Germany launched Operation Gericht against the French fortress city of Verdun, beginning the longest single battle of World War I. The 303-day battle would cost over 700,000 casualties and become the symbol of the war's futile slaughter.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published the Communist Manifesto, the revolutionary document that would inspire military revolutions worldwide and divide the globe into opposing military alliances for over a century.
The Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia, rebuilt from the burned hull of USS Merrimack, was commissioned. Weeks later, she would destroy two Union warships and change naval warfare forever.
Germany launched Operation Gericht against the French fortress city of Verdun, beginning the longest single battle of World War I. The 303-day battle would cost over 700,000 casualties and become the symbol of the war's futile slaughter.
German forces captured Fort Douaumont, the largest fortress defending Verdun, when a small party found it virtually unmanned, a catastrophe that galvanized French resistance for months of brutal fighting.
Japanese Prime Minister Tojo took direct control of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, concentrating military and political power as Japan's strategic position deteriorated rapidly.
Two days into the Battle of Iwo Jima, Marines fought their way toward Mount Suribachi against ferocious Japanese resistance. The flag would be raised on the summit two days later.
Malcolm X was assassinated while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. A former military advocate and Nation of Islam leader, his death intensified debates about race, military service, and civil rights.
President Richard Nixon arrived in Beijing for his historic visit to China, fundamentally reshaping Cold War military dynamics by driving a wedge between China and the Soviet Union.
Soviet President Gorbachev announced Iraq had agreed to a withdrawal plan from Kuwait, but President Bush rejected the terms and the Coalition ground offensive launched three days later.
President Putin recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian troops into the regions, setting the stage for the full-scale invasion three days later.
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Anglo-American poet who served as a civilian observer in the Spanish Civil War and wrote some of the most powerful poetry about World War II, including "September 1, 1939."
Major General
Commander of the Texan Army who defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, winning Texas independence. He served as President of Texas, U.S. Senator, and Governor before opposing secession.
Civil rights leader and Nation of Islam minister whose advocacy for Black self-defense influenced debates about African Americans in the military and the relationship between civil rights and military service.
10 military events occurred on February 21, spanning multiple centuries. Key events include: Battle of Verdun Begins, "They Shall Not Pass" (1916), Malcolm X Assassinated (1965), Communist Manifesto Published (1848), Nixon Arrives in China, "The Week That Changed the World" (1972), CSS Virginia (Merrimack) Commissioned, Ironclad Revolution Begins (1862).
The most significant military event on February 21 is Battle of Verdun Begins, "They Shall Not Pass" (1916). Germany launched Operation Gericht against the French fortress city of Verdun, beginning the longest single battle of World War I. The 303-day battle would cost over 700,000 casualties and become the symbol of the war's futile slaughter.
Notable military figures born on February 21 include W. H. Auden (1907–1973), Sam Houston (1793–1863).
Events on February 21 span World War I, the Cold War, the Interwar Period, World War II, the Modern Era, the Civil War, covering 10 events across 3 centuries of military history.
Events on February 21 involve 3 branches of the U.S. and allied armed forces, reflecting the global scope of military operations throughout history.
Explore military history from the day you were born.
June 6
The Allied invasion of Normandy, the largest amphibious assault in history.
December 7
Japan attacks the U.S. Pacific Fleet, bringing America into World War II.
September 11
The deadliest terrorist attack in history transforms U.S. national security.
August 6
The first atomic bomb is dropped on a city, ushering in the nuclear age.
May 8
Nazi Germany surrenders unconditionally, ending World War II in Europe.
November 11
Armistice Day marks the end of World War I and honors all who served.
June 4
The turning point of the Pacific War as the U.S. Navy destroys four Japanese carriers.
July 4
The Declaration of Independence is adopted, sparking the American Revolution.
The FIM-92 Stinger helped win the Cold War by turning Afghan mujahideen into a credible anti-aircraft threat. By 2023, the United States almost ran out of them, because Raytheon stopped making them for 13 years, and the first 10 months of Ukraine support burned through the remaining stockpile.
These weapons were built to fight a war that everyone prayed would never happen. The Minuteman III has been on alert since 1970. The Typhoon-class carried enough nuclear warheads to destroy a continent. The Davy Crockett could be fired by three soldiers. Most of them have been waiting for 40 years. Here are 10 Cold War weapons built exclusively for World War III.
The MiG-31 was designed to catch the SR-71 Blackbird. It is still the fastest fighter in any air force. The Foxhound's Zaslon phased-array radar, the first ever installed in a fighter, can track 10 targets and engage 4 simultaneously at ranges exceeding 200 miles. Here is why Russia still flies a 1980s interceptor, and why the MiG-31BM carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic missile has changed what the aircraft means to modern warfare.
Nineteen armies on four continents chose the Leopard 2. No other Western tank comes close to this export record, and the reasons go far beyond German engineering.
