Category: Germany

Battles of January 21 summaries plus museums, artwork, books

Battles of January 21 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

  1. Battle of Khe Sanh
    Date: January 21-July 9, 1968

War: Vietnam War

Cause: The People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) launched a massive artillery bombardment and ground siege against the U.S. Marine Corps combat base at Khe Sanh, aiming to seize the strategic location near the DMZ and divert U.S. attention before the Tet Offensive.

Result: Tactical U.S. victory; the base held out through the 77-day siege due to massive air support (Operation Niagara), though it was voluntarily abandoned by American forces shortly after the siege was lifted, making it a strategic subject of debate.

Paintings & Art Painting: Helmets at Que Sanh II (also known as Khe Sanh, Tet, Hue City) Artist: Colonel Peter Michael Gish

Year: 1976 (Approximate completion)

Museums & Artifacts

National Museum of the Marine Corps (Triangle, Virginia, USA): Features an immersive “Siege of Khe Sanh” exhibit where visitors walk through a CH-46 helicopter into a reconstructed bunker environment. Khe Sanh Victory Museum (Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam): Located at the former Ta Con Airfield, this open-air museum preserves original bunkers, aircraft, and trenches on the actual battlefield.

Location General: Khe Sanh Combat Base, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam

Coordinates: 16.6554° N, 106.7286° E

Recommended Book

Valley of Decision: The Siege of Khe Sanh by John Prados and Ray W. Stubbe.

  1. British Capture of Tobruk

    Date: January 21, 1941 (Attack commenced; city fell Jan 22)

War: World War II (Western Desert Campaign)

Cause: As part of Operation Compass, British and Commonwealth forces (spearheaded by the Australian 6th Division) attacked the Italian-fortified port of Tobruk to secure a vital supply hub and drive Axis forces out of Cyrenaica (Libya).

Result: Decisive Allied victory; the port was captured along with over 25,000 Italian prisoners, securing the logistics needed to continue the advance west, though the town would later become famous for the subsequent siege.

Paintings & Art Painting: Central Square, Tobruk Artist: Ivor Hele

Year: 1941

Museums & Artifacts

Australian War Memorial (Canberra, Australia): Holds the cited painting by official war artist Ivor Hele, along with extensive diaries, uniforms, and weaponry from the “Rats of Tobruk.” Imperial War Museum (London, UK): Houses significant collections related to the Western Desert Campaign, including captured Italian equipment and British desert gear.

Location General: Tobruk, Libya

Coordinates: 32.0772° N, 23.9603° E

Recommended Book

Operation Compass 1940–41: Wavell’s Whirlwind Offensive by Jon Latimer.

  1. Third Battle of Dijon

    Date: January 21-23, 1871

War: Franco-Prussian War

Cause: The Prussian Army, seeking to protect the flank of their forces besieging Belfort, attacked the city of Dijon which was defended by the “Army of the Vosges”—a volunteer corps of French partisans and international volunteers commanded by the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Result: French (Republican) victory; Garibaldi’s forces successfully repelled the Prussian attacks over three days and captured a German regimental flag, marking one of the few French successes in the war before the armistice.

Paintings & Art Painting: Garibaldi a Digione (Garibaldi in Dijon) Artist: Sebastiano De Albertis

Year: 1877

Museums & Artifacts

Museo del Risorgimento (Milan, Italy): Houses the painting by Sebastiano De Albertis and various artifacts belonging to Garibaldi and his volunteers. Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne (Dijon, France): Contains local history exhibits that cover the occupation and defense of Dijon during the war.

Location General: Dijon, France

Coordinates: 47.3220° N, 5.0415° E

Recommended Book

The Franco-Prussian War: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 by Geoffrey Wawro.

Books for sale

WarScholar Press

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Tags: military museum, military artwork, battles, Military History, War History, Battle Art, War Paintings, War Art, Military Art, Museum Visit, Art History, Historical Artifacts, Museum Collection, Battlefield Tours, History Museum, Museum Life, History In Art, Historic Preservation, January 21, On This Day, History, Military History, War History, Historical Events, History Buff, World History, Khe Sanh, Vietnam War, USMC, Tobruk, WWII, Operation Compass, Rats Of Tobruk, Battle Of Dijon, Franco Prussian War, Garibaldi

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Military History Inside Out banner

Battles of January 19 summaries plus museums, artwork, books, and a song

Battles of January 19 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.

Song of the day:

Quentin Burns variation 1

Quentin Burns variation 2

1. Battle of Mill Springs

Date: January 19, 1862

War: American Civil War

Cause: This battle was precipitated by the Confederate need to defend the Cumberland Gap and the Union Army’s drive to push the Confederate defense line out of Eastern Kentucky. Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer, against orders, moved his troops across the Cumberland River to the north bank, placing them in a precarious position with the river at their back. Union General George H. Thomas moved to attack this exposed force.

Result: The battle was a decisive Union victory. It broke the Confederate defensive line in Eastern Kentucky and led to the death of General Zollicoffer (the first Confederate general to die in the Western Theater). The victory boosted Northern morale and opened the path for the Union into Tennessee.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: Battle of Mill Spring, K.Y. Jan. 19th 1862
    • Artist: Currier & Ives (Lithograph)
    • Year: c. 1862

Museums & Artifacts

  • Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument (Nancy, Kentucky, USA): The Visitor Center and Museum houses a comprehensive collection of artifacts recovered from the battlefield, including weapons, uniforms, and personal items of soldiers. It also features interpretive exhibits on the battle’s strategy.
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C., USA): Holds various Civil War lithographs, including works by Currier & Ives similar to the Mill Springs prints.

Location

  • General: Nancy, Kentucky (historically Logan’s Crossroads).
  • Coordinates: 37.0544° N, 84.7397° W

Recommended Book

2. Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo

Date: Stormed on January 19, 1812 (January 7-20, 1812)

War: The Peninsular War (Napoleonic Wars)

Cause: Following victories in Portugal, the Duke of Wellington needed to secure the key border fortresses to open the invasion route into French-held Spain. Ciudad Rodrigo controlled the northern corridor. Wellington launched a rapid siege to capture the city before French Marshal Marmont could bring a relief army.

Result: The British captured the fortress after a bloody storming of the breaches on the evening of January 19. The victory secured the frontier and allowed Wellington to advance toward Badajoz and eventually Madrid. However, the discipline of the British troops collapsed after the victory, leading to a brutal sack of the city.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: The Storming of Ciudad Rodrigo (Aquatint/Engraving)
    • Artist: Thomas Sutherland (after William Heath)
    • Year: 1815
  • Artifact: The Wellington Service Ice Pails (Depicting the storming)
    • Artist: Designed by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith II
    • Year: c. 1814–1817

Museums & Artifacts

  • National Army Museum (London, UK): Holds extensive collections relating to the Peninsular War, including maps, letters from Wellington, and prints depicting the siege.
  • Apsley House (The Wellington Museum) (London, UK): The former home of the Duke of Wellington houses the famous Portuguese Service (silver) and the Ice Pails which depict the battle scenes, along with captured French imperial eagles.
  • British Museum (London, UK): Holds the original prints and etchings of the storming by Sutherland and Heath.

Location

  • General: Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Spain.
  • Coordinates: 40.5982° N, 6.5305° W

Recommended Book

3. Battle of St. Quentin

Date: January 19, 1871

War: Franco-Prussian War

Cause: As the Prussians besieged Paris, the French Army of the North, commanded by General Faidherbe, attempted to disrupt the Prussian supply lines and relieve the capital. The Prussian First Army, under General Goeben, moved to intercept the French forces near the town of Saint-Quentin to prevent this relief effort.

Result: The Prussians won a clear victory, forcing the French Army of the North to retreat in disorder. This defeat effectively ended any hope of relieving Paris from the north, and the city surrendered shortly thereafter, leading to the end of the war and the unification of Germany.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: Battle of St. Quentin, 19 January 1871 (Lithograph)
    • Artist: Richard Knötel
    • Year: c. Late 19th Century (from Uniformenkunde)
  • Painting: Charge of the German Cavalry at St. Quentin
    • Artist: Amling Franz
    • Year: c. 1875

Museums & Artifacts

  • Musée de l’Armée (Invalides) (Paris, France): Contains one of the world’s largest collections of military history, including uniforms, weaponry, and paintings from the Franco-Prussian War (War of 1870).
  • Deutsches Historisches Museum (Berlin, Germany): Holds artifacts and documents relating to the wars of German unification, including the Battle of St. Quentin.
  • Town of Saint-Quentin (Aisne, France): The town itself features the Monument de 1870 commemorating the defense of the city.

Location

  • General: Saint-Quentin, Aisne, Hauts-de-France, France.
  • Coordinates: 49.8454° N, 3.2864° E

Recommended Book

4. Battle of Braddock Down

Date: January 19, 1643

War: First English Civil War

Cause: Royalist forces in Cornwall, led by Sir Bevil Grenville and Sir Ralph Hopton, were attempting to secure the county for King Charles I. They were intercepted by a Parliamentarian army under Colonel Ruthin, who had invaded Cornwall and was camped at Braddock Down, waiting for reinforcements.

Result: The Royalists launched a surprise attack. After an exchange of musket fire, a Royalist charge broke the Parliamentarian line. The Parliamentarians fled, and the Royalists secured Cornwall, capturing substantial arms and prisoners.

Paintings & Art

  • Painting: Sir Bevil Grenville (Portrait associated with the era/commander)
    • Artist: Unknown (School of Van Dyck)
    • Year: c. 1640s
  • Illustration: The Battle of Braddock Down
    • Artist: Harry Fisher (Historical Illustrator)
    • Year: 20th Century (Modern historical reconstruction)

Museums & Artifacts

  • Royal Cornwall Museum (Truro, UK): Contains exhibits on the Civil War in Cornwall, including artifacts related to Sir Bevil Grenville and the Royalist campaigns.
  • National Civil War Centre (Newark, UK): The dedicated museum for this conflict, housing armor, pamphlets, and weaponry used during battles like Braddock Down.

Location

  • General: Boconnoc / Braddock, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
  • Coordinates: 50.4160° N, 4.5660° W

Recommended Book

Books for sale

WarScholar Press

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Tags: military museum, military artwork, battles, Military History, War History, Battle Art, War Paintings, War Art, Military Art, Museum Visit, Art History, Historical Artifacts, Museum Collection, Battlefield Tours, History Museum, Museum Life, History In Art, Historic Preservation, January 19, On This Day, History, Military History, War History, Historical Events, History Buff, World History, Civil War, Mill Springs, Union Victory, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsular War, Ciudad Rodrigo, Wellington, Franco Prussian War, St Quentin, English Civil War, Royalists, Cornwall History

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Military History Inside Out banner

Battles of December 22 summaries plus museums, artwork, and books

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

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

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

WarScholar Press

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Tags: military museum, military artwork, battles, Military History, War History, Battle Art, War Paintings, War Art, Military Art, Museum Visit, Art History, Historical Artifacts, Museum Collection, Battlefield Tours, History Museum, Museum Life, History In Art, Historic Preservation December 21, On This Day, History, Military History, War History, Historical Events, History Buff, World History, Siege Of Ismail, Suvorov, Russo Turkish War, Siege Of Rhodes, Knights Hospitaller, Ottoman Empire, Battle Of The Bulge, Bastogne, Nuts, WWII, Pacific War, Lingayen Gulf, Revolutionary War, Iron Works Hill

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Military History Inside Out banner