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What was the Siege of Calais (1940)?

Introduction The Siege of Calais (1940) was a battle for the port of Calais during the Battle of France in 1940 (during World War Two). The siege was fought at the same time as the Battle of Boulogne, just before Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) through Dunkirk. After the Franco-British… Read More

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On This Day … 21 November

Events 1386 – Timur of Samarkand captures and sacks the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive. 1620 – Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact (11 November, O.S.) 1676 – The Danish astronomer Ole Rømer presents the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light. 1783 – In Paris, Jean-François… Read More

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What Operation Dynamo (1940)?

Introduction The Dunkirk evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 04 June 1940. The operation commenced after large numbers of Belgian, British, and French… Read More

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What was the Battle of Dunkirk (1940)?

Introduction The Battle of Dunkirk (French: Bataille de Dunkerque) was fought in Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France, during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation to Britain of British and other Allied… Read More

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What was the Le Paradis Massacre (1940)?

Introduction The Le Paradis massacre was a war crime committed by members of the 14th Company, SS Division Totenkopf, under the command of Hauptsturmführer Fritz Knöchlein. It took place on 27 May 1940, during the Battle of France (World War Two), at a time when troops of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) were attempting to… Read More

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What was the An Shi Rebellion (755-763)?

Introduction The An Lushan Rebellion was an armed conflict between the Tang dynasty of China and various regional powers. The rebellion’s overt phase began on 16 December 755, when general An Lushan mobilised his army and marched to Fanyang, and ended when his Yan dynasty fell on 17 February 763 (although the effects lasted past… Read More

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What was the Battle of Suiyang (757)?

Introduction The Battle of Suiyang (睢陽之戰) was a battle in Suiyang during the An Lushan Rebellion, between the rebel An Lushan’s Yan army and the loyalist forces of the Tang army. Although the battle was ultimately won by Yan, it suffered a major loss of manpower and time. The battle was noted for the Tang… Read More