannerheim Line
Battle of Taipale
1941day.year
World War II: Camp X opens in Canada to begin training Allied secret agents for the war.
On December 6, 1941, Camp X opened in Ontario, Canada, as a secret training facility for Allied covert operatives during World War II.
Camp X was established near Whitby, Ontario, under the direction of British intelligence officer William Stephenson.
The clandestine school trained spies and saboteurs in sabotage, communications, and guerrilla warfare.
Operatives from Canada, Britain, the United States, and occupied Europe attended specialized courses.
Graduates played critical roles in espionage, resistance movements, and behind‐enemy‐lines missions.
Camp X’s techniques laid the groundwork for modern special operations and intelligence training.
Its legacy endures in agencies that trace their roots back to this secret wartime installation.
1941
World War II
Camp X
1971day.year
Pakistan severs diplomatic relations with India, initiating the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
On December 6, 1971, Pakistan broke diplomatic ties with India, marking the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Heightened tensions over East Pakistan’s autonomy led to a humanitarian crisis and millions of refugees.
On December 6, Pakistan formally severed diplomatic relations with India.
Both nations mobilized troops along the western and eastern fronts, prepared for large-scale conflict.
Within weeks, Indian forces intervened in support of Bengali nationalists in East Pakistan.
The war concluded with Pakistan’s surrender on December 16 and the creation of Bangladesh.
The conflict reshaped South Asian geopolitics and remains a defining moment in regional history.
1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
1975day.year
The Troubles: Fleeing from the police, a Provisional IRA unit takes a British couple hostage in their flat on Balcombe Street, London, beginning a six-day siege.
A Provisional IRA unit begins a six-day hostage siege on Balcombe Street in London.
Amid the turmoil of The Troubles on December 6, 1975, a Provisional IRA unit, pursued by police, seized a British couple in their Balcombe Street flat. The resulting standoff lasted six tense days and attracted intense media coverage. Negotiators eventually secured the hostages’ release without fatalities. The siege highlighted the IRA’s urban tactics and the British government’s counterterrorism challenges. It remains a defining moment in London’s experience of Northern Ireland’s conflict spilling across the Irish Sea.
1975
The Troubles
Provisional IRA
six-day siege
1982day.year
The Troubles: The Irish National Liberation Army bombs a pub frequented by British soldiers in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland, killing eleven soldiers and six civilians.
An INLA bomb at a Northern Ireland pub kills soldiers and civilians amid The Troubles.
On December 6, 1982, the Irish National Liberation Army detonated a bomb at the Droppin' Well disco in Ballykelly, a venue popular with British soldiers. The attack killed eleven soldiers and six civilians, making it one of the deadliest IRA-linked bombings. The blast intensified security measures and deepened sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland. Families and communities on both sides were devastated, and the incident underscored the brutal toll of The Troubles. It remains a tragic example of civilian suffering during the conflict.
1982
Irish National Liberation Army
bombs a pub
Ballykelly, Northern Ireland
1991day.year
Yugoslav Wars: In Croatia, forces of the Serb-dominated Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) heaviest bombardment of Dubrovnik during a siege of seven months.
The JNA carries out its fiercest bombardment of besieged Dubrovnik.
During the Yugoslav Wars on December 6, 1991, the Yugoslav People’s Army unleashed its heaviest artillery assault on Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage city. The seven-month siege aimed to fracture Croatian resistance and control the Adriatic coast. Historic monuments and civilian districts were severely damaged, drawing international condemnation. Photographs of the rubble spurred global calls for intervention. Despite the devastation, defenders and residents held firm, preserving Dubrovnik’s spirit. The siege remains a stark example of cultural heritage under fire.
1991
Yugoslav Wars
Croatia
Yugoslav People's Army
Dubrovnik
1992day.year
The Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India, is demolished, leading to widespread riots causing the death of over 1,500 people.
The demolition of the Babri Masjid triggers deadly communal riots across India.
On December 6, 1992, a large crowd demolished the 16th-century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya amidst Hindu-Muslim tensions. The act unleashed nationwide riots that claimed over 1,500 lives and displaced thousands. The incident deepened sectarian divides and fueled political movements emphasizing religious identity. Courts and commissions later examined the event’s legality and consequences. The Ayodhya controversy remains one of India’s most sensitive and enduring communal flashpoints, shaping contemporary discourse on secularism and plurality.
1992
Babri Masjid
Ayodhya
demolished