1812day.year
The French invasion of Russia comes to an end as the remnants of the Grande Armée are expelled from Russia.
Napoleon's Grande Armée was expelled from Russia, marking the disastrous end of the 1812 invasion.
By December 1812, Napoleon's Grande Armée had endured devastating losses during its retreat from Moscow.
Harsh winter conditions, supply shortages, and Russian guerrilla tactics shattered French morale.
Remaining troops were forced to abandon heavy artillery and horses to hasten their escape.
Crossing the Berezina River became a desperate struggle for survival amid Russian pursuit.
When the last soldiers exited Russian territory on December 14, the invasion had failed utterly.
This defeat significantly weakened Napoleon's power and shifted the balance in the Napoleonic Wars.
1812
French invasion of Russia
Grande Armée
1814day.year
War of 1812: The Royal Navy seizes control of Lake Borgne, Louisiana.
On December 14, 1814, the Royal Navy captured Lake Borgne, paving the way for the Battle of New Orleans.
During the War of 1812, British naval forces launched an amphibious assault on December 14, 1814.
They engaged a small American flotilla on Lake Borgne, Louisiana, in a fierce skirmish.
Outnumbered, the U.S. gunboats were defeated, and Britain secured control of the lake.
This victory enabled British troops to land near New Orleans for their major offensive.
The capture demonstrated Britain's naval dominance and strategic planning in the Gulf Coast.
It set the stage for the pivotal Battle of New Orleans fought the following month.
1814
War of 1812
Royal Navy
seizes control
Lake Borgne
Louisiana
1863day.year
American Civil War: The Confederate victory under General James Longstreet at the Battle of Bean's Station in East Tennessee ends the Knoxville Campaign, but achieves very little as Longstreet returns to Virginia next spring.
General James Longstreet secures a Confederate victory at the Battle of Bean's Station, bringing the Knoxville Campaign to an end.
During the American Civil War, Confederate General James Longstreet led an assault at Bean's Station in East Tennessee on December 14, 1863.
The engagement marked the conclusion of the Knoxville Campaign, which had aimed to wrest control of the vital railroad hub at Knoxville from Union forces.
Although the Confederates claimed victory, the battle failed to produce any lasting strategic advantage in the region.
Longstreet's army soon withdrew back to Virginia the following spring, allowing Union forces to maintain dominance in East Tennessee.
The Battle of Bean's Station illustrated the challenges of sustaining offensive operations in difficult terrain and hostile territory.
It remains a lesser-known but instructive episode of tactical maneuvering in the western theater of the war.
1863
American Civil War
Confederate
James Longstreet
Battle of Bean's Station
East Tennessee
Knoxville Campaign
Virginia
1913day.year
Haruna, the fourth and last Kongō-class ship, launches, eventually becoming one of the Japanese workhorses during World War I and World War II.
The Japanese battleship Haruna, the last of the Kongō-class, is launched and will serve in two world wars.
On December 14, 1913, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched Haruna, the fourth and final ship of the Kongō-class battlecruisers.
Designed by British naval engineer George Thurston, the Kongō-class combined high speed with heavy armament.
Haruna served with distinction during World War I, patrolling for German commerce raiders in the Pacific.
She underwent significant modernization in the 1920s and 1930s, transforming into a fast battleship for World War II operations.
Haruna participated in major naval engagements, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf, before being sunk in 1945.
Her launch exemplified Japan's emerging naval power in the early 20th century.
1913
Haruna
Kongō-class
Japanese
World War I
World War II
1939day.year
Winter War: The Soviet Union is expelled from the League of Nations for invading Finland.
The League of Nations expels the Soviet Union in response to its invasion of Finland during the Winter War.
On December 14, 1939, the League of Nations formally expelled the Soviet Union for violating its principles by attacking Finland. The Winter War had begun in November when Soviet forces invaded in an attempt to secure territory near Leningrad. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Finnish troops mounted a fierce defense in harsh winter conditions. International sympathy for Finland’s plight grew as stories of Finnish resilience circulated in the press. The League’s decision to expel the USSR underscored its inability to prevent aggression but also signaled solidarity with smaller nations. Although the Soviet Union was later readmitted to the United Nations’ predecessor, this expulsion remains a notable diplomatic rebuke.
1939
Winter War
Soviet Union
League of Nations
1971day.year
Bangladesh Liberation War: Over 200 of East Pakistan's intellectuals are executed by the Pakistan Army and their local allies. (The date is commemorated in Bangladesh as Martyred Intellectuals Day.)
On December 14, 1971, Pakistani forces and their collaborators executed over 200 Bengali intellectuals, an atrocity commemorated in Bangladesh as Martyred Intellectuals Day.
During the final days of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Pakistan Army and local militias targeted academics, journalists, doctors, and other intellectuals in East Pakistan.
On December 14, 1971, systematic abductions and executions occurred, resulting in the deaths of more than 200 leading thinkers and professionals.
The massacre aimed to deprive the nascent nation of its critical voices and cultural leadership on the eve of independence.
Following Bangladesh's victory, December 14 was declared Martyred Intellectuals Day to honor those who sacrificed their lives.
Annual memorial services and tributes are held at the Dhaka University Central Library and other sites to preserve their legacy.
The events underscore the importance of protecting intellectual freedom and the human cost of conflict.
1971
Bangladesh Liberation War
East Pakistan
executed
Martyred Intellectuals Day
1986day.year
Qasba Aligarh massacre: Over 400 Muhajirs killed in revenge killings in Qasba colony after a raid on Pashtun heroin processing and distribution center in Sohrab Goth by the security forces.
On December 14, 1986, over 400 Muhajirs were killed in the Qasba Aligarh massacre in Karachi, a retaliatory attack following a security forces raid in Sohrab Goth.
Longstanding ethnic tensions in Karachi erupted after a security operation targeted a heroin processing center in Sohrab Goth, predominantly inhabited by Pashtun communities.
On December 14, 1986, armed mobs assaulted Muhajir neighborhoods in Qasba Aligarh, resulting in over 400 deaths and widespread destruction of homes.
The delayed and inadequate police response drew criticism and highlighted failures in maintaining law and order in the city.
Thousands of families were displaced, and communal distrust deepened, leading to further cycles of violence.
Human rights organizations condemned the massacre and called for accountability and reform within Karachi's security apparatus.
The Qasba Aligarh events remain a stark reminder of the city's fragile ethnic balance and the human cost of urban conflict.
1986
Qasba Aligarh massacre
Muhajirs
Pashtun
Sohrab Goth
1992day.year
War in Abkhazia: Siege of Tkvarcheli: A helicopter carrying evacuees from Tkvarcheli is shot down, resulting in at least 52 deaths, including 25 children. The incident catalyses more concerted Russian military intervention on behalf of Abkhazia.
During the Siege of Tkvarcheli in 1992, a helicopter evacuating civilians was shot down, killing at least 52 people, including 25 children.
On December 14, 1992, amidst the Siege of Tkvarcheli during the War in Abkhazia, a military helicopter carrying civilians was tragically downed by armed forces. The aircraft was evacuating residents from the besieged town when it was struck, leading to the immediate deaths of at least 52 people, nearly half of whom were children. The incident shocked international observers and underscored the escalating brutality of the conflict. It prompted widespread condemnation and increased calls for intervention. In response to the attack, Russia intensified its military support for Abkhaz separatists. This marked a turning point that led to more direct Russian involvement. The downing of the helicopter remains one of the deadliest single events of the war, highlighting the profound human cost of the siege.
1992
War in Abkhazia
Siege of Tkvarcheli
Tkvarcheli
shot down
1998day.year
Yugoslav Wars: The Yugoslav Army ambushes a group of Kosovo Liberation Army fighters attempting to smuggle weapons from Albania into Kosovo, killing 36.
Yugoslav Army forces ambushed Kosovo Liberation Army fighters smuggling weapons from Albania, killing 36 and intensifying the Kosovo conflict.
On December 14, 1998, a Yugoslav Army unit intercepted and ambushed a convoy of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters attempting to transport arms from Albania into Kosovo. The surprise attack resulted in the deaths of 36 KLA combatants, marking one of the conflict’s deadliest single-day incidents. This operation underscored the escalating tensions between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas. It drew international attention to the intensifying humanitarian crisis in the region. Human rights organizations condemned the use of lethal force and called for diplomatic intervention. The ambush contributed to mounting pressure on NATO to consider military action. The incident foreshadowed the wider NATO bombing campaign that would follow in the spring of 1999.
1998
Yugoslav Army
ambushes
Kosovo Liberation Army
2013day.year
A reported coup attempt in South Sudan leads to continued fighting and hundreds of casualties.
A reported coup attempt in South Sudan sparked fierce fighting and left hundreds dead, destabilizing the world's youngest nation.
On December 14, 2013, reports emerged of an attempted coup against President Salva Kiir in South Sudan, just months after the country gained independence. Rebel forces and government troops clashed in the capital, Juba, as power struggles within the ruling party erupted into open violence. The fighting quickly spread to other regions, resulting in hundreds of casualties and significant population displacement. Key military units and political figures were accused of orchestrating the coup, deepening ethnic tensions. The United Nations and neighboring countries called for calm and restraint to prevent further bloodshed. Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire began under international mediation, but sporadic clashes persisted. The event marked the start of a protracted civil conflict that has had devastating humanitarian consequences.
2013
A reported coup attempt
South Sudan