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The Battle of Thermopylae occurred in either August or September of 480 BCE. It was a significant confrontation between Greek soldiers, primarily Spartans under the leadership of King Leonidas I, and a stronger Persian army led by King Xerxes I. This battle unfolded at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae. Numerous monuments have been erected in Greece to commemorate this historic battleground, including a statue of the renowned Leonidas in complete battle attire, symbolizing his defeat.
The renowned battle of October 14, 1066, known as the Battle of Hastings, was named after a town in southern England. It involved the Norman-French army led by William, the Duke of Normandy, and the English forces under the command of King Harold. This historic clash actually occurred closer to the present-day town of Battle, which got its name from Battle Abbey. Battle Abbey was established in 1095 to honor the engagement, and the remnants of the abbey along with a stone commemorating Harold's demise can be found within the battlefield's confines.
The Battle of the Boyne took place on July 1, 1690, and involved King James II's forces facing off against William III's forces. The well-preserved Boyne battlefield can be found near the River Boyne, near the town of Drogheda in Ireland.
The Battle of Gettysburg took place from July 1 to 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is widely regarded as one of the most well-known battles of the American Civil War. The Union forces emerged victorious, but the cost was high with 8,000 deaths out of the 51,000 total casualties. The battlefield has since been established as a National Military Park and features numerous memorials. Notably, the Gettysburg National Cemetery is the site where President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.
The sorrowful remains of Belchite, located near Zaragoza in Aragon, are a solemn testament to the military events that occurred from August 24 to September 7, 1937. During this time, the small town became a target of the Spanish Civil War, as Francisco Franco's Nationalists relentlessly bombed it in their pursuit to eliminate the Republican rebels.
The Battle of Waterloo was a significant clash between Napoleon's forces and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington, occurring on June 18, 1815 in Belgium. This decisive engagement resulted in the defeat of the French emperor, with a staggering 33,000 casualties. The Lion's Mound (pictured), constructed in 1820, offers panoramic views of the battlegrounds.
The Battle of Culloden, which occurred on April 16, 1746, was the final major battle on British land. It took place on Drummossie Moor, near Inverness in Scotland. This significant event marked the culmination of the Jacobite Rising, resulting in the decisive defeat of Charles Edward Stewart's forces by the British government troops, commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. Today, the battleground is identified by several memorial cairns.
The Battle of Stirling Bridge, which took place on September 11, 1297, marked a significant defeat for the English in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Andrew Moray and William Wallace emerged as victors in this battle, and today the Wallace Monument stands as a tribute to this historic event, overlooking the city of Stirling.
Omaha, depicted in the picture, was selected by the Allies as one of the five sectors for the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. It experienced intense combat, resulting in 2,400 American casualties. Memorials stand in all five sectors to commemorate the Allies' landing.
The battlefields of the Somme on the Western Front are a somber reminder of one of the deadliest battles in history. Over one million soldiers lost their lives during the First World War offensive, which occurred from July 1 to November 18, 1916, near the Somme river in France. Certain trenches have been preserved, offering a silent testimony to the past, creating a landscape that narrates its own tale.
The Battle of Bosworth Field, also known as the Battle of Bosworth, was the final important conflict of the War of the Roses, a long series of English civil wars in the 15th century that lasted for 32 years. It occurred on August 22, 1485, close to Ambion Hill in Leicestershire. Clear signs indicate the location of the battlefield.
The Nazis made a final effort to gain an advantage during the Battle of the Bulge, but were ultimately unsuccessful. This battle occurred in freezing temperatures in the heavily forested Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945. Around 100,000 casualties were suffered by the Reich, while the Americans had approximately 81,000. Numerous memorials are located within and near the wooded area.
The Union and Confederate armies confronted each other on September 18, 1863, in Chickamauga, Georgia. This battle became a major setback for the Union Army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, resulting in significant casualties on both sides, with a total of 34,000 killed and wounded. Today, the battlefield serves as a National Military Park and is home to various monuments and commemorative cannons, while also preserving the location of the Siege of Chattanooga.
Vicksburg was the location where Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee successfully ousted Confederate troops led by John C. Pemberton. This occurred during a significant military encounter that took place between May 18 and July 4, 1863. The Vicksburg National Military Park safeguards important areas within the battlefields.
Troops from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed at Gaba Tepe on April 25, 1915, initiating the land phase of the Gallipoli Campaign during the First World War. They arrived at a spot known as Anzac Cove and were immediately met with continuous fire from entrenched Ottoman Turkish defenders. Anzac Day has been commemorated on April 25 since 1916, in honor of this significant event.
In the Second World War, the area encompassing the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, and Driel gained notoriety due to the Battle of Arnhem. This battle took place in September 1944 and was an Allied endeavor to seize and safeguard bridges and towns along the Meuse river and two branches of the Rhine. However, the Arnhem bridge proved insurmountable as German opposition and counteroffensive effectively thwarted the progress of the Allied forces.
The Alamo Mission, situated in San Antonio, was defended by a small group of Texans and Tejanos for 13 days in 1836 against Mexican troops led by Santa Ana. This event is widely regarded as a significant moment in American history. The Alamo Mission is still standing today and is now a museum.
In Northumberland, northern England, near Branxton, a significant stone cross serves as a landmark to the moorland where the Battle of Flodden occurred on September 9, 1513. This battle, primarily between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, was the biggest conflict between the two countries, ultimately leading to an English triumph.
The Battle of Montgomery was a military clash during the English Civil War. It occurred when a Parliamentarian force confronted a Royalist army that was besieging Montgomery Castle in mid-Wales. Beginning on September 17, 1644, the battle concluded with a Royalist loss. Today, the battleground and the remains of the castle are accessible to visitors.
The Battle of Isandlwana was the first significant clash in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, pitting the British Empire against the Zulu Kingdom. Armed with traditional spears and cow-hide shields, a force of 20,000 Zulu warriors swiftly overpowered a group of 1,800 British soldiers and support personnel. The battleground was located near a solitary hill in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.
The Battle of Rorke's Drift occurred from January 22 to 23, 1879, and is renowned for its role in the Anglo-Zulu War. Against great odds, approximately 150 British and colonial soldiers valiantly protected a mission station in Natal Province, South Africa. They faced relentless assaults from an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. Today, the battleground still bears witness to this historic clash with its numerous grave markers and drystone cairns.
The American Revolutionary War was initiated by the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19, 1775 in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay. These incidents, which occurred between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its 13 American colonies, marked the start of an armed conflict. The Minute Man statue and North Bridge in Concord serve as reminders of this historically significant event.
The Battle of Cannae was a crucial event in the Second Punic War, where the Romans clashed with Hannibal's Carthaginians. It took place on August 2, 216 BCE near the ancient Italian village of Cannae in Apulia. During this battle, Hannibal's forces achieved a remarkable victory by annihilating a larger Roman army. Today, visitors can find a monument dedicated to this battle at the Cannae di Battaglia archaeological site.
In September of 52 BCE, there was a battle between Julius Caesar's forces and a group of Gallic tribes at Alesia (now known as Alise-Sainte-Reine) in France. This battle marked the final significant encounter between Gauls and Romans. Caesar achieved a resounding victory, leading to the surrender of the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix and ultimately granting Rome control over Gaul. The site of the battlefield showcases reconstructed Roman fortifications, which played a crucial role in the successful siege against the Gauls.
On September 7, 1812, during his unsuccessful Russian campaign, Napoleon's Grande Armée achieved a significant triumph over the Russian forces in the Battle of Borodino. The site, marked by two obelisks, has become a part of the State Borodino War and History Museum and Reserve.
Napoleon achieved his greatest military victory near the town of Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire, now known as Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic. On December 2, 1805, his "Grande Armée" defeated larger Russian and Austrian forces. An impressive memorial now overlooks the battlefield.
The American victory at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777, was one of the most consequential of the American Revolution. General George Washington decided to attack the British in New Jersey and famously crossed the Delaware River to do so. His success bolstered American morale and provided much-needed confidence to his soldiers. Princeton Battlefield State Park features a stone trail marker and the Clarke House Museum.
The United States Khe Sanh Combat Base, located in northwestern Quang Trị Province, was the site of the most infamous siege during the Vietnam War. The Marine facility was completely surrounded and cut off by the North Vietnamese Army. The battle occurred from January 21 to July 9, 1968 and came to an end with the arrival of American reinforcements. Today, the remote battleground is scattered with abandoned tanks, planes, and helicopters, serving as reminders of the longest, deadliest, and most controversial battle of the war.
The Battle of Kursk, which occurred during July and August 1943 on the Eastern Front near the city of Kursk, was the largest tank battle in history. German and Russian forces clashed in an intense armored confrontation, resulting in significant losses on both sides. The Red Army ultimately emerged as the victor. The battleground is now distinguished by a massive bell tower located in Prokhorovka.
The location where the Battles of Saratoga occurred is now the Saratoga National Historical Park in upstate New York. These battles, which took place from September 19 to October 7, 1777, were part of the Saratoga Campaign during the American Revolutionary War. The Americans achieved a decisive victory over the British.
The toll of the battle was immense, with about 800,000 Axis casualties and an estimated 1,100,000 Soviet casualties, along with the tragic deaths of approximately 40,000 civilians. An enduring tribute to the fallen is preserved through the remains of the Grudinina Mill, located next to a museum.
Also known as the Battle of Bussaco, this military clash took place in Portugal on September 27, 1810 during the Peninsular War. The site of the battle, where Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army emerged victorious against French forces on the forested slopes of the Serra do Buçaco in central Portugal, is now commemorated by a stone obelisk.
Sources: (Discover Magazine) (National Army Museum) (Holocaust Encyclopedia) (New Georgia Encyclopedia) (ThoughtCo) (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) (Britannica)
See also: Unsolved mysteries of World War II
The Battle of Stalingrad is often described by historians as one of the deadliest conflicts in the history of warfare. Taking place from August 23, 1942, until February 2, 1943, it was an attempt by German forces to capture the city of Stalingrad, which is known as Volgograd today and situated in southern Russia.
Tollense Valley, located in northeast Germany, is considered to be the oldest battlefield in Europe. Archaeologists have uncovered 3,000-year-old bronze arrowheads, along with other types of weaponry, and bones. This evidence collected from these discoveries may finally provide insight into who may have been involved in the ancient conflict around 1250 BCE.
Interested in a virtual journey to these haunting fields where past battles unfolded? Click through the gallery to begin.
Legendary battlefields and their macabre discoveries
Archaelogists discovered ancient bones and weaponry in the oldest battlefield in Europe
TRAVEL History
Battlefields are tangible reminders of some of the deadliest military clashes in history. The serene landscapes we admire today were once marred by the bloodshed of countless individuals who perished in fierce combat. These sites are meticulously preserved to ensure their significance endures, serving as historical landmarks that bore witness to pivotal campaigns and conflicts that have shaped the course of global wars.
Tollense Valley, located in northeast Germany, is considered to be the oldest battlefield in Europe. Archaeologists have uncovered 3,000-year-old bronze arrowheads, along with other types of weaponry, and bones. This evidence collected from these discoveries may finally provide insight into who may have been involved in the ancient conflict around 1250 BCE.
Interested in a virtual journey to these haunting fields where past battles unfolded? Click through the gallery to begin.