A military disaster is the defeat of one side in a battle or war which results in the complete failure of the losing side to achieve their objectives. It often, but not always, involves a high and disproportionate loss of life. The causes are varied and include human error, inferior technology, logistical problems, underestimating the enemy, being outnumbered, and bad luck.[1][2][3][4]
Entries on this list are those where multiple sources dealing with the subject of military disasters have deemed the event in question to be a military disaster (or an equivalent term).
Syracuse Expedition (415–413 BC).[9][10] A large force from Athens failed to conquer the city of Syracuse, weakening the Athenian military position and depriving the city of much-needed manpower.
Battle of Carrhae (53 BC).[17][18]Crassus with 40,000 soldiers marched into Parthia, expecting to be victorious, chose to march a direct route through the desert instead of the mountains of the north. He and his army were entirely annihilated by 9,000 Parthian soldiers.
Battle of Tours (732).[23][24] The Muslim Moors marched into southern France meeting no foes, until encountering the Christian Frankish forces led by Charles Martel at Tours. Despite the Moorish advantage over the Franks militarily, they were defeated decisively by the Franks.
Battle of Hattin (1187).[25][26] Overconfident Crusader forces from Jerusalem became trapped in a waterless desert area, and thus became easy prey for the Muslim forces of Salah-ud-din (Saladin)
Battle of Agincourt (1415).[27][28][page needed] A large French army with a large contingent of knights was defeated by Henry V's much smaller army.
Spanish Armada (1588).[30][28][page needed] An English fleet sent fire ships into the Spanish invasion fleet destroying some and scattering the rest effectively ending the invasion threat. The Armada would later run into storms and almost half the ships never returned to Spain, as well as more than half of the troops.
Charge of the Light Brigade (1854).[32][28][page needed] A British cavalry unit charged an active enemy artillery position due to miscommunication and suffered heavy casualties for no real advantage.
Battle of Isandlwana[35][10] (January 22, 1879). In the first major battle of the Anglo-Zulu War, a Zulu impi overwhelmed and defeated two battalions armed with modern rifles and artillery. The battle was a major victory for the Zulus during the opening stages of the war.
Fall of Singapore[40][41] (February 1942). It was the largest surrender of Commonwealth troops in history and destroyed the linchpin of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command. Although the Japanese invasion force was half of the size of the defending force, Japanese air attacks on the city and lack of water proved decisive. Prime Minister Winston Churchill considered it to be the worst defeat in British military history, and it's been credited for undermining British prestige in Southeast Asia.
Battle of Stalingrad[46][28][page needed][10] (winter of 1942–43). One of the turning points of World War II (European Theater). German General Friedrich Paulus failed to keep a mobile strategic reserve and the Sixth Army was surrounded by a rapid Soviet flanking attack. Rubble caused by German bombing and artillery fire left their tanks unable to enter the city. The 250,000+ German troops in Stalingrad surrendered despite Adolf Hitler’s promise that they would never leave the city.[citation needed]
^Chrystal, Paul (2015-11-30). "Introduction". Roman Military Disasters: Dark Days & Lost Legions. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-7395-7.
^Withington, John (2016-09-23). "Introduction". Britain's 20 Worst Military Disasters: From the Roman Conquest to the Fall of Singapore. History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-8127-9.
^Spilsbury, Julian (2015-04-02). "Introduction". Great Military Disasters: From Bannockburn to Stalingrad. Quercus. ISBN 978-1-78429-215-7.
^McNab 2005, pp. 24–26.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Marathon". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, p. 28.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Salamis". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Syracuse Expedition". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^ a b c d e f g h iSpilsbury, Julian (2015-04-02). Great Military Disasters: From Bannockburn to Stalingrad. Quercus. ISBN 978-1-78429-215-7.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Gaugamela". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, pp. 32–34.
^McNab 2005, p. 38.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Cannae". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, p. 42.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Zama". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, p. 46.
^Chrystal, Paul (2015-11-30). "The First Century: the Social War, Spartacus, Mithridates, Crassus, the Parthians, and the Gauls". Roman Military Disasters: Dark Days & Lost Legions. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-7395-7. Carrhae was the worst Roman disaster, and Rome's darkest day, since the catastrophic Battle of Cannae in 216 BC some 163 years earlier.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Teutoborg Forest". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, pp. 54–56.
^McNab 2005, p. 58.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Adrianople". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, p. 72.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Tours". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, p. 82.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Hattin". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^McNab 2005, p. 106.
^ a b c d e fParragon (2012). Great Military Disasters. Parragon. ISBN 978-1-4454-6436-7.
^McNab 2005, p. 123.
^McNab 2005, p. 136.
^McNab 2005, p. 174.
^Withington, John (2016-09-23). "The Charge of the Light Brigade, 1854". Britain's 20 Worst Military Disasters: From the Roman Conquest to the Fall of Singapore. History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-8127-9.
^McNab 2005, p. 206.
^McNab 2005, p. 210.
^McNab 2005, p. 214.
^Kuehn, John T. (2020-01-16). "Tsushima Strait". The 100 Worst Military Disasters in History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6269-4.
^Eden, Steven (1996). Military blunders II : the twentieth century. New York, NY: MetroBooks. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-56799-388-2.
^McNab 2005, p. 228.
^Withington, John (2016-09-23). "Gallipoli, 1915". Britain's 20 Worst Military Disasters: From the Roman Conquest to the Fall of Singapore. History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-8127-9.
^McNab 2005, p. 256.
^Withington, John (2016-09-23). "The Fall of Singapore, 1942". Britain's 20 Worst Military Disasters: From the Roman Conquest to the Fall of Singapore. History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-8127-9.
^ a bSandler, Stanley (2001). World War II in the Pacific: An Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing. p. 947.
^McNab 2005, p. 262.
^McNab 2005, pp. 260–262.
^Willmott, H. P. (1983). The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Strategies, February to June 1942. United States Naval Institute Press. pp. 396, 518. ISBN 978-1-59114-949-1.
^McNab 2005, p. 268.
^McNab 2005, p. 292.
Works cited
McNab, Chris (2005). The World's Worst Military Disasters: Chronicling the Greatest Battlefield Catastrophes of All Time. Rochester: Grange Books. ISBN 978-1-84013-808-5.
Further reading
Military Intelligence Blunders and Cover-Ups, by Colonel Hughes-Wilson John (ISBN 978-0-7867-1373-8)