Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts, SER-TRI

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.
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Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts Encyclopedia Articles By Title

Serbo-Turkish War
Serbo-Turkish War, (1876–78), military conflict in which Serbia and Montenegro fought the Ottoman Turks in support......
Sevastopol, Siege of
Siege of Sevastopol, (Oct. 17, 1854–Sept. 11, 1855), the major operation of the Crimean War (1853–56), in which......
Seven Days’ Battles
Seven Days’ Battles, (June 25–July 1, 1862), series of American Civil War battles in which a Confederate army under......
Seven Pines, Battle of
Battle of Seven Pines, (May 31–June 1, 1862), in the American Civil War, two-day battle in the Peninsular Campaign,......
Seven Weeks’ War
Seven Weeks’ War, (1866), war between Prussia on the one side and Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, Hanover, and certain......
Seven Years’ War
Seven Years’ War, (1756–63), the last major conflict before the French Revolution to involve all the great powers......
Shays’s Rebellion
Shays’s Rebellion, (August 1786–February 1787), uprising in western Massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and......
Shenandoah Valley campaigns
Shenandoah Valley campaigns, (July 1861–March 1865), in the American Civil War, important military campaigns in......
Sherman’s March to the Sea
Sherman’s March to the Sea, (November 15–December 21, 1864) American Civil War campaign that concluded Union operations......
Shiloh, Battle of
Battle of Shiloh, (April 6–7, 1862), second great engagement of the American Civil War, fought in southwestern......
Shimabara Rebellion
Shimabara Rebellion, (1637–38), 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 9–August 17, 1943), during World War II, the invasion of the Italian island of......
Sikh Wars
Sikh Wars, (1845–46; 1848–49), 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 1883–85 over Vietnam, which disclosed the inadequacy of China’s......
Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War, (October 20–November 20, 1962), conflict between India and China, centred primarily on the disputed......
Six-Day War
Six-Day War, brief war that took place June 5–10, 1967, and was the third of the Arab-Israeli wars. Israel’s decisive......
slave rebellions
slave rebellions, in the history of the Americas, periodic acts of violent resistance by Black enslaved people......
Sluys, Battle of
Battle of Sluys, (24 June 1340). In 1337, Edward III of England laid claim to the French throne, thus starting......
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 16–18, 1812, and the first......
Sobraon, Battle of
Battle of Sobraon, (February 10, 1846), the fourth, last, and decisive battle of the First Sikh War (1845–46).......
Social War
Social War, (90–89 bc), rebellion waged by ancient Rome’s Italian allies (socii) who, denied the Roman franchise,......
Solent, Battle of the
Battle of the Solent, (19–20 July 1545). In 1543 Henry VIII of England declared war on France and seized Boulogne.......
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 1992–93 mounted as part of a wider international......
Somme, First Battle of the
First Battle of the Somme, (July 1–November 13, 1916), costly and largely unsuccessful Allied offensive on the......
Somme, Second Battle of the
Second Battle of the Somme, (March 21–April 5, 1918), partially successful German offensive against Allied forces......
South African War
South African War, war fought from October 11, 1899, to May 31, 1902, between Great Britain and the two Boer (Afrikaner)......
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, invasion of Afghanistan in late December 1979 by troops from the Soviet Union.......
Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada, the great fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain in 1588 to invade England in conjunction with a......
Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War, (1936–39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative......
Spanish Succession, War of the
War of the Spanish Succession, (1701–14), conflict that arose out of the disputed succession to the throne of Spain......
Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War, (1898), conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in......
special operations warfare
special operations warfare, unconventional military actions against enemy vulnerabilities that are undertaken by......
Spotsylvania Court House, Battle of
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, (8–21 May 1864), Union failure to smash or outflank Confederate forces defending......
Stalingrad, Battle of
Battle of Stalingrad, (July 17, 1942–February 2, 1943), successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad (now......
Stamford Bridge, Battle of
Battle of Stamford Bridge, battle fought between Saxon and Viking forces on September 25, 1066, about 7 miles east......
Stirling Bridge, Battle of
The kings of England repeatedly sought to extend their rule north of the border into Scotland. The death of Margaret,......
Stones River, Battle of
Battle of Stones River, (December 31, 1862–January 2, 1863), bloody but indecisive American Civil War clash in......
Stono rebellion
Stono rebellion, large slave uprising on September 9, 1739, near the Stono River, 20 miles (30 km) southwest of......
storming of the Bastille
storming of the Bastille, iconic conflict of the French Revolution. On July 14, 1789, fears that King Louis XVI......
strategic bombing
strategic bombing, approach to aerial bombardment designed to destroy a country’s ability to wage war by demoralizing......
strategic weapons system
strategic weapons system, any weapons system designed to strike an enemy at the source of his military, economic,......
submarine
submarine, any naval vessel that is capable of propelling itself beneath the water as well as on the water’s surface.......
Sussex Incident
Sussex Incident, (March 24, 1916), torpedoing of a French cross-Channel passenger steamer, the Sussex, by a German......
Svantovit
Svantovit, Slavic war god. His citadel-temple at Arkona was destroyed in the 12th century by invading Christian...
SWAPO Party of Namibia
SWAPO Party of Namibia, political party that began as a liberation movement in Namibia (formerly South West Africa)......
Syracuse, Battle of
Battle of Syracuse, (September 413 bce). The peace of Nicias of 421 bce did not end the Peloponnesian War. Within......
Syracuse, Siege of
Fought as part of the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage, the siege and capture of Syracuse by Rome 214–212......
Syrian Civil War
In March 2011 Syria’s government, led by Pres. Bashar al-Assad, faced an unprecedented challenge to its authority......
Syrian Wars
Syrian Wars, (3rd century bce), five conflicts fought between the leading Hellenistic states, chiefly the Seleucid......
T.E. Lawrence on guerrilla warfare
For an editor of the Encyclopædia Britannica, it must have been a small triumph to persuade T.E. Lawrence, better......
tactical weapons system
tactical weapons system, system integrating tactical weapons with electronic equipment for target acquisition,......
Taginae, Battle of
Battle of Taginae, (June or July 552), decisive engagement fought near what is now the town of Gualdo Tadino, Italy.......
Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion, radical political and religious upheaval that was probably the most important event in China......
Talikota, Battle of
Battle of Talikota, confrontation in the Deccan region of southern India between the forces of the Hindu raja of......
Tamil Tigers
Tamil Tigers, guerrilla organization that sought to establish an independent Tamil state, Eelam, in northern and......
Tanga, Battle of
Battle of Tanga, the opening battle in German East Africa (Tanzania) on November 2–5, 1914, during World War I......
Tannenberg, Battle of
Battle of Tannenberg, (August 26–30, 1914), World War I battle fought at Tannenberg, East Prussia (now Stębark,......
Taraori, Battles of
Battles of Taraori, (1191), series of engagements that opened all of north India to Muslim control. The battles......
terrorism
terrorism, the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring......
Teutoburg Forest, Battle of the
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, (Autumn, 9 ce), conflict between the Roman Empire and Germanic insurgents. The......
Tewkesbury, Battle of
Battle of Tewkesbury, (May 4, 1471), in the English Wars of the Roses, the Yorkist king Edward IV’s final victory......
Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution, war fought from October 1835 to April 1836 between Mexico and Texas colonists that resulted in......
Texel, Battle of
Battle of Texel, (21 August 1673). The last engagement of the Anglo-Dutch Wars, Texel demonstrated the indomitable......
Thames, Battle of the
Battle of the Thames, (Oct. 5, 1813), in the War of 1812, decisive U.S. victory over British and Indian forces......
Thapsus, Battle of
Battle of Thapsus, (February 6, 46 bce [Julian calendar]), in ancient Roman history, battle during the civil war......
The Vietnam War and the media
Vietnam became a subject of large-scale news coverage in the United States only after substantial numbers of U.S.......
theatre missile defense
theatre missile defense (TMD), deployment of nuclear and conventional missiles for the purpose of maintaining security......
Thermopylae, Battle of
Battle of Thermopylae, (480 bce), battle in central Greece at the mountain pass of Thermopylae during the Persian......
Third Crusade
Third Crusade, military expedition (1189–92) that was mounted by western European Christians in an attempt to retake......
Third Servile War
Third Servile War, (73–71 bce) slave rebellion against Rome led by the gladiator Spartacus. Spartacus was a Thracian......
Thirteen Years’ War
Thirteen Years’ War, (1454–66), war between Poland and the Teutonic Knights that began as a revolt by the Prussian......
Thirty Years’ War
Thirty Years’ War, (1618–48), in European history, a series of wars fought by various nations for various reasons,......
Thousand Days, The War of a
The War of a Thousand Days, (1899–1903), Colombian civil war between Liberals and Conservatives that resulted in......
Thousand, Expedition of the
Expedition of the Thousand, campaign undertaken in 1860 by Giuseppe Garibaldi that overthrew the Bourbon Kingdom......
Three Henrys, War of the
War of the Three Henrys, (1587–89), the last of the Wars of Religion in France in the late 16th century, fought......
Three Kings, Battle of the
Battle of the Three Kings, (Aug. 4, 1578), defeat dealt the invading Portuguese armies of King Sebastian by the......
Ticonderoga, Battle of
Battle of Ticonderoga, engagement in the American Revolution. Held by the British since 1759, Fort Ticonderoga......
Tippecanoe, Battle of
Battle of Tippecanoe, victory of a seasoned U.S. expeditionary force under Major General William Henry Harrison......
Tiradentes Conspiracy
Tiradentes Conspiracy, (1789), plot organized in the captaincy of Minas Gerais, Brazil, against the Portuguese......
Toledo, Siege of
Siege of Toledo, a key moment in 1085 during the struggle between the Christians and Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula.......
Tora Bora, Battle of
Battle of Tora Bora, (December 3–17, 2001), a U.S.-led coalition attack on the cave complex of the White Mountains......
total war
total war, military conflict in which the contenders are willing to make any sacrifice in lives and other resources......
Toulon, Siege of
Siege of Toulon, (August 28–December 19, 1793), military engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars, in which......
Toulouse, Battle of
Battle of Toulouse, the last major engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought on April 10, 1814, between the British......
Toulouse, Siege of
Simon IV de Montfort , military leader of the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France, mounted......
Tours, Battle of
Battle of Tours, (October 732), victory won by Charles Martel, the de facto ruler of the Frankish kingdoms, over......
Towton, Battle of
Battle of Towton, (March 29, 1461), battle fought on Palm Sunday near the village of Towton, about 10 miles (16......
Trafalgar, Battle of
Battle of Trafalgar, (October 21, 1805), naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, which established British naval......
Trasimene, Battle of
Battle of Trasimene, (June 217 bce), second major battle of the Second Punic War, in which the Carthaginian forces......
Trebbia River, Battle of the
Battle of the Trebbia River, (December 218 bce), first major battle of the Second Punic War, in which the Carthaginian......
trench warfare
trench warfare, warfare in which opposing armed forces attack, counterattack, and defend from relatively permanent......
Trenton and Princeton, Battles of
Battles of Trenton and Princeton, (1776–77), in the American Revolution, a series of engagements won by the Continental......
Trincomalee, Battle of
Battle of Trincomalee, (3 September 1782), savage naval battle of the Anglo-French War (1778–83) fought off the......

Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts Encyclopedia Articles By Title