Battles of December 22 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.
1. Siege of Ismail
Date: December 22, 1790 (New Style Calendar)
War: Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792)
Cause: The Russian Empire sought to secure control over the Black Sea and the Danube River. The fortress of Ismail (modern-day Izmail, Ukraine) was considered impregnable by the Ottoman Empire and was a key obstacle to the Russian advance.
Result: A decisive Russian victory. Under the command of General Alexander Suvorov, Russian forces stormed the fortress walls in a brutal assault. The capture of Ismail shocked the Ottoman Empire and European powers, leading to the Treaty of Jassy in 1792, which confirmed Russian dominance in the region.
Paintings & Art
- Painting: The Capture of Ismail
- Artist: Francesco Casanova
- Year: c. 1791
- Painting: Storming of the Fortress of Izmail (Etching/Engraving)
- Artist: S. Shiflyar (after original drawings)
- Year: Early 19th Century
Museums & Artifacts
- State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia): Holds various artworks and portraits of Suvorov related to the campaigns.
- Suvorov Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia): Dedicated entirely to the Generalissimo, containing weapons, trophies, and diagrams of the storming of Ismail.
- Diorama of the Storming of Ismail (Izmail, Ukraine): A museum housed in a former mosque featuring a massive diorama depicting the assault.
Location
- General: Izmail, Odesa Oblast, Ukraine
- Coordinates: 45.3499° N, 28.8364° E
Recommended Book
- Prince of Princes: The Life of Potemkin by Simon Sebag Montefiore (Contains detailed accounts of the war and the siege).
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2. Siege of Rhodes
Date: December 22, 1522 (Acceptance of Surrender Terms) (June 16 – December 22, 1522)
War: Ottoman–Hospitaller Wars
Cause: Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent aimed to eliminate the Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St. John) from Rhodes. The Knights used the island as a base for corsair activities against Ottoman shipping, disrupting trade and pilgrimage routes in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Result: Ottoman victory. After a bloody six-month siege, Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L’Isle-Adam accepted Suleiman’s terms of surrender on December 22. The Knights were allowed to leave the island with their weapons and religious icons, eventually relocating to Malta.
Paintings & Art
- Painting: Siege of Rhodes (Miniature)
- Artist: Matrakçı Nasuh (from the Süleymannâme)
- Year: 1558
- Painting: The Siege of Rhodes of 1522
- Artist: Pat Nicolle (Historical Illustrator)
- Year: 20th Century (Modern illustration often used in texts)
Museums & Artifacts
- Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes (Rhodes, Greece): The original fortress and headquarters of the Knights, containing architecture and artifacts from the siege era.
- Istanbul Naval Museum (Istanbul, Turkey): Houses Ottoman naval artifacts, maps, and weapons from the era of Suleiman the Magnificent.
- Musée de l’Armée (Paris, France): Contains cannons and armor from the Knights Hospitaller.
Location
- General: Rhodes (Old Town), Greece
- Coordinates: 36.4457° N, 28.2240° E
Recommended Book
3. Battle of the Bulge (Siege of Bastogne)
Date: December 22, 1944 (December 20-26, 1944. Germans demand surrender on December 22)
War: World War II (Western Front)
Cause: As part of the massive German counteroffensive (Operation Wacht am Rhein), German forces surrounded the critical road junction town of Bastogne. On December 22, German envoys demanded the immediate surrender of the encircled American forces.
Result: American moral victory and continuation of the siege. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe famously replied to the German surrender demand with one word: “NUTS!” The 101st Airborne Division held the town despite heavy shelling and freezing conditions until relieved by General Patton’s Third Army days later.
Paintings & Art
- Painting: Nuts!
- Artist: Michael G. Nate
- Year: 2000s (Contemporary Military Art)
- Painting: Battle of the Bulge
- Artist: H. Charles McBarron Jr.
- Year: c. 1950s (U.S. Army Art Collection)
Museums & Artifacts
- Bastogne War Museum (Bastogne, Belgium): The primary museum dedicated to the battle, featuring immersive exhibits and artifacts from the siege.
- 101st Airborne Museum (Bastogne, Belgium): Located in the former officers’ mess building, focused specifically on the paratroopers’ defense.
- National World War II Museum (New Orleans, USA): Contains extensive exhibits on the Ardennes Counteroffensive.
Location
- General: Bastogne, Belgium
- Coordinates: 50.0085° N, 5.7185° E
Recommended Book
4. Japanese Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
Date: December 22, 1941 (December 21-23, 1944. Landing on December 22)
War: World War II (Pacific Theater)
Cause: The Japanese Empire launched a major amphibious invasion of Luzon to capture Manila and eliminate American air and naval forces in the Philippines, securing the flank for their expansion into Southeast Asia.
Result: Japanese victory. The main Japanese 14th Army landed at Lingayen Gulf on December 22. Despite some resistance, the American and Filipino forces were outmaneuvered and forced to retreat toward the Bataan Peninsula, leading to the eventual fall of the Philippines.
Paintings & Art
- Painting: Japanese Landing at Lingayen Gulf
- Artist: U.S. Navy Combat Art Collection (Various Artists)
- Year: c. 1942–1945
- Painting: Defense of the Philippines (General Series)
- Artist: Gary Zawadzki
- Year: Late 20th Century
Museums & Artifacts
- National Museum of the Pacific War (Fredericksburg, Texas): Comprehensive exhibits on the Pacific War, including the Philippines campaign.
- Mt. Samat National Shrine (Bataan, Philippines): While focused on the later Bataan campaign, it holds artifacts related to the initial invasion.
- Intramuros Administration (Manila, Philippines): Holds artifacts related to the defense of Luzon.
Location
- General: Lingayen Gulf, Pangasinan, Philippines
- Coordinates: 16.2833° N, 120.2333° E
Recommended Book
- Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March by Michael Norman and Elizabeth M. Norman.
5. Battle of Iron Works Hill (Battle of Mount Holly)
Date: December 22, 1776 (Skirmishes began) (December 22-23, 1776)
War: American Revolutionary War
Cause: An American militia force under Colonel Samuel Griffin engaged Hessian troops to draw them away from their posts at Bordentown and Trenton. This was a diversionary effort to support George Washington’s planned crossing of the Delaware River.
Result: Strategic American success. The skirmishes on December 22 and 23 drew Colonel von Donop’s 2,000 Hessians south to Mount Holly. This left the Hessian garrison at Trenton unsupported, contributing to Washington’s stunning victory at the Battle of Trenton a few days later.
Paintings & Art
- Painting: Washington Crossing the Delaware (Associated Context)
- Artist: Emanuel Leutze
- Year: 1851
- Painting: Battle of Iron Works Hill (Local historical illustrations)
- Artist: Unattributed/Local Historians
- Year: Various
Museums & Artifacts
- Old Barracks Museum (Trenton, New Jersey): Preserves the history of the Hessian occupation and the battles of Trenton and Princeton.
- Armed Forces Heritage Museum (Wrightstown, New Jersey): Preserves the military history of New Jersey.
- Museum of the American Revolution (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania): Holds artifacts related to the 1776 campaign.
Location
- General: Mount Holly, New Jersey, USA
- Coordinates: 39.9919° N, 74.7899° W
Recommended Book
Books for sale
Contact Information
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