1270day.year
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battle of Karuse.
Lithuanian forces achieve a decisive victory over the Livonian Order on the frozen Gulf of Riga.
On February 16, 1270, Duke Traidenis of Lithuania led his army across the ice of the Gulf of Riga to launch a surprise attack on the Livonian Order at Karuse. The Livonian knights, unprepared for combat on frozen waters, suffered heavy losses and were routed by the lighter Lithuanian forces. This triumph bolstered Lithuanian resistance against Northern Crusades and halted the expansion of the Livonian Order. The battle underscored the strategic use of seasonal conditions in medieval warfare. News of the victory spread across Europe, enhancing Lithuania’s reputation as a formidable power in the Baltic region.
1270
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Livonian Order
Battle of Karuse
1630day.year
Dutch forces led by Hendrick Lonck capture Olinda in what was to become part of Dutch Brazil.
Under Hendrick Lonck, Dutch forces seize Olinda, marking the start of Dutch Brazil.
On February 16, 1630, a Dutch squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Hendrick Corneliszoon Lonck launched a surprise assault on the Portuguese-held city of Olinda. The capture of Olinda secured a strategic foothold in northeastern Brazil for the Dutch West India Company and its lucrative sugar plantations. Local Portuguese settlers were displaced, and Dutch administration began reshaping colonial trade networks. This victory set the stage for the nearly 24-year period of Dutch control known as Dutch Brazil. The operation demonstrated the growing maritime power of the Netherlands during the Golden Age of exploration.
1630
Hendrick Lonck
capture
Olinda
Dutch Brazil
1646day.year
Battle of Torrington, Devon: The last major battle of the First English Civil War.
The Battle of Torrington in Devon marks the final major engagement of the First English Civil War.
On February 16, 1646, Parliamentary forces under Sir Thomas Fairfax besieged the Royalist garrison at Torrington in Devon, engaging in the last major battle of the First English Civil War. Despite fierce resistance, superior artillery and disciplined troops of the New Model Army forced the defenders led by Sir Ralph Hopton to retreat. A catastrophic explosion in the church, used to store ammunition, added to Royalist losses and confusion. The fall of Torrington sealed Parliamentary control over the Southwest and undermined hopes for a Royalist resurgence. This decisive engagement effectively concluded the first phase of the Civil War and demonstrated the effectiveness of modern, professionalized armies.
1646
Battle of Torrington
First English Civil War
1796day.year
Colombo in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) falls to the British, completing their invasion of Ceylon.
British forces capture Colombo, completing their conquest of Ceylon.
On February 16, 1796, British troops led by Major-General James Stuart peacefully occupied Colombo, the last Dutch stronghold in Ceylon. The surrender marked the end of Dutch colonial rule and solidified British control over the entire island. The takeover was part of Britain’s strategic campaign to dominate Indian Ocean trade routes. Local administration transitioned to the British East India Company, initiating changes in land revenue and agriculture. The conquest of Ceylon opened new markets for British commerce and reshaped the island’s political landscape.
1796
Colombo
invasion of Ceylon
1804day.year
First Barbary War: Stephen Decatur leads a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate USS Philadelphia.
During the First Barbary War, Stephen Decatur leads a daring raid to destroy the captured USS Philadelphia in Tripoli harbor.
On the night of February 16, 1804, Lieutenant Stephen Decatur commanded a small flotilla in a covert mission to destroy the USS Philadelphia, which had been seized by Tripolitan forces. Disguised as local merchants, Decatur and his men slipped past enemy patrols and boarded the ship under cover of darkness. After overcoming the minimal guard on board, they set the frigate ablaze, preventing its use against American forces. The bold operation in Tripoli harbor became celebrated as one of the most daring naval exploits in U.S. history. Decatur’s leadership and bravery boosted American morale and demonstrated the young nation’s resolve to combat piracy.
1804
First Barbary War
Stephen Decatur
pirate
USS Philadelphia
1862day.year
American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Donelson, Tennessee.
Ulysses S. Grant secures a key Union victory by capturing Fort Donelson in Tennessee.
On February 16, 1862, Union forces under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant forced the surrender of the Confederate garrison at Fort Donelson along the Cumberland River. The victory marked the first major Union triumph in the American Civil War and cracked open the Confederate defenses in the Western Theater. Grant’s demand for “unconditional surrender” earned him national fame and the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant. The fall of Fort Donelson opened a vital waterway for Union advances into the Confederate heartland. The capture also yielded thousands of Confederate prisoners and boosted Northern morale at a critical stage of the war.
1862
American Civil War
Ulysses S. Grant
captures
Fort Donelson
Tennessee
1934
The Austrian Civil War ends with the defeat of the Social Democrats and the Republikanischer Schutzbund.
The Commission of Government is officially sworn in; ending 79 years of responsible government in Newfoundland.
In 1934, the Austrian Civil War concluded with the defeat of the Social Democrats and Republikanischer Schutzbund, and Newfoundland’s Commission of Government was sworn in, ending responsible government.
In early 1934, the brief but fierce Austrian Civil War broke out between the conservative government and the socialist Republikanischer Schutzbund. By February 16, government forces had crushed the Social Democrats, leading to the dissolution of socialist organizations and the establishment of an authoritarian regime under Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. On the same day in Newfoundland, Britain imposed a Commission of Government due to financial collapse, suspending the dominion’s elected legislature after 79 years of self-rule. Appointed commissioners took control of governance until Newfoundland later joined Canada in 1949. Both events reflected the era's political upheavals and the shift away from parliamentary democracy in different parts of the world.
1934
Austrian Civil War
Social Democrats
Republikanischer Schutzbund
Commission of Government
Newfoundland
1940day.year
World War II: Altmark incident: The German tanker Altmark is boarded by sailors from the British destroyer HMS Cossack. A total of 299 British prisoners are freed.
During World War II’s Altmark incident, British sailors boarded the German tanker Altmark and freed 299 prisoners, boosting Allied morale.
On February 16, 1940, the British destroyer HMS Cossack intercepted the German tanker Altmark in Norwegian territorial waters. The Altmark was carrying 299 British merchant sailors as prisoners of war. In a bold boarding action, Cossack’s crew overcame resistance from German sailors and liberated the detainees. The incident strained relations with neutral Norway and prompted debates over the rights of belligerents in neutral waters. Strategically, the rescue operation provided a morale boost to the Royal Navy and showcased the Royal Navy's willingness to act decisively. The Altmark incident became a celebrated example of daring naval operations in the early months of World War II.
1940
World War II
Altmark incident
German tanker Altmark
destroyer
HMS Cossack
1942day.year
World War II: In Athens, the Greek People's Liberation Army is established
The Greek People's Liberation Army was founded in Athens in February 1942, becoming the armed wing of the Greek resistance against Axis occupation during WWII.
On February 16, 1942, amidst the harsh conditions of Nazi-occupied Greece, the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) was officially established in Athens.
ELAS was the military branch of the National Liberation Front (EAM), comprised of various resistance groups unified under communist leadership.
It quickly grew into the largest resistance force in Greece, organizing guerrilla operations against German, Italian, and Bulgarian occupation troops.
ELAS played a pivotal role in liberating rural areas and disrupting Axis supply lines, despite facing internal political tensions.
Its formation marked a significant escalation in the Greek resistance and influenced post-war political dynamics in Greece.
1942
Athens
Greek People's Liberation Army
1942day.year
World War II: Attack on Aruba, first World War II German shots fired on a land based object in the Americas.
In February 1942, German submarines shelled oil installations on Aruba, marking the first German land-based attack in the Americas during WWII.
On February 16, 1942, German submarine U-156 opened fire on the Lago Oil & Transport Company's refinery on Aruba.
This assault represented the first time German forces targeted a land-based object in the Americas during World War II.
The U-boat aimed to disrupt Allied oil production vital to the war effort, causing damage to storage tanks but few casualties.
Local defenses and coastal artillery attempted countermeasures, although the damage to infrastructure underscored the vulnerability of American territories.
The attack highlighted the global reach of submarine warfare and prompted increased security measures for Allied fuel sources.
Attack on Aruba
1943day.year
World War II: In the early phases of the Third Battle of Kharkov, Red Army troops re-enter the city.
During the Third Battle of Kharkov in February 1943, Soviet Red Army forces recaptured the city of Kharkov from German occupation.
On February 16, 1943, in the early stages of the Third Battle of Kharkov, Red Army units successfully re-entered the strategic industrial hub of Kharkov in eastern Ukraine.
The Soviet counteroffensive followed a major victory at Stalingrad and sought to reclaim territory from retreating German forces.
Despite initial success, the Red Army faced fierce resistance and fluctuating front lines as Germans launched their own counterattacks.
Kharkov's recapture demonstrated the shifting momentum on the Eastern Front, though control of the city would change hands again in subsequent operations.
This battle underscored the brutal and dynamic nature of urban warfare during World War II.
1943
Third Battle of Kharkov
Red Army
1945day.year
World War II: American forces land on Corregidor Island in the Philippines.
On February 16, 1945, American troops landed on Corregidor Island, initiating the liberation of the Philippines during WWII.
On February 16, 1945, American and Filipino forces commenced the amphibious assault on Corregidor Island, a key Japanese stronghold in Manila Bay.
Corregidor had been under Japanese control since 1942, following one of the darkest chapters in the U.S. Army's history.
The operation involved coordinated bombardments, paratrooper drops, and beach landings under heavy enemy fire.
By leveraging joint Army and Navy efforts, Allied troops overcame fortified positions and rugged terrain to secure the island.
The victory at Corregidor paved the way for the liberation of Manila and the eventual defeat of Japanese forces in the Philippines.
1945
land on
Corregidor Island
Philippines