1576day.year
Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.
Henry of Navarre renounces Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.
On February 5, 1576, Henry of Navarre publicly abjured Catholicism in Tours.
His dramatic shift bolstered Protestant morale during the protracted French Wars of Religion.
As leader of the Huguenot faction, his decisions swayed the balance of power in France.
Henry's religious flexibility foreshadowed his later policies of tolerance as king.
This event highlighted the era's intense sectarian conflict and political intrigue.
His eventual return to Catholicism and the Edict of Nantes would shape France's future.
1576
Henry of Navarre
abjures
Tours
French Wars of Religion
1597day.year
A group of early Japanese Christians are killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society.
Tokugawa authorities execute a group of early Japanese Christians in Nagasaki, warning against foreign influence.
On February 5, 1597, the Tokugawa shogunate ordered the crucifixion of 26 Christian missionaries and converts.
This ruthless act aimed to quell the spread of Christianity, deemed a threat to social order.
Among the victims were European Jesuits, Japanese converts, and young children.
The martyrdom drew international attention and fueled further missionary efforts in Asia.
It underscored the shogunate's isolationist policies and determination to control religious practices.
These martyrs were later canonized, symbolizing steadfast faith amid persecution.
1597
early Japanese Christians
killed
1810day.year
Peninsular War: Siege of Cádiz begins.
French forces begin the prolonged Siege of Cádiz during the Peninsular War against Napoleonic Spain.
On February 5, 1810, Marshal Victor's troops encircled the fortified port city of Cádiz.
Allied Spanish defenders, supported by the British navy, repelled repeated French assaults.
Cádiz became the seat of the Spanish Cortes, symbolizing resistance to Napoleonic rule.
Despite bombardments and blockades, the city held out for more than two years.
The failed siege marked a significant obstacle to France's plans in the Iberian Peninsula.
It showcased the effectiveness of combined land and naval defense strategies.
1810
Peninsular War
Siege of Cádiz
1918day.year
Stephen W. Thompson shoots down a German airplane; this is the first aerial victory by the U.S. military.
Stephen W. Thompson recorded the U.S. military’s first aerial victory by shooting down a German plane in 1918.
On February 5, 1918, Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson became the first U.S. military aviator to shoot down an enemy aircraft.
Assigned to an American aero squadron supporting French units, Thompson engaged a German Albatros two-seater over Saint-Mihiel.
He used a Le Rhône 9C rotary engine fighter to bring down the enemy reconnaissance plane.
This milestone marked America’s growing air power presence in World War I.
Thompson’s achievement paved the way for the development of U.S. military aviation tactics and recognition of air combat’s importance.
His legacy endures as a pioneer in aerial warfare.
1918
Stephen W. Thompson
1918day.year
SS Tuscania is torpedoed off the coast of Ireland; it is the first ship carrying American troops to Europe to be torpedoed and sunk.
The SS Tuscania, carrying American troops to Europe in World War I, was torpedoed and sunk off Ireland in 1918.
On February 5, 1918, the SS Tuscania became the first troopship carrying U.S. soldiers to be torpedoed in transit across the Atlantic.
While bound for Devonport, England, the liner was struck by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland.
Despite rescue efforts, more than 200 American servicemen lost their lives in the icy waters.
The attack highlighted the deadly U-boat threat in WWI and prompted improvements in convoy protection.
Survivors’ bravery and international rescue cooperation underscored the perils of naval warfare during the Great War.
SS Tuscania
1933day.year
Mutiny on Royal Netherlands Navy warship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën off the coast of Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
In 1933, sailors aboard the Dutch warship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën mutinied off Sumatra, protesting poor conditions and pay.
On February 5, 1933, crew members of the Royal Netherlands Navy cruiser HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën revolted near Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies.
Frustrated by low wages, harsh discipline, and distant colonial duties, the sailors seized control of the ship.
The Dutch government responded with naval reinforcements to suppress the uprising.
After tense standoffs, the mutiny was quashed, and leaders were arrested and court-martialed.
The incident exposed deep discontent within colonial naval forces and fueled debates on military reforms.
It remains one of the most significant naval mutinies in Dutch maritime history.
1933
Royal Netherlands Navy
HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën
Sumatra
Dutch East Indies
1941day.year
World War II: Allied forces begin the Battle of Keren to capture Keren, Eritrea.
Allied forces launched the Battle of Keren in Eritrea on February 5, 1941, aiming to dislodge Italian troops during World War II.
In the East African Campaign of World War II, Allied troops initiated the assault on the fortified town of Keren, Eritrea, on February 5, 1941.
British, Indian, and African units faced rugged terrain and well-entrenched Italian defenses.
Despite heavy casualties and challenging mountain passes, the Allies pressed forward with artillery and infantry attacks.
The battle’s fierce combat lasted until March, culminating in a strategic victory that opened the Red Sea supply route.
Keren’s fall marked a turning point in the East African theater and weakened Italy’s colonial hold.
The campaign highlighted the global reach of WWII beyond Europe and North Africa.
1941
World War II
Allied
Battle of Keren
Keren, Eritrea
1945day.year
World War II: General Douglas MacArthur returns to Manila.
General Douglas MacArthur made his celebrated return to Manila on February 5, 1945, honoring his 'I shall return' promise.
In fulfillment of his famous vow 'I shall return,' General Douglas MacArthur reentered Manila on February 5, 1945.
Philippine and American forces had fought to liberate the capital from Japanese occupation.
MacArthur’s arrival signaled a major milestone in the Pacific War’s liberation campaign.
The city lay in ruins after months of intense fighting, yet cheering Filipinos hailed his comeback.
MacArthur’s leadership bolstered Allied morale and hastened the end of Japanese control in the Philippines.
His return remains an iconic moment in the history of U.S.-Philippine relations.
1945
Douglas MacArthur
Manila
1994day.year
Markale massacres, more than 60 people are killed and some 200 wounded as a mortar shell explodes in a downtown marketplace in Sarajevo.
On February 5, 1994, a mortar shell struck Sarajevo’s Markale marketplace, killing over 60 civilians and wounding around 200 during the Bosnian War.
On February 5, 1994, the besieged city of Sarajevo experienced its first Markale massacre when a mortar shell exploded in a crowded open-air marketplace, killing more than 60 people and injuring about 200. The attack, blamed on Bosnian Serb forces, highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding during the Bosnian War. News of the massacre shocked global audiences and intensified calls for international intervention to protect civilians. The incident led to increased NATO involvement, including air strikes later in 1994. The Markale massacres remain emblematic of the conflict’s brutality and were pivotal in driving forward the peace process that culminated in the 1995 Dayton Accords.
Markale massacres
Sarajevo
2000day.year
Russian forces massacre at least 60 civilians in the Novye Aldi suburb of Grozny, Chechnya.
In February 2000, Russian forces were accused of massacring at least 60 civilians in the Novye Aldi suburb of Grozny during the Second Chechen War.
In the early hours of February 5, 2000, troops of the Russian federal army entered Novye Aldi, a suburb of Grozny, Chechnya.
Eyewitnesses reported systematic shooting of civilians in their homes and on the streets, resulting in at least 60 deaths.
Human rights organizations condemned the operation as a blatant war crime and demanded an international investigation.
The massacre occurred amid intense urban fighting between Russian forces and Chechen separatists during the Second Chechen War.
Victims included men, women, and children, many of whom had no links to armed groups.
The Novye Aldi atrocity became a rallying point for calls to end indiscriminate violence in the conflict.
2000
massacre
Grozny
2004day.year
Rebels from the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front capture the city of Gonaïves, starting the 2004 Haiti rebellion.
On February 5, 2004, the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front seized Gonaïves, igniting a major rebellion in Haiti.
At dawn on February 5, 2004, the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front captured the strategic port city of Gonaïves in northern Haiti.
The takeover marked the beginning of a widespread armed uprising against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s government.
Rebel forces quickly gained momentum, seizing multiple towns and rallying discontented citizens to their cause.
The rebellion exposed deep political divisions and chronic issues of corruption and poverty in Haiti.
International observers warned of escalating violence and a potential humanitarian crisis.
President Aristide was eventually forced into exile, and a transitional government was installed under UN supervision.
2004
Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front
Gonaïves
2004 Haiti rebellion