Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts, REP-SOM
Wars, battles, and other domestic or international conflicts, whether armed or diplomatic, are often the outcome of a dispute over natural resources or a struggle for power, influence, and wealth. Major conflicts between nations, peoples, and political groups can end up shifting the cultural and political geography of the world and can also effect change, whether intentional or not, in societal values and the balance of power.
Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Reparations
Reparations, a levy on a defeated country forcing it to pay some of the war costs of the winning countries. Reparations......
revolution
revolution, in social and political science, a major, sudden, and hence typically violent alteration in government......
Revolutionary United Front
Revolutionary United Front (RUF), guerrilla unit formed in 1991 in Sierra Leone whose actions created instability......
Rhodes, Siege of
Led by SĂŒleyman the Magnificent, the Siege of Rhodes in JuneâDecember 1522 was the second attempt by the Ottoman......
Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War, the war (c. 1965â79) in Rhodesiaâa self-declared country without international recognition,......
Rif War
Rif War, (1921â26), conflict between Spanish colonial forces and Rif peoples led by Muhammad Abd el-Krim. It was......
Rocroi, Battle of
Battle of Rocroi, a military engagement on May 19, 1643, during the Thirty Yearsâ War in which a French army of......
Rohilla War
Rohilla War, (1774), in the history of India, the conflict in which Warren Hastings, British governor-general of......
Rome, March on
March on Rome, the insurrection by which Benito Mussolini came to power in Italy in late October 1922. The March......
Rome, Siege of
The defense of the short-lived Roman Republic that had been declared in February 1849 made Giuseppe Garibaldi a......
Rome, Siege of
The story told by Romans of their forefathersâ resistance to a siege by Etruscan tyrants in 508 bce was repeated......
Roses, Wars of the
Wars of the Roses, (1455â85), in English history, the series of dynastic civil wars whose violence and civil strife......
Rouen, Siege of
In his campaigns to capture Normandy during the Hundred Yearsâ War, Henry V of England besieged and took the city......
Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), naval military organization of Canada, charged with the national defense at sea, protection......
Royal Navy
Royal Navy, naval military organization of the United Kingdom, charged with the national defense at sea, protection......
rules of engagement
rules of engagement (ROE), military directives meant to describe the circumstances under which ground, naval, and......
Rum Rebellion
Rum Rebellion, (January 26, 1808), in Australian history, an uprising in which Gov. William Bligh of New South......
RushâBagot Agreement
RushâBagot Agreement, (1817), exchange of notes between Richard Rush, acting U.S. secretary of state, and Charles......
Russia-Ukraine War
Russia-Ukraine War, war between Russia and Ukraine that began in February 2014 with the covert invasion of the......
Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War, (1918â20), conflict in which the Red Army successfully defended the newly formed Bolshevik government......
Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution, two revolutions in 1917, the first of which, in February (March, New Style), overthrew the......
Russian Revolution of 1905
Russian Revolution of 1905, uprising that was instrumental in convincing Tsar Nicholas II to attempt the transformation......
Russian Revolution Timeline
Note: The dates in this timeline follow the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in Russia and around the world.......
Russo-Finnish War
Russo-Finnish War, (November 30, 1939âMarch 12, 1940), war waged by the Soviet Union against Finland at the beginning......
Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War, (1904â05), military conflict in which a victorious Japan forced Russia to abandon its expansionist......
Russo-Polish War
Russo-Polish War, (1919â20), military conflict between Soviet Russia and Poland. It was the result of the German......
Russo-Turkish wars
Russo-Turkish wars, series of wars between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the 17thâ19th century. The wars reflected......
RĂo Salado, Battle of
Battle of RĂo Salado, (October 30, 1340), battle fought by the allied Castilian and Portuguese Christian forces......
sabotage
sabotage, deliberate destruction of property or slowing down of work with the intention of damaging a business......
Saigon, Fall of
Fall of Saigon, capture of Saigon, the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam, by North Vietnamese forces, which......
Saint Albans Raid
Saint Albans Raid, (Oct. 19, 1864), in the American Civil War, a Confederate raid from Canada into Union territory;......
Saint Albans, battles of
battles of Saint Albans, (May 22, 1455, and Feb. 17, 1461), battles during the English Wars of the Roses. The town......
Saint Clairâs Defeat
Saint Clairâs Defeat, (November 4, 1791), one of the worst defeats ever suffered by U.S. forces in Indian warfare,......
Saint-Denis, Battle of
Battle of Saint-Denis, the last battle of the Franco-Dutch War, fought on August 14, 1678, just days after the......
Saint-Mihiel, Battle of
Battle of Saint-Mihiel, Allied victory and the first U.S.-led offensive in World War I, fought from September 12......
Saintes, Battle of the
Battle of the Saintes, in the American Revolution, major naval victory on April 9â12, 1782, for Britain in the......
Saipan, Battle of
Battle of Saipan, capture of the island of Saipan during World War II by U.S. Marine and Army units from June 15......
Sakdal Uprising
Sakdal Uprising, brief peasant rebellion in the agricultural area of central Luzon, Philippines, on the night of......
Salamis, Battle of
Battle of Salamis, (480 bc), battle in the Greco-Persian Wars in which a Greek fleet defeated much larger Persian......
Samugarh, Battle of
Battle of Samugarh, (May 29, 1658), decisive struggle in a contest for the throne between the sons of the Mughal......
San Jacinto, Battle of
Battle of San Jacinto, (April 21, 1836), defeat of a Mexican army of about 1,200â1,300 men under Antonio LĂłpez......
San Juan Hill, Battle of
Battle of San Juan Hill, the most significant U.S. land victory, and one of the final battles, of the Spanish-American......
Sandwich, Battle of
Battle of Sandwich, battle that took place in the Strait of Dover on August 24, 1217, that saved England from French......
Sannyasi Rebellion
Sannyasi Rebellion, series of armed confrontations and local uprisings that took place in the Bengal Presidency......
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Battle of
In 1654 Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the republican Commonwealth, declared war on Spain, unleashing English......
Santhal Rebellion
Santhal Rebellion, an uprising by thousands of members of the Santhal tribe in 1855â56 in eastern India, under......
Santiago de Cuba, Battle of
Battle of Santiago de Cuba, concluding naval engagement of the Spanish-American War, fought on July 3, 1898, near......
Santo Domingo, Battle of
Battle of Santo Domingo, British naval victory over a French flotilla during the Napoleonic Wars, fought in the......
Sarajevo, Siege of
Siege of Sarajevo, siege of the city Sarajevo by Bosnian Serb forces from April 5, 1992, to February 29, 1996,......
Saratoga, Battles of
Battles of Saratoga, in the American Revolution, closely related engagements in the autumn of 1777. The Battles......
Sardis, Siege of
The defeat of King Croesus of Lydia by Persian ruler Cyrus II, or Cyrus the Great, at Sardis in 546 bce was a major......
scalping
scalping, removal of all or part of the scalp, with hair attached, from an enemyâs head. Historical evidence indicates......
Scanian War
Scanian War, war fought from 1675 to 1679 by Sweden against Brandenburg and Denmark. It was an adjunct conflict......
scorched-earth policy
scorched-earth policy, the military tactic of destroying everything that enables the enemy to wage war, including......
sea power
sea power, means by which a nation extends its military power onto the seas. Measured in terms of a nationâs capacity......
Second Battle of Panipat (1556)
Second Battle of Panipat (1556), one of three conflicts that took place between 1526 and 1761 at Panipat (now in......
Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War, (1937â45), conflict that broke out when China began a full-scale resistance to the expansion......
secure second strike
secure second strike, the ability, after being struck by a nuclear attack, to strike back with nuclear weapons......
Sedan, Battle of
Battle of Sedan, decisive defeat of the French army on September 1, 1870, during the Franco-German War, causing......
Sedgemoor, Battle of
Battle of Sedgemoor, (July 16 [July 6, Old Style], 1685), in English history, battle fought about 3 miles (5 km)......
Sekhmet
Sekhmet, in Egyptian religion, a goddess of war and the destroyer of the enemies of the sun god Re. Sekhmet was......
Sekigahara, Battle of
Battle of Sekigahara, (October 21, 1600), in Japanese history, a major conflict fought in central Honshu between......
Selangor Civil War
Selangor Civil War, (1867â73), series of conflicts initially between Malay chiefs but later involving Chinese secret......
Seminole War, First
First Seminole War, conflict between U.S. armed forces and the Seminole Indians of Florida that is generally dated......
Seminole War, Second
Second Seminole War, conflict (1835â42) that arose when the United States undertook to force the Seminole Indians......
Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars, (1817â18, 1835â42, 1855â58), three conflicts between the United States and the Seminole Indians......
Sempach, Battle of
Battle of Sempach, (July 9, 1386), decisive victory won by the Swiss Confederation in its struggle with the Austrian......
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks, series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed in 2001 by 19 militants associated......
September 30th Movement
September 30th Movement, group of Indonesian military personnel who captured and murdered six generals in 1965,......
Serbo-Bulgarian War
Serbo-Bulgarian War, (Nov. 14, 1885âMarch 3, 1886), military conflict between Serbia and Bulgaria, which demonstrated......
Serbo-Turkish War
Serbo-Turkish War, (1876â78), military conflict in which Serbia and Montenegro fought the Ottoman Turks in support......
Sevastopol, Siege of
Siege of Sevastopol, (Oct. 17, 1854âSept. 11, 1855), the major operation of the Crimean War (1853â56), in which......
Seven Daysâ Battles
Seven Daysâ Battles, (June 25âJuly 1, 1862), series of American Civil War battles in which a Confederate army under......
Seven Pines, Battle of
Battle of Seven Pines, (May 31âJune 1, 1862), in the American Civil War, two-day battle in the Peninsular Campaign,......
Seven Weeksâ War
Seven Weeksâ War, (1866), war between Prussia on the one side and Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, Hanover, and certain......
Seven Yearsâ War
Seven Yearsâ War, (1756â63), the last major conflict before the French Revolution to involve all the great powers......
Shaysâs Rebellion
Shaysâs Rebellion, (August 1786âFebruary 1787), uprising in western Massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and......
Shenandoah Valley campaigns
Shenandoah Valley campaigns, (July 1861âMarch 1865), in the American Civil War, important military campaigns in......
Shermanâs March to the Sea
Shermanâs March to the Sea, (November 15âDecember 21, 1864) American Civil War campaign that concluded Union operations......
Shiloh, Battle of
Battle of Shiloh, (April 6â7, 1862), second great engagement of the American Civil War, fought in southwestern......
Shimabara Rebellion
Shimabara Rebellion, (1637â38), uprising of Japanese Roman Catholics, the failure of which virtually ended the......
Shining Path
Shining Path, Peruvian revolutionary organization that endorsed Maoism and employed guerrilla tactics and violent......
ship-of-the-line warfare
ship-of-the-line warfare, columnar naval-battle formation developed by the British and Dutch in the mid-17th century......
Sicily, Allied invasion of
Allied invasion of Sicily, (July 9âAugust 17, 1943), during World War II, the invasion of the Italian island of......
Sikh Wars
Sikh Wars, (1845â46; 1848â49), two campaigns fought between the Sikhs and the British. They resulted in the conquest......
Silesian Wars
Silesian Wars, 18th-century contests between Austria and Prussia for the possession of Silesia. The First Silesian......
Sino-French War
Sino-French War, conflict between China and France in 1883â85 over Vietnam, which disclosed the inadequacy of Chinaâs......
Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War, (October 20âNovember 20, 1962), conflict between India and China, centered primarily on the disputed......
Six-Day War
Six-Day War, brief war that took place June 5â10, 1967, and was the third of the Arab-Israeli wars. Israelâs decisive......
slave rebellions
slave rebellions, in the history of the Americas, periodic acts of violent resistance by Black enslaved people......
Sluys, Battle of
In 1337 Edward III of England laid claim to the French throne, thus starting the lengthy series of conflicts known......
Smith Act
Smith Act, U.S. federal law passed in 1940 that made it a criminal offense to advocate the violent overthrow of......
Smolensk, Battle of
Battle of Smolensk, engagement of the Napoleonic Wars fought in eastern Russia on August 16â18, 1812, and the first......
Sobraon, Battle of
Battle of Sobraon, (February 10, 1846), the fourth, last, and decisive battle of the First Sikh War (1845â46).......
Social War
Social War, (90â89 bc), rebellion waged by ancient Romeâs Italian allies (socii) who, denied the Roman franchise,......
Solent, Battle of the
In 1543 Henry VIII of England declared war on France and seized Boulogne. In response, Francis I prepared a fleet......
Solferino, Battle of
Battle of Solferino, (June 24, 1859), last engagement of the second War of Italian Independence. It was fought......
Somalia intervention
Somalia intervention, United States-led military operation in 1992â93 mounted as part of a wider international......
Somme, First Battle of the
First Battle of the Somme, (July 1âNovember 13, 1916), costly and largely unsuccessful Allied offensive on the......
Somme, Second Battle of the
Second Battle of the Somme, (March 21âApril 5, 1918), partially successful German offensive against Allied forces......