The First Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the American Civil War. Fought in Northern Virginia in July of 1861, it was the result of a Union attempt to march on the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. The decisive Confederate victory repulsed this advance and caused fear that the Confederacy would advance on Washington.
2. Dien Bien Phu
Answer: Vietnam
This was the final and decisive encounter in the war between French colonial forces and the Viet Minh nationalist movement. It took place between March and May in 1954 and was a major victory for the Viet Minh forces. This defeat led to the end of the French colonial presence in Vietnam.
3. The Marne
Answer: France
The First Battle of the Marne (September 1914) involved combined French and British forces battling the first major German incursion into France. While the allied forces prevailed in the battle, the Germans remained in France and there followed four years of fighting in the trenches. The second battle of the Marne (July 1918) was the last major German offensive of the Great War.
4. Stamford Bridge
Answer: England
The year 1066 was a critical year in English history. The death of King Edward the Confessor in January led to a conflict over the throne between Harold II Godwinson, Harald Hadrada of Norway, and William of Normandy. Harald and William both invaded England in the late summer, the former from the North and the latter across the Channel.
The forces of Harald Hardrada were decisively defeated at Stamford Bridge in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Harold had to march his forces rapidly to the south coast where he met and lost to William of Normandy at Hastings.
5. Kursk
Answer: Russia
The Battle of Kursk (summer of 1943) was the largest tank battle in World War II, fought between the invading German forces and the Soviet defenders. Kursk is about 300 miles SW of Moscow in the western part of what was the Soviet Union. German aggressive tactics failed to penetrate enemy lines deeply enough to achieve their objective, and the German defeat affected morale on both sides.
6. Marathon
Answer: Greece
The Persian Empire invaded Greece for the second time in the summer of 490 BC. A massive army was conveyed across the Aegean Sea to punish the Greek cities who had aided in the Ionian Revolt from BC 499-494, particularly Athens. The surprising, but decisive, victory by the Greek forces in September of BC 490 remains one of the best-known military engagements of the ancient world and has led to the establishment of an athletic event, the "marathon" run over the distance between the battle at Marathon and the city of Athens.
7. The Boyne
Answer: Ireland
Two kings led the opposing forces at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690, fought near Dogheda on the east coast of Ireland. James II had been driven off the English throne in 1688 ("the Glorious Revolution") and replaced by his son-in-law, William of Orange (William III) and his wife Mary II, reigning as co-monarchs. James was supported by Louis XIV of France in his attempt to regain the crown.
The battle resulted in a decisive victory of the forces of William III and the victory is still celebrated in Northern Ireland today.
8. Waterloo
Answer: Belgium
This was the final and conclusive engagement of the Napoleonic wars, fought in June 1815. The forces of Napoleon, returned from his exile on Elba, met with the British (under Wellington) and the Prussians (under Blucher)near the town of Waterloo in what is today Belgium (then part of the Netherlands). Napoleon suffered his final defeat and was imprisoned on the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic.
9. Culloden
Answer: Scotland
The grandson of the exiled James II of England, known to us today as "Bonnie Prince Charlie", invaded Britain in 1745 to regain his grandfather's throne and restore the House of Stuart to power. The decisive battle was fought at Culloden (1746) near Inverness, where the English forces under the Duke of Cumberland put the Stuart troops to flight and forced Bonnie Prince Charlie to abandon his cause for good.
10. Plains of Abraham
Answer: Canada
The North American theatre of the Seven Years' War (1756-63) is known as the French and Indian War. It was fought mainly in the area of New France (eastern Canada) and the northern American colonies. One of the crucial battles took place in September 1759 when the British (led by General Wolfe) attacked the citadel of Quebec City (defended by Montcalm) on the Plains of Abraham just outside the walled city. Both leaders died in the battle, but the British victory led to the Treaty of Paris in 1763 when France ceded her North American territories (New France) to Britain.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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