The site of the famous battle. Middle Ages battles
The Russian army is rightfully considered one of the strongest and most combat-ready in history. Evidence of this is the many brilliant victories won by Russian soldiers in battles with opponents that were superior to them.
Battle of Kulikovo (1380)
The battle on the Kulikovo Field summed up the long-term confrontation between Rus' and the Horde. The day before, Mamai entered into a confrontation with the Moscow Grand Duke Dmitry, who refused to increase the tribute paid to the Horde. This prompted the khan to take military action.
Dmitry managed to assemble an impressive army, consisting of Moscow, Serpukhov, Belozersk, Yaroslavl and Rostov regiments. According to various estimates, on September 8, 1380, from 40 to 70 thousand Russians and from 90 to 150 thousand Horde troops fought in the decisive battle. The victory of Dmitry Donskoy significantly weakened the Golden Horde, which predetermined its further collapse.
Battle of Molodi (1572)
In 1571, the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray, during a raid on Moscow, burned the Russian capital, but was unable to enter it. A year later, having received support Ottoman Empire, he organized a new campaign against Moscow. However, this time the Crimean-Turkish army was forced to stop 40 kilometers south of the capital, near the village of Molodi.
According to the chronicles, Devlet Giray brought with him an army of 120 thousand. However, historians insist on the figure of 60 thousand. One way or another, the Crimean-Turkish forces were significantly superior Russian army, whose number did not exceed 20 thousand people. Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky managed to lure the enemy into a trap and defeat him with a sudden strike from the reserve.
Battle of Poltava (1709)
In the fall of 1708, instead of marching on Moscow, the Swedish king Charles XII turned south to wait out the winter and move on the capital with renewed vigor. However, without waiting for reinforcements from Stanislav Leszczynski. Having been refused help from the Turkish Sultan, he decided to give a general battle to the Russian army near Poltava.
Not all assembled forces took part in the battle. By various reasons On the Swedish side, out of 37 thousand, no more than 17 thousand people entered the battle, on the Russian side, out of 60 thousand, about 34 thousand fought. The victory achieved by Russian troops on June 27, 1709 under the command of Peter I, brought a turning point in the Northern War. Soon the end of Swedish domination in the Baltic was put to an end.
Capture of Izmail (1790)
The capture of the stronghold - the Turkish fortress of Izmail - fully revealed the military leadership genius of Suvorov. Previously, Ishmael did not submit to either Nikolai Repnin, or Ivan Gudovich, or Grigory Potemkin. All hopes were now pinned on Alexander Suvorov.
The commander spent six days preparing for the siege of Izmail, working with his troops to capture a wooden model of the high fortress walls. On the eve of the assault, Suvorov sent an ultimatum to Aidozle-Mehmet Pasha:
“I arrived here with the troops. Twenty-four hours to think - and will. My first shot is already captivity. Assault is death."
“It’s more likely that the Danube will flow backwards and the sky will fall to the ground than Ishmael will surrender,” answered the pasha.
The Danube did not change its course, but in less than 12 hours the defenders were thrown off the fortress tops, and the city was taken. Thanks to a skillful siege, out of 31 thousand soldiers, the Russians lost a little more than 4 thousand, the Turks lost 26 thousand out of 35 thousand.
Battle of Elisavetpol (1826)
One of the key episodes of the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828 was the battle near Elisavetpol (now the Azerbaijani city of Ganja). The victory then achieved by Russian troops under the command of Ivan Paskevich over the Persian army of Abbas Mirza became an example of military leadership.
Paskevich managed to use the confusion of the Persians who had fallen into the ravine to launch a counterattack. Despite the superior enemy forces (35 thousand against 10 thousand), the Russian regiments began to push back Abbas Mirza’s army along the entire front of the attack. The losses of the Russian side amounted to 46 killed, the Persians were missing 2,000 people.
Brusilovsky breakthrough (1916)
The offensive operation of the Southwestern Front under the command of General Alexei Brusilov, carried out from May to September 1916, became, according to military historian Anton Kersnovsky, “a victory such as we have never won in a world war.” The number of forces that were involved on both sides is also impressive - 1,732,000 Russian soldiers and 1,061,000 soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian and German armies.
The Brusilov breakthrough, thanks to which Bukovina and Eastern Galicia were occupied, became a turning point in the First World War. Germany and Austria-Hungary, having lost a significant part of the army, repelling the Russian offensive operation, eventually gave up the strategic initiative to the Entente.
Battle of Moscow (1941-1942)
The long and bloody defense of Moscow, which began in September 1941, moved into the offensive phase on December 5, ending on April 20, 1942. Near Moscow Soviet troops inflicted the first painful defeat on Germany, thereby thwarting the plans of the German command to capture the capital before the onset of cold weather.
The length of the front of the Moscow operation, which unfolded from Kalyazin in the north to Ryazhsk in the south, exceeded 2 thousand km. More than 2.8 million military personnel, 21 thousand mortars and guns, 2 thousand tanks and 1.6 thousand aircraft took part in the operation on both sides.
German General Gunther Blumentritt recalled:
“Now it was important for German political leaders to understand that the days of the blitzkrieg were a thing of the past. We were confronted by an army whose fighting qualities were far superior to all other armies we had ever encountered.”
Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943)
The Battle of Stalingrad is considered the largest land battle in human history. The total losses of both sides, according to rough estimates, exceed 2 million people, about 100 thousand German soldiers were captured. For the Axis countries, the defeat at Stalingrad turned out to be decisive, after which Germany was no longer able to restore its strength.
The French writer Jean-Richard Bloch rejoiced in those victorious days: “Listen, Parisians! The first three divisions that invaded Paris in June 1940, the three divisions that, at the invitation of the French General Denz, desecrated our capital, these three divisions - the hundredth, one hundred and thirteenth and two hundred and ninety-fifth - no longer exist! They were destroyed at Stalingrad: the Russians avenged Paris!”
Battle of Kursk (1943)
Battle of Kursk
The victory of the Soviet troops at the Kursk Bulge brought a radical turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War. The positive outcome of the battle was a consequence of what was gained Soviet command strategic advantage, as well as the superiority in manpower and technology that had developed by that time. For example, in the legendary tank battle near Prokhorovka, the General Staff was able to field 597 units of equipment, while the German command had only 311.
At the Tehran Conference that followed the Battle of Kursk, US President Franklin Roosevelt became so bold that he discussed a plan he personally drew up to divide Germany into 5 states.
Capture of Berlin (1945)
Soviet artillery on the approaches to Berlin, April 1945.
The assault on Berlin was the final part of the Berlin offensive operation, which lasted 23 days. Soviet troops were forced to capture the German capital alone due to the Allies’ refusal to participate in this operation. Stubborn and bloody battles claimed the lives of at least 100 thousand Soviet soldiers.
“It is unthinkable that such a huge fortified city could be taken so quickly. We know of no other such examples in the history of World War II,” wrote historian Alexander Orlov.
The result of the capture of Berlin was the exit of Soviet troops to the Elbe River, where their famous meeting with the allies took place.
Second world war left its own small piece in the history of every nation. This truly terrifying and at the same time great period changed the world beyond recognition. Almost every country played its role in this war. For states former USSR The Second World War occupies a special place in history. It even has a completely different name - the Great Patriotic War. This historical period was truly a turning point for the peoples of modern Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the USSR. This war became a test of the courage, bravery and will of the great Soviet people.
The Soviet army proved its professionalism and indestructibility even in the face of such a terrible ideological enemy as Nazism.
Today, historians are constantly discussing the main battles of the Great Patriotic War. Many facts have still not been disclosed, due to the “great love” for the secrets of the Soviet government. we can highlight the main stages and battles of the Great Patriotic War. But, before characterizing them, it is necessary to remember the reasons that led to the military conflict between Hitler's Germany and Stalin's USSR.
Great Patriotic War - reasons
As we know, the Second World War began. The main escalation of the conflict was from Germany in the West. During this time, German Nazism developed in its classical form. Hitler's power was limitless. Although the leader actually declared war on all states, the USSR was in no hurry to enter into it due to the concluded Non-Aggression Pact.
It was signed on August 23, 1939. The agreement stipulated the neutral attitude of the USSR to the war that Germany would wage against Western and European countries. Cooperation with other countries was also approved. Both parties were prohibited from participating in alliances that in one way or another were contrary to their interests. For such “tolerance” on the part of the Soviet Union, Germany pledged to return part of the territory it had lost. There is also a secret protocol in which the parties stipulated the division of power in Eastern Europe and Poland. In fact, this agreement was concluded with the goal of establishing mutual world domination in the future. But there was one problem. From the very beginning, Germany did not want peace with the USSR. Of course, it was profitable early stages war, but there was no talk of any mutual domination.
Germany's further actions can only be described in one word - betrayal. This vile step gave rise to the great battles of the Great Patriotic War. Already on June 22, 1941, Germany officially attacked the USSR. From this time on, the Great Patriotic War began. Next we will look at the main battles of the Great Patriotic War that play important role in the history of this period.
Moscow Battle
Wehrmacht troops used specific offensive tactics. Their attack was based on the cooperation of all branches of the military. At first, the enemy was subjected to heavy bombardment from the air. The planes were immediately followed by tanks, which literally burned out the enemy troops. At the very end, the German infantry began its action. Thanks to these tactics, enemy troops, led by General Bock, made their way to the center of the Soviet Union, Moscow, in September 1941. At the very beginning of the offensive, the German army consisted of 71.5 divisions, which is approximately 1,700,000 people. It also included 1,800 tanks, 15,100 guns, and 1,300 aircraft. According to these indicators, the German side was approximately five times larger than the Soviet side.
On September 30, 1941, the Germans launch an attack on Moscow. From the very first stages of the Moscow offensive, the Wehrmacht troops suffered significant setbacks. Already on October 17, the Soviet army under the command of Zhukov stopped the offensive by implementing Operation Typhoon. The bloodless enemy only had the strength to fight a positional war, so in January 1942 the Germans were defeated and driven back 100 kilometers from Moscow. This victory dispelled the myth of the indestructibility of the Fuhrer's army. Moscow was the frontier that had to be overcome on the path to victory. The German army failed to cope with this task, so Hitler ultimately lost the war. But the battles of the Great Patriotic War do not end there. Below we look at the true turning point in this global conflict.
Battle of Stalingrad
Today we can highlight a lot of events for which the Great Patriotic War is known. The Battle of Stalingrad is the turning point that led to a devastating series of failures for the German army. The period of the Battle of Stalingrad can be divided into two stages: the beginning and the counteroffensive. On July 17, 1942, the famous Battle of Stalingrad began.
At this stage, German troops stopped in the city area. The Soviet army did not want to surrender it until the very end. The forces of the Soviet Union were also commanded by Marshal Timoshenko. They managed to completely paralyze the Germans, but the Soviet troops were surrounded. There were constant skirmishes in the city between small groups of Soviet and German soldiers. According to the recollections of veterans: “There was real hell in Stalingrad.” One of the Museums of Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) houses a rather interesting exhibit: bullets hitting each other. This indicates the intensity of hostilities in the city. As for strategic significance, it actually did not exist. This city was important to Hitler as a symbol of Stalin's power. Therefore, it was necessary to take him, and most importantly, to keep him. It follows that the city became the center of a clash of interests during the period when the Great Patriotic War took place. The Battle of Stalingrad made it possible to evaluate and compare the power of two ideological titans of the 20th century.
Counterattack at Stalingrad
The German army, led by General Paulus, at the time of the counteroffensive numbered 1,010,600 men, 600 tanks, 1,200 combat aircraft and about 10,000 guns. On the Soviet side there was almost the same number of military personnel and military equipment. The significant forces that our side brought up during the siege allowed us to go on the offensive on November 20, 1942 and encircle the Germans.
By the evening of January 31, 1943, the Stalingrad German group was eliminated. Such results were achieved thanks to the coordinated work of the three main fronts of the USSR. The Battle of Stalingrad is glorified along with other major battles of the Great Patriotic War. Because this event significantly undermined the strength of the German army. In other words, after Stalingrad, Germany was never able to restore its fighting power. In addition, the German command could not even imagine that the city would emerge from encirclement. But this happened, and further events were not in the Fuhrer’s favor.
Great Patriotic War: Battle of Kursk
After the events in the city of Stalingrad, the German army was never able to recover, however, it still posed a serious threat. On (the formed front line after the victory at Stalingrad) German troops gathered significant amount of your strength. The Soviet side was going to carry out a powerful attack in the area of the city of Kursk. In the early stages, German troops had significant victories. They were commanded by such famous German military leaders as G. Kluge and Manstein. The main task USSR troops were to prevent a new advance of the Nazi Army “Center” deep into the mainland. The situation changed radically on July 12, 1943.
Battle of Prokhorov 1943
They were unpredictable. One of these battles is the tank confrontation near the village of Prokhorovka. Over 1,000 tanks and self-propelled guns from both sides took part in it. After this battle, there were no questions left about who would win the war. The German army was defeated, although not completely. After the Battle of Prokhorov, USSR troops were able to launch a large-scale attack on Belgorod and Kharkov. This actually ends the story of the Kursk confrontation, the largest battle of the Great Patriotic War, which opened the doors of the USSR to the conquest of Berlin.
Capture of Berlin 1945
The Berlin operation played the final role in the history of the German-Soviet confrontation. Its purpose was to defeat the German troops that had formed near the city of Berlin.
Near the city, the army of the "Center" group was stationed, as well as the military group "Vistula" under the command of Heinritz and Scherner. From the USSR side, an army came out consisting of three fronts under the command of Marshals Zhukov, Konev and Rokossovsky. The capture of Berlin ended with German surrender on May 9, 1945.
The main battles of the Great Patriotic War are ending at this stage. Just a few months later, namely on September 2, 1945, the Second World War ended.
Conclusion
So, the article examined the most important battles of the Great Patriotic War. The list can be supplemented with other equally important and famous events, but our article identifies the most epic and memorable battles. Today it is impossible to imagine a person who would not know about the feat of the great Soviet soldiers.
Wars are as old as humanity itself. The earliest documented evidence of war dates back to a Mesolithic battle in Egypt (Cemetery 117), which occurred approximately 14,000 years ago. Wars occurred across much of the globe, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of millions of people. In our review about the bloodiest wars in the history of mankind, which must not be forgotten in any case, so as not to repeat this.
1. Biafran War of Independence
1 million dead dead
The conflict, also known as the Nigerian Civil War (July 1967 - January 1970), was caused by an attempt to secede the self-proclaimed state of Biafra (Nigeria's eastern provinces). The conflict arose as a result of political, economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions that preceded the formal decolonization of Nigeria in 1960 - 1963. Most people during the war died from hunger and various diseases.
2. Japanese invasions of Korea
1 million dead
The Japanese invasions of Korea (or the Imdin War) occurred between 1592 and 1598, with the initial invasion in 1592 and the second invasion in 1597, after a brief truce. The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of Japanese troops. About 1 million Koreans died, and Japanese casualties are unknown.
3. Iran-Iraq War
1 million dead
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from 1980 to 1988, making it the longest war of the 20th century. The war began when Iraq invaded Iran on September 22, 1980, and ended in a stalemate on August 20, 1988. In terms of tactics, the conflict was comparable to World War I, as it involved large-scale trench warfare, machine gun emplacements, bayonet charges, psychological pressure, and extensive use of chemical weapons.
4. Siege of Jerusalem
1.1 million dead
The oldest conflict on this list (it occurred in 73 AD) was the decisive event of the First Jewish War. The Roman army besieged and captured the city of Jerusalem, which was defended by the Jews. The siege ended with the sack of the city and its destruction famous Second Temple. According to historian Josephus, 1.1 million civilians died during the siege, mostly as a result of violence and starvation.
5. Korean War
1.2 million dead
Lasting from June 1950 to July 1953, the Korean War was an armed conflict that began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations, led by the United States, came to the aid of South Korea while China and Soviet Union supported North Korea. The war ended after an armistice was signed, a demilitarized zone was created and prisoners of war were exchanged. However, no peace treaty was signed and the two Koreas are technically still at war.
6. Mexican Revolution
2 million dead
The Mexican Revolution, which lasted from 1910 to 1920, radically changed the entire Mexican culture. Given that the country's population was then only 15 million, the casualties were appallingly high, but estimates vary widely. Most historians agree that 1.5 million people died and nearly 200,000 refugees fled abroad. The Mexican Revolution is often categorized as the most important socio-political event in Mexico and one of the greatest social upheavals of the 20th century.
7. Chuck's conquests
2 million dead
The Chaka Conquests is the term used for the series of massive and brutal conquests in South Africa led by Chaka, the famous monarch of the Zulu Kingdom. In the first half of the 19th century, Chaka, at the head of a large army, invaded and plundered a number of regions in South Africa. It is estimated that up to 2 million people from indigenous tribes died.
8. Goguryeo-Sui Wars
2 million dead
Another violent conflict in Korea was the Goguryeo-Sui Wars, a series of military campaigns waged by the Chinese Sui dynasty against Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 598 to 614. These wars (which the Koreans ultimately won) were responsible for the deaths of 2 million people, and the total death toll is likely much higher because Korean civilian casualties were not counted.
9. Religious wars in France
4 million dead
Also known as the Huguenot Wars, the French Wars of Religion, fought between 1562 and 1598, were a period of civil strife and military confrontations between French Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots). The exact number of wars and their respective dates are still debated by historians, but it is estimated that up to 4 million people died.
10. Second Congo War
5.4 million million dead
Also known by several other names such as the Great African War or the African World War, the Second Congo War was the deadliest in history. modern history Africa. Nine African countries, as well as about 20 separate armed groups, were directly involved.
The war lasted five years (1998 to 2003) and resulted in 5.4 million deaths, mainly due to disease and starvation. This makes the Congo War the world's deadliest conflict since World War II.
11. Napoleonic Wars
6 million dead
Lasting between 1803 and 1815, the Napoleonic Wars were a series of major conflicts waged by the French Empire, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, against a variety of European powers formed in various coalitions. During his military career, Napoleon fought about 60 battles and lost only seven, mostly towards the end of his reign. In Europe, approximately 5 million people died, including due to disease.
12. Thirty Years' War
11.5 million million dead
The Thirty Years' War, fought between 1618 and 1648, was a series of conflicts for hegemony in Central Europe. The war became one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, and initially began as a conflict between Protestant and Catholic states in the divided Holy Roman Empire. Gradually the war escalated into a much larger conflict involving most of the great powers of Europe. Estimates of the death toll vary widely, but the most likely estimate is that about 8 million people, including civilians, died.
13. Chinese Civil War
8 million dead
The Chinese Civil War was fought between forces loyal to the Kuomintang ( political party Republic of China) and forces loyal to the Communist Party of China. The war began in 1927, and it essentially ended only in 1950, when major active fighting ceased. The conflict eventually led to the de facto formation of two states: the Republic of China (now known as Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China (mainland China). The war is remembered for its atrocities on both sides: millions of civilians were deliberately killed.
14. Civil war in Russia
12 million dead
The Russian Civil War, which lasted from 1917 to 1922, broke out as a result of the October Revolution of 1917, when many factions began to fight for power. The two largest groups were the Bolshevik Red Army and the Allied forces known as White Army. During the 5 years of war in the country, from 7 to 12 million victims were recorded, who were mainly civilians. The Russian Civil War has even been described as the greatest national disaster Europe has ever faced.
15. Tamerlane's conquests
20 million dead
Also known as Timur, Tamerlane was a famous Turko-Mongol conqueror and military leader. In the second half of the 14th century he waged brutal military campaigns in Western, South and Central Asia, the Caucasus and southern Russia. Tamerlane became the most influential ruler in the Muslim world after his victories over the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria, the emerging Ottoman Empire and the crushing defeat of the Delhi Sultanate. Scholars estimate that his military campaigns resulted in the deaths of 17 million people, about 5% of the then world population.
16. Dungan uprising
20.8 million dead
The Dungan Rebellion was primarily an ethnic and religious war fought between the Han (a Chinese ethnic group native to East Asia) and the Huizu (Chinese Muslims) in 19th century China. The riot arose due to a price dispute (when a Han merchant was not paid the required amount by a Huizu buyer for bamboo sticks). Ultimately, more than 20 million people died during the uprising, mostly due to natural disasters and conditions caused by the war, such as drought and famine.
17. Conquest of North and South America
138 million dead
European colonization of the Americas technically began in the 10th century, when Norse sailors briefly settled on the shores of what is now Canada. However, mostly we're talking about about the period between 1492 and 1691. During these 200 years, tens of millions of people were killed in battles between colonizers and Native Americans, but estimates of the total death toll vary greatly due to the lack of consensus regarding the demographic size of the pre-Columbian indigenous population.
18. Rebellion of An Lushan
36 million dead
During the Tang Dynasty, China experienced another devastating war - the An Lushan Rebellion, which lasted from 755 to 763. There is no doubt that the rebellion caused a huge number of deaths and significantly reduced the population of the Tang Empire, but the exact number of deaths is difficult to estimate even in approximate terms. Some scholars estimate that up to 36 million people died during the revolt, approximately two-thirds of the empire's population and approximately 1/6 of the world's population.
19. First World War
18 million dead
The First World War (July 1914 - November 1918) was a global conflict that arose in Europe and gradually involved all the economically developed powers of the world, which united into two opposing alliances: the Entente and the Central Powers. Total number The death toll was about 11 million military personnel and about 7 million civilians. About two thirds deaths during the First World War occurred directly during battles, in contrast to the conflicts that took place in the 19th century, when most deaths occurred due to disease.
20. Taiping Rebellion
30 million dead
This rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War, lasted in China from 1850 to 1864. The war was fought between the ruling Manchu Qing dynasty and the Christian movement "Heavenly Kingdom of Peace". Although no census was kept at the time, most reliable estimates place the total number of deaths during the uprising at around 20 - 30 million civilians and soldiers. Most deaths were attributed to plague and famine.
21. Conquest of the Ming Dynasty by the Qing Dynasty
25 million dead
The Manchu Conquest of China was a period of conflict between the Qing dynasty (the Manchu dynasty ruling northeast China) and the Ming dynasty (the Chinese dynasty ruling the south of the country). The war that ultimately led to the fall of the Ming was responsible for the deaths of approximately 25 million people.
22. Second Sino-Japanese War
30 million dead
The war, fought between 1937 and 1945, was an armed conflict between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor (1941), the war effectively became World War II. It became the largest Asian war of the 20th century, killing up to 25 million Chinese and more than 4 million Chinese and Japanese troops.
23. Wars of the Three Kingdoms
40 million dead
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of armed conflicts in ancient China (220-280). During these wars, three states - Wei, Shu and Wu competed for power in the country, trying to unite the peoples and take control of them. One of the bloodiest periods in Chinese history was marked by a series of brutal battles that could lead to the deaths of up to 40 million people.
24. Mongol conquests
70 million dead
Mongol conquests progressed throughout the 13th century, resulting in the vast Mongol Empire conquering much of Asia and Eastern Europe. Historians consider the period of Mongol raids and invasions to be one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. Additionally, the bubonic plague spread throughout much of Asia and Europe during this time. The total number of deaths during the conquests is estimated at 40 - 70 million people.
25. World War II
85 million dead
The Second World War (1939 - 1945) was global: the vast majority of countries in the world took part in it, including all the great powers. It was the most massive war in history, with more than 100 million people from more than 30 countries taking direct part in it.
It was marked by mass civilian deaths, including due to the Holocaust and strategic bombing of industrial and population centers, resulting in (according to various estimates) the deaths of between 60 million and 85 million people. As a result, World War II became the deadliest conflict in human history.
However, as history shows, man harms himself throughout his existence. What are they worth?
Although it is not easy to say, no one can deny that wars have played an important role in shaping our world. This determined our history, entire nations were born and destroyed over thousands of years. Although history is replete with battles big and small, there are still only a few that played a big role in shaping the course of human history. The following list consists of the ten most important ones. There are battles that may not have been a major battle in the history of wars in terms of the number of participants and not all of them even land battles, but each of them had serious consequences in history that continue to be felt today. If either of them had had a different outcome, the world we live in today would look very different.
Stalingrad, 1942-1943
This is the battle that effectively ended Hitler's strategic initiative for world domination and Germany went on long road to final defeat in World War II. The battle lasted from July 1942 to February 1943, the Battle of Stalingrad is the bloodiest battle in the history of mankind, both sides lost a total of over 2 million people killed and wounded, about 91,000 Germans were captured. The Germans suffered serious losses from which the German army never fully recovered and was forced to remain largely on the defensive for the rest of the war. While it is unlikely that an eventual German victory at Stalingrad would have cost the Russians the war, it would certainly have prolonged it for many months, perhaps even giving the Germans the time needed to perfect their own atomic bomb.
Midway, 1942 
What Stalingrad was to the Germans, to the Japanese it was a major naval battle that raged between Japan and the United States for three days in June 1942. Admiral Yamamoto's plan was to capture the Midway Islands, a tiny atoll about four hundred miles west of the Hawaiian Islands, which he planned to use as a springboard for attacks on the strategic islands later. To his surprise, he was met by a group of American carriers under the command of Admiral Chester Nimitz, and in a battle that could easily have gone either way, he lost all four of his carriers, as well as all of his aircraft, some of his best pilots. The defeat effectively meant the end of Japanese expansion through Pacific Ocean and Japan will never recover from this defeat. It is also one of the few battles in World War II in which the Americans were victorious, even though the Japanese outnumbered the Americans and yet they still won.
Battle of Actium 
The Battle of Actium (lat. Actiaca Pugna; September 2, 31 BC) - the last great naval battle of antiquity between fleets Ancient Rome on final stage period of civil wars. The decisive naval battle near Cape Actium (northwestern Greece) between the fleets of Mark Antony and Octavian Augustus ended the period of civil wars in Rome. Octavian's fleet was commanded by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, and Antony's ally was the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Ancient accounts of this battle are probably not completely objective: most of them claim that at the climax of the battle, Cleopatra fled with her fleet to Egypt, and Antony followed her. However, the main goal that Antony set for himself when entering the battle could have been to break the blockade, but the idea was implemented extremely unsuccessfully: a smaller part of the fleet broke through, and the main part of the fleet and Antony’s ground army, being blocked, surrendered and went over to Octavian’s side. Octavian won a decisive victory, achieved unconditional power over the Roman state and eventually became the first Roman emperor from 27 BC. e. under the name Augusta.
Waterloo, 1815 
The Battle of Waterloo is the last major battle of the French Emperor Napoleon I, the greatest commander of the 19th century. The battle was the result of Napoleon's attempt to regain power in France, lost after the war against a coalition of major European states and the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty (“Hundred Days”) in the country. The Seventh Coalition of European Monarchs acted as Napoleon's opponent.
Waterloo (Dutch Waterloo) is a village on the territory of modern Belgium, 20 km from Brussels, on the high road from Charleroi. At the time of the battle, the territory of modern Belgium was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The battle took place on June 18, 1815. Prussian troops also called this battle the Battle of Belle-Alliance (Schlacht bei Belle-Alliance), and the French called it Mont Saint-Jean.
Gettysburg, 1863 
If this battle had been lost, General Lee would have marched to Washington, putting Lincoln and his army to flight and forcing a confederacy on the country. In a battle that lasted 3 sweltering days in July 1863, two massive armies clashed, pulverizing each other. But the Union still held the superior position, and General Lee's misguided decision to send General Pickett to the Union center line resulted in the greatest defeat in Confederate history. Although Union losses were also significant, the North was able to recover quickly, which could not be said about the South.
Battle of Poitiers, 732 
You may have never heard of this battle, but if the Franks had lost it, perhaps now, you and I would be bowing to Mecca 5 times a day and learning the Koran. The Battle of Poitiers was fought by about 20,000 Carolingian Franks under the command of Charles Martel and 50,000 soldiers under the command of Abdur-Rahman ibn Abdallah. Although the enemy forces outnumbered the Frankish army, Martel proved himself a capable commander and defeated the invaders, pushing them back into Spain. After all, if Martel had lost the battle, Islam would most likely have settled in Europe, and perhaps in the world.
Battle of Vienna, 1683 
As in the previous case, the Muslims again tried to take over Europe. This time, under the banner of the Ottoman Empire. The army of 150,000-300,000 soldiers of the vizier Kara Mustafa clashed with the army of the Polish king John III Sobieski of 80,000 people one fine day in September 1683... and lost. This battle marked the end of Islamic expansion across Europe. If the Vizier had attacked Vienna when he first approached the city in July, Vienna would have fallen. But since he waited until September, he unwittingly gave time to the Polish army and its allies to break the siege and defeat the Turks.
Siege of Yorktown, 1781 
By the numbers, it was a fairly modest battle (8,000 American soldiers and 8,000 French against a British army of 9,000), but when it ended in October 1781, it changed the world forever. Untamed British Empire should have easily defeated some colonists under the command of George Washington, and throughout almost the entire war this was the case. By 1781, however, the new Americans understood how to wage war and, asking for help from England's eternal enemy, France, they became a small but very effective force. As a result, the British under Cornwallis found themselves trapped on the peninsula between the determined Americans and the French fleet. After 2 weeks of fighting, the British troops surrendered. Thus, the Americans defeated world military power and won the independence of the future United States.
Battle of Salamis, 480 BC. 
Imagine a battle involving 1000 ships. Then the scale of the battle between the Greek fleet under the command of Themistocles and the naval force controlled by the king of Persia, Xerxes, becomes clear. The Greeks cunningly lured the Persian fleet into the narrow straits of Salamis, where the enemy's numerical superiority was leveled out. As a result, Xerxes was forced to retreat back to Persia, thus leaving Greece to the Greeks. Some historians believe that a Persian victory would have stopped development Ancient Greece, as well as throughout Western civilization.
Battle of Adrianople 
What the Battle of Poitiers meant for Western Europe, and the Battle of Vienna for central Europe, the Battle of Adrianople meant the same for Eastern Europe. Islamic forces were stopped in their attempt to conquer all of Europe. If this battle had been lost and Constantinople had been captured by the Muslims, the Islamic armies would have crossed the Balkan Peninsula unhindered and entered Central Europe and Italy. However, Constantinople played the role of a buffer, preventing the Muslim army from crossing the Bosporus and conquering Europe, a role that lasted for 700 years until the fall of the city in 1453.
It's sad, but war has always been and is the most powerful engine in human history. It is difficult to judge whether it is good or bad; huge losses of people have always been replaced by progress in science and culture, in the economy or industry. During the entire existence of mankind on earth, you can hardly count a couple of centuries when everyone lived in peace and harmony. Absolutely every battle changed the course of the entire history of mankind and left its imprint on the faces of its witnesses. And the most famous wars are not on this list, there are simply those that you need to know and remember always.
It is considered the last naval battle in the history of antiquity. The troops of Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony fought in this battle. The confrontation in 31 BC near Cape Actium is subsidized. Historians claim that Octavian's victory played a role huge role in the history of Rome and put an end to such a long civil war. Unable to survive his loss, Mark Antony soon committed suicide.
The famous battle between Greek and Persian troops took place on September 12, 490 BC near the tiny town of Marathon near Athens. The Persian ruler Darius madly wanted to subjugate all the cities of Greece. The disobedience of the inhabitants seriously angered the ruler, and he sent an army of 26,000 soldiers against them. Imagine his surprise that the Greek army, consisting of only 10,000 thousand people, withstood the onslaught and, in addition, completely defeated the enemy army. It seems that everything is as always, war is like war, and probably this battle remained only in the records of several historians, if not for the messenger. Having won the battle, the Greeks sent a messenger with good news. The messenger ran without stopping for more than 42 km. Arriving in the city, he proclaimed victory and, unfortunately, these were his last words. Since then, the battle not only began to be called a marathon, but also the distance of 42 km 195 meters became an indispensable length for athletics.
A naval battle between the Persians and Greeks took place in 480 BC near the island of Salamis. According to historical data, the Greek fleet consisted of 380 ships and could not in any way surpass the power of the 1000 ships of the Persian warriors, however, thanks to the unsurpassed command of Eurybiades, it was the Greeks who won the battle. It has been historically proven that the victory of Greece turned the entire course of events in the Greco-Persian civil strife.
This battle is popularly referred to as the “Battle of Tours.” The battle took place in 732 between the Frankish kingdom and Aquitaine, in the territory of the city of Tours. As a result of the battle, the troops of the Frankish kingdom won and thereby put an end to Islam on the territory of their state. It is believed that it was this victory that gave further development all of Christianity.
The most famous, sung in many works and films. The battle of the Novgorod Republic and the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality against the Livonian and Teutonic Orders. Historians suggest that the day of the battle was April 5, 1242. The battle gained its fame thanks to the brave knights who broke through the ice and went under the water in their full uniform. The result of the war was the signing of a peace treaty between the Teutonic Order and Novgorod.
On September 8, 1380, a battle took place on the Kulikovo Field, which became the main stage in the creation of the Russian state. The battle took place between the Moscow, Smolensk and Nizhny Novgorod principalities against the Horde of Mamai. In the battle, Russian troops suffered colossal losses in people, but, despite everything, they destroyed the enemy army forever. As time passed, many historians began to argue that it was this battle that became the “point of no return” for the pagan nomads.
The well-known battle of three emperors: Napoleon 1 and allies Frederick 1 (Austrian Empire) and Alexander 1 (Russian Empire). The battle took place on December 2, 1805 near Austerlitz. Despite the huge superiority in strength of the allied sides, Russia and Austria were defeated in the battle. Brilliant strategy and battle tactics brought Napoleon triumphant victory and glory.
The second major battle against Napoleon took place on June 18, 1815. France was opposed by the allied empire represented by Great Britain, the Netherlands, Hanover, Prussia, Nassau and Brunswick-Lüneburg. This was another attempt by Napoleon to prove his autocracy, but to his great surprise, Napoleon did not show the same brilliant strategy as at the Battle of Austerlitz and lost the battle. To date, historians have been able to accurately describe the entire course of the battle, and several films have even been made dedicated to the momentous Battle of Waterloo.
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