Today In History

November 2, 1917


In Bathelémont-lès-Bauzemont, nearby Lunéville, France, the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces , under command of general John Pershing, fight their first battle against the German forces.

The three American soldiers killed during this fight are the first American losses of WW1.



EDIT : Edited the date; it was of course November 2, not October. Sorry.

November 4, 1956


Following the Hungarian Uprising , nationwide revolt started on October 23 against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, the Soviet tanks enter Budapest.

November 23, 1980: Irpinia earthquake.

Magnitude: 6.9
Victims: 2.914

yesterday in history

Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon

The French fleet in Toulon was scuttled on 27 November 1942 to avoid capture by Nazi German forces.

The Allied invasion of North Africa had provoked the Germans into invading the ‘Free Zone’ (Vichy France), officially neutral according to the 1940 Armistice. Vichy Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Darlan, defected to join De Gaulle and the Free French, who were gaining increasing support from both servicemen and civilians. His replacement, Admiral Auphan, guessed correctly that the Germans were aiming to seize the large fleet at Toulon (Operation Lila), and issued orders for scuttling these vessels.

The Germans launched a heavy assault, but the naval crews used deception tactics to delay the enemy until scuttling could be carried out. Operation Lila was judged a failure, with the French destroying 77 vessels, with the capture of 39 small ships, while several submarines escaped to French North Africa. It marked the end of Vichy France as a credible power.

Pearl Harbour


Just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan; Congress approved his declaration with just one dissenting vote. Three days later, Japanese allies Germany and Italy also declared war on the United States, and again Congress reciprocated. More than two years into the conflict, America had finally joined World War II.

And on the 8th of December 1941, the Japanese forces attacked the British colony of Hong Kong. The battle lasted for 17 days, until the British officials surrendered on Christmas Day.

Battle of Hong Kong --WIKIPEDIA--

Here's an interesting documentary that I've watched few days ago. It focuses on the Canadian contingent only (British, Indian and local units fought in this battle too).