Wars & Battles Throughout History
By Kennedy Hickman, About.com Guide to Military History
Since the dawn of time, battles and wars have had a significant impact on the course of history. From the earliest battles in ancient Mesopotamia to today's war in Iraq, conflicts have had the power to shape and change our world.
Military History Timelines
Gain a quick overview of military history with these timelines that trace battles and wars through the ages.
Wars Through Time
Throughout history, conflicts have been solved by wars. Over the centuries combat has become increasingly more sophisticated, but war's ability to change the world has stayed the same.
Pivotal Battles
While wars have the ability to change the landscape, certain key battles have played a central role in determining the outcome of military conflicts. Here we look at several that have been particularly influential.
- Second Punic War: Battle of Cannae
- Invasions of England: Battle of Hastings
- Hundred Years' War: Battle of Poitiers
- Ottoman-Habsburg Wars: Battle of Lepanto
- Anglo-Spanish War: The Spanish Armada
- American Revolution: Battles of Lexington & Concord
- American Revolution: Battle of Saratoga
- Napoleonic War: Battle of Trafalgar
- Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Wagram
- American Civil War: Battles of Gettysburg & Vicksburg
- World War I: Battle of Verdun
- World War I: Battle of Jutland
- World War I: Battle of the Somme
- World War II: Battle of Midway
- World War II: Battle of Leyte Gulf
- World War II: Battle of the Bulge
- Korean War: Landings at Inchon
- Vietnam War: Battle of Dak To
- Vietnam War: Battle of Khe Sanh
World Wars
The two largest wars in history, World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) consumed the globe and dramatically altered the political landscape.
