A Military History Timeline of the 1900s

This timeline chronicles the military history of the last hundred plus years and includes WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and dozens of other conflicts. 1900s September 7, 1901 - Boxer Rebellion ends in ChinaMay 31, 1902 - Second Boer War: Fighting ends with the Treaty of VereenigingFebruary 8, 1904 - Russo-Japanese War: Fighting begins when the Japanese attack the Russian fleet at Port ArthurJanuary 2, 1905 - Russo-Japanese War: Port Arthur SurrendersSeptember 5, 1905 - Russo-Japanese War: The Treaty of Portsmouth ends the conflict 1910s April 21-November 23, 1914 - Mexican Revolution: American forces land and occupy Vera CruzJuly 28, 1914 - World War I: The conflict begins when Austria-Hungary declares war on SerbiaAugust 23, 1914 - World War I: British forces join the fray at the Battle of MonsAugust 23-31, 1914 - World War I: The Germans win a stunning victory at the Battle of TannenbergAugust 28, 1914 - World War I: The Royal Navy wins the Battle of Heligoland Bight.October 19-November 22, 1914 - World War I: Allied forces hold at the First Battle of YpresNovember 1, 1914 - World War I: Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spees German East Asia Squadron wins the Battle of Coronel.November 9, 1914 - World War I: HMAS Sydney defeats SMS Emden at the Battle of CocosDecember 16, 1914 - World War I: German warships raid Scarborough, Hartlepool, and WhitbyDecember 25, 1914 - World War I: The Christmas Truce begins along parts of the Western FrontJanuary 24, 1915 - World War I: The Royal Navy wins the Battle of Dogger BankApril 22-May 25, 1915 - World War I: Allied and German forces fight the Second Battle of YpresSeptember 25-October 14 - World War I: British forces take heavy losses during the Battle of LoosDecember 23, 1916 - World War I: British Commonwealth forces win the Battle of Magdhaba in the Sinai DesertMarch 9, 1916 - Mexican Revolution: The forces of Pancho Villa raid across the border and burn Columbus, NMOctober 31-November 7, 1917 - World War I: General Sir Edmund Allenby wins the Third Battle of GazaApril 6, 1917 - World War I: The United States enters the warJune 7, 1917 - World War I: General John J. Pershing arrives in England to take command of US forces in EuropeOctober 24-November 19, 1917 - World War I: Italian troops are routed at the Battle of CaporettoNovember 7, 1917 - Russian Revolution: The Bolsheviks overthrow the Provisional Government, beginning the Russian Civil WarJanuary 8, 1918 - World War I: President Woodrow Wilson outlines his Fourteen Points to CongressJune 1-28, 1 918 - World War I: US Marines win the Battle of Belleau WoodSeptember 19-October 1, 1918 - World War I: British forces crush the Ottomans at the Battle of MegiddoNovember 11, 1918 - World War I: An armistice is concluded ending World War I in a victory for the Allies.June 28, 1919 - World War I: The Treaty of Versailles officially ends the war. 1920s June 1923 - Russian Civil War: Fighting ends with the Red capture of Vladivostok and the collapse of the Provisional Priamur GovernmentApril 12, 1927 - Chinese Civil War: Fighting begins between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party 1930s October 1934 - Chinese Civil War: The Long March retreat begins with Chinese Communists marching approx. 8,000 miles over 370 daysOctober 3, 1935 - Second Italo-Abyssinian War: The conflict begins when Italian troops invade EthiopiaMay 7, 1936 - Second Italo-Abyssinian War: Fighting ends with the capture of Addis Ababa and the Italian annexation of the countryJuly 17, 1936 - Spanish Civil War: The conflict begins following an attempted coup dà ©tat by Nationalist forcesApril 26, 1937 - Spanish Civil War: The Condor Legion bombs GuernicaSeptember 6-22, 1937 - Spanish Civil War: Republican forces are defeated at the Battle of El MazucoSeptember 29/30, 1938 - World War II: The Munich Agreement cedes the Sudetenland to Nazi GermanyApril 1, 1939 - Spanish Civil War: Nationalist forces crush the final Republican resistance ending the war.September 1, 1939 - World War II: Nazi Germany invades Poland beginning World War IINovember 30, 1939 - Winter War: Fighting between the Soviet Union and Finland begins when Russian troops cross the border following the faked shelling of MainilaDecember 13, 1939 - World War II: British and German naval forces fight the Battle of the River Plate 1940s February 16, 1940 - World War II: British and German forces violated Norwegian neutrality in the Altmark IncidentMarch 12, 1940 - Winter War: The Moscow Peace Treaty ends the war in the Soviets favorJune 22, 1940 - World War II: After a six-week campaign, Germany defeats France and forces the British to evacuate from DunkirkJuly 3, 1940 - World War II: The Royal Navy attacks Mers el KebirJuly 10-October 31, 1940 - World War II: The Royal Air Force wins the Battle of BritainSeptember 17, 1940 - World War II: Operation Sea Lion, the German invasion of Britain, is indefinitely postponedNovember 11/12, 1940 - World War II: In a daring nighttime raid, British aircraft strike the Italian fleet at the Battle of TarantoDecember 8, 1940 - World War II: British forces in Egypt launch Operation Compass which sweeps across the desert driving the Italians deep into LibyaMarch 11, 1941 - World War II: Pres. Franklin Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease ActMarch 27-29, 1941 - World War II: British naval forces defeat the Italians at the Battle of Cape MatapanApril 6-30, 1941 - World War II: German forces win the Battle of GreeceMay 24, 1941 - World War II: HMS Hood is sunk at the Battle of the Denmark StraitMay 27, 1941 - World War II: Following aerial attacks from HMS Ark Royal and fire from British battleships, the German battleship Bismarck is sunk in the North AtlanticJune 22, 1941 - World War II: German forces invade the Soviet Union opening the Eastern FrontSeptember 8, 1941-January 27, 1944 - World War II: German forces conduct the Siege of Leningrad but fail to capture the city.October 2, 1941-January 7, 1942 - World War II: The Soviets win the Battle of MoscowDecember 7, 1941 - World War II: Japanese aircraft attack the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor bringing the United States into the warDecember 8-23, 1941 - World War II: Japan wins the Battle of Wake IslandDecember 8-25, 1941 - World War II: The British are defeated at the Battle of Hong KongDecember 10, 1941 - World War II: HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse are sunk by Japanese aircraftJanuary 7-April 9, 1942 - World War II: Allied forces conduct the  defense of BataanJanuary 31-February 15, 1942 - World War II: The Japanese win the  Battle of SingaporeFebruary 27, 1942 - World War II: The Allies are defeated at the  Battle of the Java SeaMarch 31-April 10 - World War II: Japanese forces conduct the  Indian Ocean RaidApril 18, 1942 - World War II: The planes of the  Doolittle Raid  bomb JapanMay 4-8, 1942 - World War II: US forces turn back the Japanese advance against Port Moresby at the  Battle of the Coral Sea. Fought entirely by aircraft, it was first naval battle in which the opposing ships never sighted each other.May 5-6, 1942 - World War II: US and Filipino forces surrender after the  Battle of CorregidorMay 26-June 21, 1942 - World War II:  General Erwin Rommel  wins the  Battle of GazalaJune 4-7, 1942 - World War II: The US Pacific Fleet defeats the Japanese at the  Battle of Midway, turning the tide in the PacificJuly 1-27, 1942 - World War II: Axis forces are halted at the  First Battle of El AlameinAugust 7, 1942 - World War II: Allied forces go on the offensive in the Pacific by  landing on GuadalcanalAugust 9, 1942 - World War II: Japanese naval forces win the  Battle of Savo IslandAugust 9-15, 1942 - World War II: The Royal Navy resupplies Malta during  Operation PedestalAugust 19, 1942 - World War II: The  Dieppe Raid  ends in disaster for Allied troopsAugust 24-25, 1942 - World War II: Allied and Japanese forces fight the  Battle of the Eastern SolomonsAugust 25-September 7, 1942 - World War II: Allied force on New Guinea win the  Battle of Milne BayAugust 30-September 5, 1942 - World War II: British forces halt  Field Marshal Erwin Rommel  at the  Battle of Alam HalfaOctober 10/11, 1942 - World War II: Allied naval units win the  Battle of Cape EsperanceOctober 23-November 4, 1942 - World War II: British forces under  Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery  begin the  Second Battle of El AlameinOctober 25-27, 1942 - World War II: American and Japanese naval forces fight the  Battle of Santa CruzNovember 8-10, 1942 - World War II: American forces land in North Africa as part of  Operation TorchNovember 12-15, 1942 - World War II: Allied forces win the  Naval Battle of GuadalcanalNovember 27, 1942 - World War II: The  French fleet is scuttled  at Toulon during Operation LilaNovember 30, 1942 - World War II: Japanese forces win the  Battle of TassafarongaJanuary 29-30, 1943 - World War II: Japanese aircraft win the  Battle of Rennell IslandFebruary 19-25, 1943 - World War II: American troops area defeated at the  Battle of Kasserine PassMarch 2-4, 1943 - World War II: Allied aircraft win the  Battle of the Bismarck SeaApril 18, 1943 - World War II:  Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto  is killed by Allied aircraft during  Operation VengeanceApril 19-May 16, 1943 - Wo rld War II: The Germans suppress the  Warsaw Ghetto Uprising  in PolandMay 17, 1943 - World War II: As part of  Operation Chastise  RAF bombers strike dams in GermanyJuly 9, 1943 - World War II: Allied forces begin  Operation Husky  and invade SicilyAugust 17, 1943 - World War II: American bombers conduct the massive  Schweinfurt-Regensburg RaidSeptember 3-9, 1943 - World War II: American and British forces  land in ItalySeptember 26, 1943 - World War II: Australian commandoes conduct  Operation Jaywick  in Singapore HarborNovember 2, 1943 - World War II: American forces win the Battle of Empress Augusta BayNovember 20-23, 1943 - World War II: American forces  invade TarawaDecember 26, 1943 - World War II: British naval forces win the  Battle of the North CapeJanuary 22, 1944 - World War II: Allied forces begin Operation Shingle and open the  Battle of AnzioJanuary 31-February 3, 1944 - World War II: US troops fight the  Battle of KwajaleinFebruary 17-18, 1944 - World War II:  Operation Hailstone  sees Allied aircraft attack the Japanese anchorage at TrukFebruary 17-May 18, 1944 - World War II: Allied forces fight and win the  Battle of Monte CassinoMarch 17-23, 1944 - World War II: Allied forces win the  Battle of EniwetokMarch 24/25, 1944 - World War II: Allied POWs begin the  Great Escape  from Stalag Luft IIIJune 4, 1944 - World War II: Allied forces capture RomeJune 4, 1944 - World War II: Allied naval forces  capture  U-505June 6, 1944 - World War II: British airborne forces execute  Operation DeadstickJune 6, 1944 - World War II: The invasion of France begins with Allied troops  coming ashore in NormandyJune 15, 1944 - World War II: The Allied invasion of the Marianas begins with  landings on SaipanJune 19-20, 1944 - World War II: The US Navy wins the  Battle of the Philippine SeaJuly 21- August 10, 1944 - World War II: Allied troops  recapture GuamJuly 25-31, 1944 - World War II: Allied troops break out of Normandy during  Operation CobraAugust 15, 1944 - World War II: Allied troops land in southern France as part of  Operation DragoonAugust 25, 1944 - World War II: French forces liberate ParisSeptember 15-November 27, 1944 - World War II: Allied forces fight and win the  Battle of PeleliuSeptember 17, 1944 - World War II: American and British paratroopers land in Holland as part of  Operation Market-GardenOctober 23-26, 1944 - World War II: US naval forces defeat the Japanese at the  Battle of Leyte Gulf, opening the way for the invasion of the PhilippinesDecember 16, 1944 - World War II: German forces launch a massive offensive in the Ardennes, beginning the  Battle of the Bulge. It ends in a decisive Allied victory the following monthFebruary 9, 1945 - World War II:  HMS  Venturer  sinks  U-864  in the only known battle where one submerged submarine sank anotherFebruary 19, 1945 - World War II: US Marines land on  Iwo JimaMarch 8, 1945 - World War II : US forces secure the  Ludendorff Bridge  over the RhineMarch 24, 1945 - World War II: Allied forces airdrop over the Rhine during  Operation VarsityApril 1, 1945 - World War II: Allied forces  invade the island of OkinawaApril 7, 1945 - World War II: The battleship  Yamato  is sunk during  Operation Ten-GoApril 16-19, 1945 - World War II: Soviet forces win the  Battle of the Seelow HeightsApril 29-May 8, 1945: World War II:  Operations Manna Chowhound  deliver food to the starving population of the NetherlandsMay 2, 1945 - World War II:  Berlin falls  to Soviet forcesMay 7, 1945 - World War II: Nazi Germany surrenders to the Allies, ending the war in EuropeAugust 6, 1945 - World War II: The  B-29 Superfortress  Enola Gay  drops the  first atom bomb  on the city of HiroshimaSeptember 2, 1945 - World War II: The Japanese surrender aboard the battleship  USS  Missouri  ending the war in the PacificDecember 19, 1946 - First Indochina War: Fight ing begins between French and Viet Minh forces around Hanoi​October 21, 1947 - Indo-Pakistani War of 1947: The war starts following the invasion of Kashmir by Pakistani troopsMay 14, 1948 - Arab-Israeli War: Following its declaration of independence, Israel is attacked by its Arab neighborsJune 24, 1948 - Cold War: Berlin Blockade begins leading to the  Berlin AirliftJuly 20, 1949 - Arab-Israeli War: Israel makes peace with Syria ending the war 1950s June 25, 1950 - Korean War: North Korean troops cross the 38th Parallel beginning the  Korean WarSeptember 15, 1950 - Korean War: United Nations troops under  General Douglas MacArthur  land at Inchon  and push the North Koreans back to the Yalu RiverNovember 1950 - Korean War: Chinese forces enter the conflict, driving UN forces back over the 38th Parallel.November 26-December 11, 1950 - Korean War: UN forces fight the Chinese at the  Battle of Chosin ReservoirMarch 14, 1951 - Korean War: Seoul is liberated by UN troopsJune 27, 1953 - Korean War: Fighting ends following the establishment of a cease-fire between UN and North Korean/Chinese forcesJuly 26, 1953 - Cuban Revolution: The revolution begins following an attack on the Moncada BarracksMay 7, 1954 - First Indochina War: The French fortress at  Dien Bien Phu  falls effectively ending the warNovember 1, 1954 - Algerian War: National Liberation Front guerrillas attack French targets across Algeria beginning the warO ctober 26, 1956 - Suez Crisis: Israeli troops drop into the Sinai, beginning the conquest of the peninsula 1960s April 15-19, 1961 - Cuban Revolution: The American-backed Bay of Pigs invasion failsJanuary 1959 -  Vietnam War: The North Vietnamese Central Committee issues a secret resolution calling for an armed struggle in South VietnamAugust 2, 1964 - Vietnam War: The  Gulf of Tonkin Incident  occurs when North Vietnamese gunboats attack American destroyersMarch 2, 1965 - Vietnam War: Operation Rolling Thunder begins as US aircraft start bombing North VietnamAugust 1965 - Indo-Pakistani War of 1965: The conflict begins when Pakistan launches Operation Gibraltar in Indian KashmirAugust 17-24, 1965 - Vietnam War: US forces begin offensive operations in Vietnam with Operation StarlightNovember 14-18, 1965 - Vietnam War: US troops fight the  Battle of Ia Drang  in VietnamJune 5-10, 1967 - Six-Day War: Israel attacks and defeats Egypt, Syria, and JordanNovember 3-22, 1967 - Vietnam War: American forces win the  Battle of Dak ToJanuary 21, 1968 - Vietnam War: North Vietnamese forces laun ch the Tet OffensiveJanuary 23, 1968 - Cold War: The  Pueblo  Incident  takes place when the North Koreans board and capture USS  Pueblo  in international watersApril 8, 1968 - Vietnam War:  US troops relieve the besieged Marines at Khe SanhMay 10-20, 1969 - Vietnam War: US troops fight the  Battle of Hamburger HillJuly 14-18, 1969 - Central America: El Salvador and Honduras fight the  Football War 1970s April 29, 1970 - Vietnam War: American and South Vietnamese forces begin attacking into CambodiaNovember 21, 1970 - Vietnam War: US Special Forces  raid the POW camp at Son TayDecember 3-16, 1971 - Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The war begins when India intervenes in the Bangladesh Liberation WarMarch 30, 1972 - Vietnam War: The Peoples Army of North Vietnam begins the  Easter OffensiveJanuary 27, 1973 - Vietnam War: The Paris Peace Accords are signed ending US involvement in the conflictOctober 6-26, 1973 - Yom Kippur War: After initial losses, Israel defeats Egypt and SyriaApril 30, 1975 - Vietnam War: Following the  fall of Saigon, South Vietnam surrenders ending the warJuly 4, 1976 - International Terrorism:  Israeli commandoes land at Entebbe Airport  in Uganda and rescue the passengers of Air France Flight 139December 25, 1979 - Soviet-Afghan War: Soviet airborne forces enter Afghanistan beginning the conflict 1980s September 22, 1980 - Iran-Iraq War: Iraq invades Iran beginning a war that lasts eight yearsApril 2-June 14, 1982 - Falklands War: Following the Argentinean invasion of the Falklands, the islands are liberated by the BritishOctober 25-December 15, 1983 - Invasion of Grenada: After the deposition and execution of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, US forces invade and capture the island.April 15, 1986 - International Terrorism: American aircraft  bomb Libya  in retaliation for an attack on a West Berlin night clubDecember 20, 1989-January 31, 1990 - Invasion of Panama: US forces invade Panama to oust dictator Manuel Noriega 1990s August 2, 1990 -  Gulf War: Iraqi troops invade KuwaitJanuary 17, 1991 - Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm begins with American and coalition aircraft striking targets in Iraq and KuwaitFebruary 24, 1991 - Gulf War: Coalition ground forces advance into Kuwait and IraqFebruary 27, 1991 - Gulf War: Fighting ends as Kuwait is liberatedJune 25, 1991 - Former Yugoslavia: The first of the wars in the former Yugoslavia begins with the Ten-Day War in SloveniaMarch 24-June 10, 1999 - Kosovo War:  NATO aircraft bomb Yugoslav forces in Kosovo 2000s September 11, 2001 - War on Terror: Al Qaeda attacks the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in WashingtonOctober 7, 2001 - War on Terror: American and British aircraft begin bombing Taliban forces in AfghanistanDecember 12-17, 2001 - War on Terror: Coalition forces fight the  Battle of Tora BoraMarch 19, 2003 - Iraq War: US and British aircraft begin bombing Iraq as a prelude to the ground invasionMarch 24-April 4 - Iraq War: American forces fight the  Battle of NajafApril 9, 2003 - Iraq War: US forces occupy BaghdadDecember 13, 2003 - Iraq War: Saddam Hussein is captured by members of the US 4th Infantry Division and Task Force 121November 7-16, 2004 - Iraq War: Coalition forces fight the  Second Battle of Fallujah