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 It is difficult to judge whether it is good or bad; huge losses of people have always been replaced by progress in science and culture, in the economy or industry.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 say that Octavian's victory played a 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 to 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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The heroism and courage of Soviet soldiers shown during the battles of the Great Patriotic War deserve eternal memory. The wisdom of military leaders, which became one of the most important components of the overall victory, continues to amaze us today.
Over the long years of the war, so many battles took place that even some historians disagree on the meaning of certain battles. And yet, the largest battles, which have a significant impact on the further course of military operations, are known to almost every person. It is these battles that will be discussed in our article.
| Name of the battle | Military leaders who took part in the battle | Outcome of the battle |
|---|---|---|
Aviation Major A.P. Ionov, Aviation Major General T.F. Kutsevalov, F.I. Kuznetsov, V.F. Tributs. | Despite the stubborn struggle of the Soviet soldiers, the operation ended on July 9 after the Germans broke through the defenses in the area of the Velikaya River. This military operation smoothly turned into the fight for the Leningrad region. |
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G.K. Zhukov, I.S. Konev, M.F. Lukin, P.A. Kurochkin, K.K. Rokossovsky | This battle is considered one of the bloodiest in the history of the Second World War. At the cost of millions of losses, the Soviet army managed to delay the advance of Hitler's army on Moscow. |
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Popov M.M., Frolov V.A., Voroshilov K.E., Zhukov G.K., Meretskov K.A. | After the siege of Leningrad began, local residents and military leaders had to fight fierce battles for several years. As a result, the blockade was lifted and the city was liberated. However, Leningrad itself suffered horrific destruction, and the death toll of local residents exceeded several hundred thousand. |
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I.V. Stalin, G.K. Zhukov, A.M. Vasilevsky, S.M. Budyonny, A.A. Vlasov. | Despite huge losses, Soviet troops managed to win. The Germans were thrown back 150-200 kilometers, and Soviet troops managed to liberate the Tula, Ryazan and Moscow regions. |
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I.S. Konev, G.K. Zhukov. | The Germans were pushed back another 200 kilometers. Soviet troops completed the liberation of the Tula and Moscow regions and liberated some areas of the Smolensk region |
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A.M. Vasilevsky, N.F. Vatutin, A.I. Eremenko, S.K. Timoshenko, V.I. Chuikov | It is the victory at Stalingrad that many historians call one of the most important turning points during the Second World War. The Red Army managed to win a strong-willed victory, throwing the Germans far back and proving that the fascist army also had its vulnerabilities. |
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CM. Budyonny, I.E. Petrov, I.I. Maslennikov, F.S. October | Soviet troops were able to win a landslide victory, liberating Checheno-Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Stavropol Territory and Rostov Region. |
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Georgy Zhukov, Ivan Konev, Konstantin Rokossovsky | The Kursk Bulge became one of the bloodiest battles, but ensured the end of the turning point during the Second World War. Soviet troops managed to push the Germans back even further, almost to the country’s border. |
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V.D. Sokolovsky, I.Kh. Baghramyan | On the one hand, the operation was unsuccessful, because Soviet troops failed to reach Minsk and capture Vitebsk. However, the fascist forces were severely wounded, and as a result of the battle, tank reserves were practically running out. |
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Konstantin Rokossovsky, Alexey Antonov, Ivan Bagramyan, Georgy Zhukov | Operation Bagration turned out to be incredibly successful, because the territories of Belarus, part of the Baltic states and areas of Eastern Poland were recaptured. |
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Georgy Zhukov, Ivan Konev | Soviet troops managed to defeat 35 enemy divisions and directly reach Berlin for the final battle. |
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I.V. Stalin, G.K. Zhukov, K.K. Rokossovsky, I.S. Konev | After prolonged resistance, Soviet troops managed to take the capital of Germany. With the capture of Berlin, the Great Patriotic War officially ended. |
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 the support of the 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 significantly outnumbered the 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. For 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 genius of Suvorov. Previously, Ishmael did not submit to either Nikolai Repnin, 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 take 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 the strategic advantage gained by the Soviet command, as well as the superiority in manpower and equipment that had developed by that time. For example, in the legendary tank battle of 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.
As sad as it is to realize, it is impossible to deny the fact that numerous wars played an important role in shaping our world. They shaped our history, creating and destroying entire nations. Society has been changing for thousands of years with the help of wars.
There are many small battles in the history of mankind, but there are also battles that significantly influenced the course of all history. The ten battles listed may not be the largest in history in terms of numbers involved.
But it was they who changed history, the consequences of which we feel to this day. The different outcome of these battles has made the current world in which we live very, very different.
Stalingrad, 1942-1943. This battle effectively put an end to Hitler's plans for world domination. Stalingrad became the starting point for Germany on its still long path to defeat in World War II. German troops sought to capture the city on the Volga and the left bank of the river at any cost. This would make it possible to cut off the oil fields of the Caucasus from the rest of the country. But the Soviet troops survived and during the counterattack surrounded a significant part of the fascist group. The battle lasted from July 1942 to February 1943. When the battle ended, the death toll on both sides exceeded 2 million. 91 thousand German soldiers and officers were captured. Germany and its allies were never able to recover from such heavy losses, essentially fighting only defensive battles until the very end of the war. Major offensives were launched only twice - during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943 and in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Although it is unlikely that a German victory at Stalingrad would have led to a general defeat for the USSR in the war, it would undoubtedly have dragged on for many more years. months. Perhaps this was precisely the time that the Germans did not have enough to create their own version of the atomic bomb.
Midway. The Battle of Midway Atoll became a kind of “Stalingrad” for the Japanese. This naval battle took place from June 4 to June 6, 1942. According to the plans of the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, his fleet was to capture a small atoll four hundred miles west of the Hawaiian Islands. The atoll was planned to be used in the future as a springboard for an attack on the strategically important islands of the Americans. However, the United States was able to intercept the radiogram and decipher it. The Japanese emphasis on surprise did not materialize. They were met by a battle-ready US fleet under the command of Admiral Nimitz. During the battle, the Japanese lost all 4 of their aircraft carriers, all the aircraft on them, and some of their best pilots. The Americans lost only 1 aircraft carrier. It is curious that only the ninth attack by US aircraft on the Japanese fleet was crowned with decisive success, and even then only due to chance. It was all about minutes; the Americans were just very lucky. The defeat effectively meant the end of Japan's Pacific expansion. The islanders could never recover from it. This is one of the few battles of World War II in which the American enemy was outnumbered, but the United States still won.
Shares 31 BC At that time, the Roman Republic was ruled by two people - Antony controlled Egypt and the eastern provinces, and Octavian controlled Italy, the western territories and Africa. Powerful rulers eventually came together in a mortal battle for power over the entire vast empire. On one side came the combined fleet of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, and on the other, the smaller naval forces of Octavian. The decisive naval battle took place near the Greek cape of Actium. Roman troops under the command of Agrippa defeated Antony and Cleopatra. They lost two-thirds of their fleet, and about 200 ships. In fact, it was not even a battle, but Anthony’s attempt to break through the encirclement to Egypt, where he still had troops. But the defeat actually put an end to the politician’s hopes of becoming Emperor of Rome - mass desertion of soldiers to Octavian’s camp began. Anthony did not have a plan B, he had to commit suicide along with Cleopatra. And Octavian, who became emperor, received sole power in the country. He turned a republic into an empire.
Waterloo, 1815. The battle was the result of Napoleon's attempt to regain power lost during the war against all of Europe. The exile to the island of Elba did not break Bonaparte's imperial ambitions; he returned to France and quickly seized power. But a united army of the British, Dutch and Prussians under the command of the Duke of Wellington opposed him. It significantly outnumbered the French troops. Napoleon had only one chance - to defeat the enemy piece by piece. To do this, he moved to Belgium. The armies met near the small settlement of Waterloo, in Belgium. During the battle, Napoleon's troops were defeated, which led to the rapid fall of his reign. Bonaparte's power was largely shaken after his campaign in Russia in 1812. Then, during his retreat in winter, he lost a significant part of his army. But it was this last failure that brought the final line under Napoleon's rule. He himself was sent to another place of exile, much more remote - to the island of St. Helena. History cannot say what would have happened if Napoleon had prevailed over Wellington. However, a landslide victory could be the starting point for Bonaparte's plans to retain power. The history of Europe could have taken a completely different path.
Gettrysburg, 1863. This battle took place between Confederate and Union troops during the American Civil War. If the plans of the southerners were destined to come true, then General Lee would be able to break through to Washington and force Lincoln and his associates to flee from there. Another state would appear - the Confederacy of the States of America. But on the other side of the battle was George Meade, who, although with difficulty, did not allow these plans to come true. The battle lasted three hot July days. On the third and decisive day, the Confederates launched their main Pickett's attack. The troops advanced across open terrain towards the fortified elevated positions of the northerners. The southerners suffered huge losses, but showed incredible courage. The attack failed, becoming the largest defeat for the Confederacy in that war. Northern losses were also high, which prevented Meade from completely destroying the Southern army, to Lincoln's displeasure. As a result, the Confederacy was never able to recover from that defeat, fighting increasingly defensive battles. The defeat of the South during the war became inevitable, because the North was more densely populated, more industrially developed, and simply richer. But the history of a great country could have followed a completely different scenario.
Battle of Tours, 732. Europeans often call this battle the Battle of Poitiers. You may have heard little about her. A different outcome of this battle would have led to the fact that Europeans would now bow towards Mecca five times every day and diligently study the Koran. Few details of that battle have reached us. It is known that about 20 thousand francs fought on the side of Charles Martel Caroling. On the other side, there were 50 thousand Muslims under the command of Abdur-Rahman ibn Abdallah. He sought to bring Islam to Europe. The Franks were opposed by Umayyad troops. This Muslim empire stretched from Persia to the Pyrenees, the caliphate had the most powerful military force in the world. Despite the numerical superiority of his opponents, Martell, with his skillful leadership, managed to defeat the Muslims and kill their commander. As a result, they fled to Spain. Charles's son, Pepin the Short, then completely ousted the Muslims from the continent. Today, historians praise Charles as a guardian of Christianity. After all, his defeat in that battle would mean that Islam would become the main faith of Europe. As a result, this particular faith would become the main one in the world. One can only guess how Western civilization would have developed then. Most likely, she would have taken a completely different path. The victory also laid the foundations for Frankish dominance in Europe for a long time.
Battle of Vienna, 1683. This battle is a later "remake" of the Battle of Tours. Muslims again decided to prove that Europe is a territory for Allah. This time the eastern troops marched under the flag of the Ottoman Empire. Under the command of Kara-Mustafa, from 150 to 300 thousand soldiers acted. They were opposed by about 80 thousand people under the leadership of the Polish king John Sobieski. The decisive battle took place on September 11, after a two-month siege of the Austrian capital by the Turks. The battle marked the end of Islamic expansion into Europe. There has been a turning point in the almost three-century history of the war between the countries of Central Europe and Turkey. Austria soon recaptured Hungary and Transylvania. And Kara-Mustafa was executed by the Turks for his defeat. Meanwhile, history could have turned out completely differently. If the Turks had arrived at the walls of Vienna earlier than in July, the city would probably have fallen before September. This gave the Poles and their allies time to prepare to break the blockade and provide the necessary forces and equipment. Nevertheless, it is worth noting the courage of the Christians, who were able to win, despite the two- or even three-fold superiority of the Turks.
Yorktown, 1781. In terms of the number of combatants, this battle was quite small. On one side, thousands of Americans and the same number of French fought, and on the other, 9 thousand British. But by the time the battle ended, the world could be said to have changed forever. It would seem that the powerful British Empire, the superpower of that time, should have easily defeated a handful of colonists led by George Washington. This was exactly the case for most of the war. But by 1781, those same upstart Americans had learned to fight. In addition, the sworn enemies of the British, the French, also came to their aid. As a result, the American forces, although small, were fully trained. The British under the command of Cornwallis captured the town. However, the troops were caught in a trap. The peninsula was closed by the Americans, and the French fleet blocked it from the sea. After several weeks of fighting, the British surrendered. The victory demonstrated that the new territories had military power. The battle was a turning point in the war for the independence of the new state - the United States of America.
Battle of Salamis, 480 BC. To imagine the scale of this battle, one need only mention that almost a thousand ships took part in the battle. The naval forces of united Greece under the command of Themistocles were opposed by the Persian fleet of Xerxes, which by that time had captured part of Hellas and Athens. The Greeks understood that on the open sea they could not resist an enemy superior in numbers. As a result, the battle took place in the narrow Strait of Salamis. The long, winding path along it in every possible way deprived the Persians of their advantage. As a result, their ships entering the Gulf of Eleusincus were immediately attacked by many Greek triremes. The Persians could not turn back, because their other ships were following them. As a result, Xerxes' fleet became a chaotic mass. Light Greek ships entered the strait and destroyed their opponents. Xerxes suffered a humiliating defeat, which stopped the Persian invasion of Greece. Soon the conquerors were completely defeated. Greece was able to preserve its culture, and it was this that served as the basis for the entire Western civilization. If events had turned out differently then, Europe would be different today. This is what makes us consider the Battle of Salamis one of the most significant in history.
Adrianople, 718. Like the Battle of Tours and the Battle of Vienna for Central Europe, the Battle of Adrianople became a turning point for Eastern Europe in the fight against the armies of Islam. At that time, Caliph Suleiman started the conquest of Constantinople, which the Arabs had previously failed to achieve. The city was surrounded by a huge army, and 1800 ships surrounded it from the sea. If Constantinople, the largest Christian city at that time, had fallen, hordes of Muslims would have flooded the Balkans, Eastern and Central Europe. Until then, Constantinople, like a bottle in a cork, prevented Muslim armies from crossing the Bosphorus. Their ally, the Bulgarian Khan Terver, came to the aid of the defending Greeks. She defeated the Arabs near Adrianople. As a result of this, as well as the enemy’s fleet destroyed a little earlier by the Greeks, the 13-month siege was lifted. Constantinople continued to play an important political role for the next 700 years, until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.