845day.year
The 42 Martyrs of Amorium are killed after refusing to convert to Islam.
The 42 Martyrs of Amorium were executed in 845 for steadfastly refusing to renounce their Christian faith under Islamic rule.
In 845, forty-two captive defenders of the Byzantine city of Amorium were offered freedom if they converted to Islam.
They resolutely refused and were executed by the Abbasid authorities, becoming revered Christian martyrs.
Their steadfastness was celebrated across the Byzantine world, inspiring hymns and liturgical commemorations.
This event highlighted the religious tensions of the period and the severe consequences of refusing to forsake one’s beliefs.
The memory of the 42 Martyrs endured in Orthodox liturgy, symbolizing faithfulness under persecution.
845
42 Martyrs of Amorium
1204day.year
The Siege of Château Gaillard ends in a French victory over King John of England, who loses control of Normandy to King Philip II Augustus.
In 1204, King Philip II of France captured Château Gaillard, forcing King John of England to relinquish Normandy.
Built by Richard the Lionheart, Château Gaillard was considered nearly impregnable due to its strategic riverfront defenses.
In 1203–1204, Philip II laid siege with superior forces, cutting off the castle’s water supply and outflanking its walls.
On March 6, 1204, the French breached the ramparts and seized the fortress, marking a decisive victory.
King John’s loss of Normandy weakened English influence on the continent and shifted the balance of power in France’s favor.
The fall of Château Gaillard symbolized the rise of a more centralized and powerful French monarchy under Philip Augustus.
1204
Siege of Château Gaillard
John of England
Normandy
Philip II Augustus
1836day.year
Texas Revolution: Battle of the Alamo: After a thirteen-day siege by an army of 3,000 Mexican troops, the 187 Texas volunteers, including frontiersman Davy Crockett and colonel Jim Bowie, defending the Alamo are killed and the fort is captured.
After a 13-day siege in 1836, Mexican forces captured the Alamo, killing all 187 Texian defenders, including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie.
In early 1836, Texian forces occupied the Alamo mission as a defensive stand against Mexican President Santa Anna’s army.
From February 23 to March 6, Mexican troops bombarded and assaulted the fort, enduring fierce resistance.
On the final assault, all defenders, including frontiersmen Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, were killed.
The fall of the Alamo became a rallying cry—“Remember the Alamo!”—for Texian independence.
This symbolic defeat galvanized support that led to the decisive victory at San Jacinto and the birth of the Republic of Texas.
1836
Texas Revolution
Battle of the Alamo
siege
Davy Crockett
Jim Bowie
Alamo
1912day.year
Italo-Turkish War: Italian forces become the first to use airships in war, as two dirigibles drop bombs on Turkish troops encamped at Janzur, from an altitude of 1,800 m.
In 1912, Italian forces became the first to deploy airships in combat, bombing Ottoman troops at Janzur during the Italo-Turkish War.
On March 6, 1912, two Italian dirigibles conducted aerial bombing runs over Turkish encampments at Janzur near Tripoli.
Flying at an altitude of approximately 1,800 meters, the airships released bombs on Ottoman soldiers, marking the first use of lighter-than-air craft in warfare.
Although the attacks had limited tactical impact, they demonstrated new possibilities for reconnaissance and aerial bombardment.
The psychological effect on the enemy was significant, foreshadowing the future role of aircraft in modern conflicts.
This innovation in the Italo-Turkish War represented a turning point in military technology on the eve of World War I.
1912
Italo-Turkish War
airships
Janzur
1943day.year
World War II: Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel launches the Battle of Medenine in an attempt to slow down the British Eighth Army. It fails, and he leaves Africa three days later.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel launched the Battle of Medenine in Tunisia in 1943, aiming to halt the British Eighth Army during World War II.
On March 6, 1943, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel led a German counterattack against British forces at Medenine in Tunisia.
His objective was to disrupt Allied supply lines and slow the advance following defeats at El Alamein.
Despite initial breakthroughs, the assault was repelled by well-situated British defenses and effective air support.
Rommel's failure at Medenine weakened Axis positions in North Africa and forced a strategic withdrawal three days later.
The battle signaled the continued deterioration of German campaigns on the African front and bolstered Allied momentum.
World War II
Erwin Rommel
Battle of Medenine
British Eighth Army
1943day.year
World War II: The Battle of Fardykambos, one of the first major battles between the Greek Resistance and the occupying Royal Italian Army, ends with the surrender of an entire Italian battalion, the bulk of the garrison of the town of Grevena, leading to its liberation a fortnight later.
The Battle of Fardykambos in 1943 saw Greek Resistance fighters force the surrender of an Italian battalion, marking a rare partisan victory during WWII.
On March 6, 1943, Greek guerrilla forces surrounding the village of Fardykambos engaged the Royal Italian Army's battalion stationed in Grevena province.
Outnumbered and without reinforcements, the Italian unit capitulated after encirclement.
This success became one of the first major victories for the Greek Resistance against Axis occupiers.
The liberation of Grevena two weeks later demonstrated the effectiveness of coordinated partisan tactics.
The event boosted morale among occupied populations and encouraged further resistance operations in Greece.
Battle of Fardykambos
Greek Resistance
Royal Italian Army
Grevena
1944day.year
World War II: Soviet Air Forces bomb an evacuated town of Narva in German-occupied Estonia, destroying the entire historical Swedish-era town.
Soviet bombers destroyed the historic town of Narva in 1944, leveling centuries-old architecture in German-occupied Estonia.
On March 6, 1944, the Soviet Air Forces carried out an air raid on the evacuated town of Narva, aiming to soften German defenses across the Narva River.
Although military targets were sparse, the bombardment reduced the medieval and Baroque buildings of Old Narva to rubble.
Key landmarks, including town walls and towers, were lost, erasing significant Swedish-era heritage.
The operation preceded a major Red Army offensive and displaced civilians who returned to find their homes destroyed.
The attack remains controversial for its impact on cultural heritage amidst the brutal Eastern Front campaigns.
1944
Soviet Air Forces
Narva
German-occupied Estonia
Swedish-era
1945day.year
World War II: Cologne is captured by American troops. On the same day, Operation Spring Awakening, the last major German offensive of the war, begins.
On March 6, 1945, American forces captured Cologne and Germany launched its last major offensive, Operation Spring Awakening, in Hungary during WWII.
American troops seized Cologne after intense urban combat, securing vital Rhine bridges and opening routes into Germany's industrial heartland.
The city's fall marked a strategic and symbolic blow to German morale as one of its major western cities succumbed.
Meanwhile, the German Wehrmacht initiated Operation Spring Awakening around Lake Balaton to defend oil resources in Hungary.
Despite initial territorial gains, the offensive collapsed under stiff Soviet retaliation and logistic problems.
These events underscored the collapse of the Nazi war effort and foreshadowed the impending end of the conflict in Europe.
1945
Cologne
Operation Spring Awakening
1968day.year
Three rebels are executed by Rhodesia, the first executions since UDI, prompting international condemnation.
Rhodesia conducts its first executions since Unilateral Declaration of Independence, executing three anti-government rebels.
On March 6, 1968, the Rhodesian government carried out the execution of three African nationalists convicted of guerrilla warfare. These were the first executions since the white minority regime declared independence from Britain in 1965. The deaths prompted widespread international condemnation and calls for sanctions. Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and other liberation movements intensified pressure on the minority government. The episode highlighted the brutal measures used to maintain control and foreshadowed the protracted Bush War that would follow.
1968
Rhodesia
UDI
1988day.year
Three Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteers are shot dead by the SAS in Gibraltar in Operation Flavius.
On March 6, 1988, three IRA operatives were killed by the British SAS in Gibraltar during Operation Flavius.
Operation Flavius was a British military intervention targeting suspected IRA members. Intelligence indicated plans for car bomb attacks in Gibraltar. At a seafront car park, SAS soldiers shot three unarmed suspects at close range. The incident sparked international controversy over rules of engagement and alleged extrajudicial killings. Video footage and eyewitness reports fueled debates over counterterrorism tactics. A subsequent European Court of Human Rights case examined the state’s use of lethal force. The operation remains a pivotal moment in the history of the Troubles and British-Irish relations.
1988
Provisional Irish Republican Army
SAS
Gibraltar
Operation Flavius
2008day.year
A suicide bomber kills 68 people (including first responders) in Baghdad on the same day that a gunman kills eight students in Jerusalem.
In 2008, a suicide bombing in Baghdad killed 68 people, and a separate shooting attack in Jerusalem left eight students dead.
On March 6, 2008, a suicide bomber detonated explosives near Baghdad security forces, causing massive casualties. Among the 68 victims were rescue workers responding to the initial blast. Hours later, a gunman opened fire outside a Jerusalem seminary, killing eight Israeli students. The twin attacks underscored the volatility of the Middle East at the time. Both militant groups claimed responsibility, exacerbating regional tensions. Governments in Iraq and Israel tightened security and condemned the violence. International observers warned of the growing menace of coordinated extremist operations. The events highlighted the human cost of terrorism and the challenges of counterterrorism efforts.
2008
suicide bomber kills 68 people
Baghdad
a gunman kills eight students
Jerusalem
2020day.year
Thirty-two people are killed and 81 are injured when gunmen open fire on a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Islamic State claims responsibility for the attack.
On March 6, 2020, gunmen attacked a ceremony in Kabul, killing 32 people and injuring 81, an attack claimed by ISIS.
During a ceremony in Kabul honoring the 20th anniversary of the Afghan uprising, militants stormed the gathering with automatic weapons. The assault left 32 dead and 81 wounded, including civilians and security personnel. Islamic State claimed responsibility, marking one of its deadliest attacks in the capital. Afghan security forces cordoned off the area and began a lengthy investigation. The incident highlighted the persistent threat posed by extremist groups despite international efforts. It also raised concerns about the effectiveness of Afghan government security measures. The attack deepened fears of rising violence ahead of planned peace talks with the Taliban.
2020
open fire on a ceremony
Kabul
Islamic State