# famous battles that were fought in your city



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Has your city ever been a battlefield or has been a place where a major war was fought? It can be civil or international or even historical.


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## monkeyronin (May 18, 2006)

Toronto hasn't been in a conflict since 1813, during the Battle of York in the War of 1812, where the Americans burned down the city :lol:

read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_York


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## Huhu (Jun 5, 2004)

Don't know if a doughnut eating battle at the PNE would count.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Loads of stuff, the most important ones in modern history being:

In 1871, the "commune de Paris", a worker communist revolution that lasted from the 26 march 1871 to the 28 of may.

The last big thing was the liberation from the germans in WW2.

However, since then the city has seen some unrest and stuff like that, the 17th of october 1961 during the algerian independance war the police shot at a peacefull protest of algerians, killing arround 200 people.
Then you had may 68 and the huge student (and afterwards general) protests, with baricades, conflict between the protestors and the police and so on.
Some smaller important protests with conflicts have took place since, the most important maybe being the labour law protests in April this year.


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## Used Napkin (Sep 13, 2006)

New York played an integral part of the Revolutionary War

Bowling Green: On July 9, 1776, a crowd of Americans climbed, toppled, and smashed into pieces the huge statue of King George III in Bowling Green. Pieces were carted off and melted down for bullets. 

Gravesend Bay: On August 22, 1776, Howe landed 20,000 men at Gravesend Bay in Brooklyn. He moved them there from the main camp on Staten Island. 

Battle of Long Island: This battle occurred on August 28. Americans were caught between Prospect Park and the intersection of Fulton and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn. 1,300 Americans were captured, killed, or wounded. 

Brooklyn Heights: The Americans retreated back to Brooklyn Heights. The British were sure they had them totally pinned down. On the night of August 27, using every small boat available, Washington had the entire army ferried across the East River to lower Manhattan. When dawn came, the British were most surprised. 

Kips Bay: On September 15, Howe sailed up the East River to Kips Bay (the foot of present-day 34th Street) and landed 4,000 British and Hessian soldiers on Manhattan. The Americans attempted to protect the shoreline and then fled. 

Washington Stops Fleeing Troops: Washington raced south from Harlem Heights and met 2 brigades of troops where 42nd Street is today. He attempted to get them to make a stand against the British. However, the men fled in terror. This was one of the few times Washington showed an outburst of temper. Americans retreated back up to Harlem Heights. 

Harlem Heights: On September 16, the American army fought the British at Harlem Heights. The British soldiers retreated. 

Throgs Neck: In mid-October, Howe landed on Throgs Neck in the Bronx in an attempt to come around behind Washington. Washington moved his troops up the West Side of the Bronx River to White Pains, and the Battle of White Plains followed. After the British retire from White Plains, they returned to Manhattan to attack Fort Washington. Washington divides his army leaving half to protect Westchester and leads the other half west to cross the Hudson River into New Jersey from Verplanck’s Point. 

Fort Lee: British launch a surprise morning attack. As the Rebels jumped over the back wall, the British came over the front wall capturing the fort, cannons and the rebel’s breakfast. Rebels then retreat across New Jersey under George Washington’s lead. After seizing all the rowboats up and down the river for miles, the Rebels then cross the Delaware River into Pennsylvania leaving the British with no way of following them. 

The British begin an occupation of New York City that lasted 7 years, until 1783. The treaty that ended the Revolutionary War was signed there.

http://www.vancortlandthouse.org


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

The Battle of Hamburg aka "Operation Gomorrha" 1943 

Also some battles and sieges in the earlier centuries since the foundation of the city (fighting against slavic tribes and later against the Danes), but I think they had no impact on "national" or international politics.


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## wjfox (Nov 1, 2002)

*L O N D O N*


In around 60 AD, the Roman settlement of _Londinium_ was sacked by the Iceni, led by the British queen Boudica. Excavation has revealed extensive evidence of destruction by fire, in the form of a layer of red ash beneath the City at this date, and recently a military compound has been discovered which may have been the headquarters of the Roman fight back against the British uprising.



Tacitus states that the Romans responded to Boudica's attack by slaughtering as many as 80,000 Britons. It is believed that this battle took place at King’s Cross (earlier known as Battle Bridge), after which Boudica is said to have committed suicide by taking poison.



In the Dark Ages, London was attacked numerous times by Viking raiders. In 1013 they completely overran and occupied the city, destroying the original London Bridge in the process.



During the Norman invasion of Britain in 1066, most of Southwark (south London) was burnt down by William, Duke of Normandy.



During the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 led by Wat Tyler, London was invaded. A group of peasants stormed the Tower of London and executed the Lord Chancellor, Archbishop Simon Sudbury, and the Lord Treasurer. The peasants looted the city and set fire to numerous buildings.



In 1780, London was rocked by the Gordon Riots, an uprising by Protestants against Roman Catholic emancipation led by Lord George Gordon. Severe damage was caused to Catholic churches and homes, and 285 rioters were killed.



During World War I, London experienced its first bombing raids carried out by German zeppelin airships; these killed around 700 people.



During World War II, London suffered severe damage, being bombed extensively by the Luftwaffe as part of The Blitz. Prior to the bombing, hundreds of thousands of children in London were evacuated to the countryside. Civilians took shelter in underground stations.

The heaviest bombing took place between the 7th September 1940 and the 10th of May 1941, when London endured *76 consecutive nights of heavy bombing raids*. Less intensive bombing followed over the following few years as Hitler concentrated on the Eastern front. Towards the end of the war, London came under heavy attack again by pilotless V-1 and V-2 rockets, which were fired from Nazi-occupied Europe.

London suffered severe damage and heavy casualties, the worst hit part being the Docklands area of the East End. By the war's end, just under *30,000 Londoners had been killed by the bombing*, and over *50,000 seriously injured*, tens of thousands of buildings were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless.


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## rocky (Apr 20, 2005)

near the east suburbs of paris, in the country side has been fought "la battaille de la marne"
the last defence of paris, a counter attack.

Armées britannique et française 

Forces en présence 
1 071 000 


263 000 death

including
1 701 Britanniques
80 000 Français 

(where are the otherS?)

Armée allemande


1 485 000 mens

250 000 death


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## PeterSmith (Jul 6, 2005)

After the British burned Washington to the ground in the War of 1812, they headed north to Baltimore. A victory there would have sealed an American surrender, but instead the British, who had faced demoralized and unorganized Americans in the south, found themselves out-numbered and out-maneuvered in Baltimore. The Battle of Baltimore was the turning point of the War of 1812 and also the sight and the inspiration for Francis Scott Key to pen our national anthem. Baltimoreans celebrate the Battle of Baltimore every year on September 12, which is known as Defender's Day. (It was actually yesterday  )


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## MexAmericanMoose (Nov 19, 2005)

The Battle of San Jacinto- The last battle of Texan Independance from Mexico....General San Houston although outnumbered attacked Mexican troops uder the command of General Santa Anna by surprise...this battle led to the end of Mexican rule over Texas.


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## Oaronuviss (Dec 11, 2002)

Windsor Ontario has seen very little action throughout History.

Mainly little pockets of fighting in the 1700s between the French, British, and Natives.
No 'real' battles until the war of 1812 and they were fought mainly in Detroit.
The only battle ever fought in the city of Windsor itself was the Battle of Windsor.
This took place in 1838 during the Patriot War.


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## Metropolitan (Sep 21, 2004)

Thanks Rocky and Virtual for your Paris battles, but let's organize better those events so that everyone can understand. 

*The francoprussian War, Siege of Paris* _(1870-1871)_

Paris is besieged from September 19th 1870 to january 28th 1871 by the Prussian armies lead by Bismarck. During that winter, the city suffers from epidemics and a severe starvation hit the city. After the peace treaty has been signed, Republicans from Paris decides to not recognize it and starts a socialist insurrection known as the Commune of Paris which will rule the city during 2 months (from march to may of the same year).

Trivia:
- The business district of La Défense is named this way in the honour of the besieged defenders of the city.
- The word "communism" actually comes from the Commune of Paris. The general word to describe the ideology was then socialism, communism has been later used to talk about a socialist uprising leading to a ruling regime (similar as the Revolution of October in Russia).












*World War I, battle of the Marne* _(1914)_

During the summer 1914, German troops move fastly in the direction of Paris. In September, French troops succeeded to stop the German advance at few kilometers from Paris, at the level of the Marne river. German will finally be forced to retreat.

The battle lasted only one week (Sept. 5th - Sept. 12th). To solve the deathtoll issue, allied casualties (wounded and dead) represents 263,000 people from which there are 80,000 French dead and 1,700 British dead. As for German casualties (wounded and dead), they represent about 250,000 people though there's no official estimates.

Trivia:
- It's been told that the French assured their victory thanks to the commandeering of 600 Paris taxicabs which have fastly lead a reinforcement of 6,000 soldiers contributing to avoid a potential German breakthrough. This being said, French unexpected counter-attacks are more seriously explaining the German drawback.












*World War II, Liberation of Paris* _(1944)_

In the summer 1944, while allied troops were rapidly advancing in Normandy, a general strike followed by a resistance uprising were started in Paris during the month of August. US-lead troops had actually planned to avoid Paris in order to rush in the direction of Berlin, but it's been finally decided to let Leclerc's French division to liberate Paris. About 1,500 resistance members have died during the week of insurrection before the arrival of Leclerc in Paris.

Trivia:
- Hitler had actually ordered to the General von Choltitz to fully bomb out Paris. Von Choltitz has finally decided to not follow that order.


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## Danny Chua (Aug 24, 2006)

Manila:

1571 - original Muslim Tagalog settlement destroyed by Spanish _conquistadores_ under Martín de Goiti, on orders from Miguel López de Legaspi.

1646 - La Naval de Manila. Ill-prepared Spanish fleet miraculously beat off an invading Dutch fleet.

1762-64 - walled city (_Intramuros_) occupied by the British in the course of the Seven Year's War.

1898 - Battle of Manila Bay between Spanish and US naval forces, followed by several years of fighting between the US and forces of the fledgling Philippine Republic.

1942 - declared an open city by retreating US forces and occupied by the Japanese without much bloodshed or damage.

1945 - liberated by returning Allied troops but devastated by bombing and shelling, as well as atrocities committed by the retreating Japanese who fought tooth and nail.

1986 - EDSA I. Mutiny turned popular revolt against then dictatorial president Marcos. Ended in success as US forces evacuated Marcos and his family to Hawaii.

1986-90 - Countless failed coup attempts by disgruntled factions of the military. The worst one in 1989 involved rebel planes strafing the presidential palace, and was put down only after F-4s from Clark AFB joined the fray.

2001 - EDSA II. Popular revolt with the military "turning" at the last moment. The bumbling president Estrada was ousted and then vice president Arroyo assumed the presidency.

Same year - The so-called EDSA III. A failed attempt by Estrada supporters (mostly urban poor) to storm the presidential palace and reverse events that took place months earlier.

Since then no more major battles but there have been some terrorist attacks.

Hopefully nothing happens anymore and we get more of boring peace instead of excitement. Who the hell wants to live in interesting times anyway?


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Battles fought in HK

(1839-1842) The First Opium War - The British seized HK Island and made it their base.

(1856-1860) The Second Opium War - Kowloon (south of Boundary St.) was ceded to Great Britain.










(1941) The Battle of Hong Kong - This war brought HK to temporary Japanese rule.


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## GNU (Nov 26, 2004)

*The Battle of Berlin* *- the last decisive battle of ww2.*


Date: April 16, 1945 – May 2, 1945 
Location: Berlin, Germany 
Result: Decisive Soviet victory, End of Nazi Germany’s power 


The Battle of Berlin was one of the final battles of the European Theatre of World War II. Two massive Soviet army groups attacked Berlin from the east and south. The battle lasted from late April 1945 until early May. Before it was over, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. The city's defenders surrendered on May 2, 1945, although some fighting continued until Germany's surrender on May 8th (May 9th to the USSR) 1945.

(probably the most famous picture of ww2)









*Combatants:*
Nazi Germany - Soviet Union, Poland

*Strength:*

Nazi Germany:
1 million men
(including 250,000 soldiers, the rest were Volkssturm and Hitler Youth units),
800 tanks
100 aircraft

Soviet Union:
2.5 million men,
6,250 tanks
7,500 aircraft
41,600 artillery

*Casualties:*

Nazi Germany:
150,000–173,000 soldiers 
152,000 civilian dead

Soviet Union:
500.000 soldiers 
1,997 armoured vehicles,
2,108 artillery pieces,
917 aircraft destroyed



The forces available for the city's defence included several severely depleted Army and Waffen-SS divisions, supplemented by the police force, boys in the compulsory Hitler Youth, and the Volkssturm which consisted of elderly men, many of whom had been in the army as young men and some were veterans of World War I.

To the west was the XX Infantry Division, to the north the IX Parachute Division, to the north-east Panzer Division Müncheberg, XI SS Panzergrenadier Division Nordland were to the south-east, (east of Tempelhof Airport) and XVIII Panzergrenadier Division, the reserve, was in the central district.

Berlin's fate was sealed, but the resistance continued. The Soviet advance to the city centre was along these main axes: from the south-east, along the Frankfurter Allee (ending and stopped at the Alexanderplatz); from the south along Sonnen Allee ending north of the Belle Alliance Platz, from the south ending near the Potsdamer Platz and from the north ending near the Reichstag. The Reichstag, the Moltke bridge, Alexanderplatz, and the Havel bridges at Spandau were the places where the fighting was heaviest, with house-to-house and hand-to-hand combat. The foreign contingents of the SS fought particularly hard, because they were ideologically motivated and they believed that they would not live if captured.

On April 28 Heinrici rejected Hitler's command to hold Berlin at all costs, so he was relieved of his command and replaced by General Kurt Student the next day.

On April 30, as the Soviet forces fought their way into the centre of Berlin, Adolf Hitler married Eva Braun and then committed suicide by taking cyanide and shooting himself. General Weidling, defence commandant of Berlin, ordered the surrender of German defenders to the Soviets on May 2. Despite this, heavy fighting continued in the city as large number of the Germans did not wish to surrender. It was not untill May 8 when the last German troops, including Wilhelm Mohnke surrendered as a result of Germany's surrender.



Soviet soldiers storming the Berlin metro:

















russian soldiers:

















Berlin is not my hometown btw. but Ive lived there.


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## Küsel (Sep 16, 2004)

There were only two battles fought on Swiss ground since the late middle age which were not civil (religious) wars - the Napoleonic Battles of Zurich. It was also the only time in history that foreign troups entered and occupied the country. The battles were the darkest days in the history of the city for foreign troups were fighting foreign troups on Swiss ground.

*First Battle of Zurich* 



> *Austria defeats France*
> The newly formed Helvetic Republic in 1798 became a battlefield of the French Revolutionary Wars. In the First Battle of Zürich on 4-7 June, 1799, French general André Masséna was forced to yield the city to the Austrians under Archduke Charles and retreated beyond the Limmat, where he managed to fortify his positions, resulting in a stalemate situation.


*Second Battle of Zurich* 



> *France defeats Austria & Russia*
> The Second Battle of Zürich took place on 25-26 September 1799, breaking the stalemate that had resulted from First Battle of Zürich three months earlier to the advantage of the French.
> 
> After he had been forced out of the city in June, general André Masséna had fortified his position on the Zürichberg. General Korsakhov's Russians took control of the city. General Alexander Suvorov was also supposed to join forces, marching across the Gotthard pass, but Suvorov's army did not reach Zürich in time, being harassed by a small force sent by Masséna, and the Russians and the Austrians were beaten back. The French victory led to the withdrawal of Russia from the Second Coalition.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

The Battle of Berlin war really huge. Defended by 1 million badly equipped Germans it was no match for the red army. The Sovjet forces that invaded Berlin had firepower superior to the German forces that attacked the Sovjet union! Really puts it in perspective. No army with that kind of firepower had ever been assembled before.


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## groentje (Apr 15, 2006)

Only the slaughtering of innocent people by the Germans during WWII in Vinkt (part of Deinze). 
The Germans couldn't cross the Leie (or was it the canal?), because Belgian troops kept shooting from the other side. On a certain point, they used civilians of Vinkt as living shields, and shot them afterwards out of anger, or something like it.

And I found a link, ladies and gentlemen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinkt_Massacre


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## Ringil (Jul 28, 2004)

last time a bigger battle was fought was over 1000 years ago but it was the battle of Battle of the Fýrisvellir between Eric the Victorious and his nephew Styrbjörn the Strong.
we've been bloody lucky 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Fýrisvellir


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## AmherstMan (May 25, 2006)

The British burnt Buffalo to the ground in 1813. Buffalonians fled to Williamsville, NY just out of the city.


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