What are some impossible war victories in history?

Lately, I have been looking into history and the wars that took place and have been looking for some impossible victories in war. Battles where one force is significantly outnumbered or out maned with little hope of victory intrigue. However, search engines don't do much in answering my questions.





So, I was wondering if any of you know of any impossible victories in maybe the past 2000 years. Fighting til' the end is an inspiration to me. Thanks a bunch!|||For me, the ultimate is the battle of Rorke's Drift. A force of 4,000-5,000 Zulu's had earlier anhiliated a larger British force of combat troops (1,300 at Islandwana). They then took on 139 British troops (mostly rear echelon types, many of them sick--this included the troops in a hospital). There were actually on 50 British troops in a cohesive unit--the others were wounded or individuals from a range of units or roles not prepared to fight together.





The British force at Rorke's Drift not only beat the Zulu's (who were armed with rifles) but managed to win 11 Victoria Crosses in the process. To me that is the ultimate longshot of a small force against a big one (that had earlier bested a bigger force).|||The Victory at Agincourt since the French so outnumbered the English yet lost the battle - some of the victories of General Erwin Rommel in North Africa - some of the victories of Napoleon|||During the war of 1812 in 1815 The Battle of New Orleans leads the list for America, no one expected a rag-tag collection of western rustics %26amp; pirates to fend off the elite of the British Troops. Often ignored by historians is The Battle of Baltimore during the same war, when a force of mostly American militia dealt with British veterans of the Napoleonic Wars, this is the battle that inspired the 'Star Spangled Banner,' it is also notable for a large contingent of free N^groes whose actions were decisive.





If you want a list of improbably victories you can do no worse then to study the battles of the most unfairly maligned General ever. Since he represented a cause unfavorable to a majority and did a squat sh^t on the Roman Catholic Irish, no one, absolutely no one, has bothered to examine the battles fought by General Oliver Cromwell. The man did not lose a single battle that he orchestrated. Cromwell came close to disaster several times, often fighting with fewer forces than prudent against well defended sites and yet he prevailed.


A link and a snippet---- ---- -----


http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/mili鈥?/a>


"""During the night, while the Covenanters rested uncomfortably in rain-soaked fields, Cromwell prepared a surprise attack. In a daring night manoeuvre, the bulk of the English army crossed the Brox Burn and reformed their lines on the other side. The night was dark and stormy, which prevented the Scots from realising that the English were on the move. Just before dawn on 3 September, the vanguard attacked, spearheaded by Lambert's cavalry and seconded by Monck's infantry regiments. Although taken by surprise, the Scots fought back fiercely. The front rank of the Scottish cavalry consisted of lancers who successfully disrupted Lambert's advance. The Scots succeeded in holding their position in the centre and keeping the English at bay. Cromwell then delivered his master stroke by leading his reserves in a crushing flank attack on the Scottish right wing, which was cramped between the Lammermuir hills behind and the Brox Burn ravine in front. Unable to manoeuvre, the Scottish horse were driven back through their own infantry. As Cromwell's Ironsides broke through the Scottish lines, the morning sun emerged from behind the clouds to shine off the silvery sea. Inspired by this omen, Cromwell quoted the 68th Psalm: "Now let God arise and his enemies be scattered." The Scottish position crumbled; according to Cromwell, they were "made by the Lord of Hosts as stubble to our swords."





The battle lasted two hours. 3,000 Scots were killed in the rout and another 10,000 taken prisoner. All the Scottish artillery and baggage was captured and 2,000 colours taken. Cromwell claimed that the Commonwealth army lost no more than 30 men. The wounded Scottish prisoners were released, but about 5,000 were marched south to Durham. Up to 3,500 Scots died from sickness and hunger either on the 8-day march or during the subsequent period of imprisonment in Durham Cathedral. The survivors were ultimately transported to New England as indentured labourers.





The routing of the Covenanters at Dunbar is regarded as the greatest of Cromwell's victories. Parliament resolved that a special medal should be struck for presentation to all ranks who fought at the battle. The Dunbar medal was the first of its kind for an English army; there was not to be another until the battle of Waterloo in 1815."""





Peace///\\\///\\\\///\\\|||How about Audie Murphy? US Army Lieutenant during the WWII who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in what would certainly qualify as an impossible victory. His company had been badly shot up and was about to be overrun by German infantry and tanks. So he ordered his company to take cover then climbed unto a wrecked tank destroyer (wrecked in the sense that it could no longer move but the armament was still functional) and used it's fifty caliber machine guns to hold off the German advance. Six tanks and 250 men vs. 1 man. And Murphy managed to hold the Germans off for about an hour before they decided taking his company's position wasn't worth it.|||During the civil war the battle of Gathland where the north out numbered the south12.5 to 1 and Cobbs legion of S.C. suffered 72% casualties|||The ability of the German army to continue organized resisitance


to the Soviet Army from the fall of 1942 until the spring offensive


in 1945, in the lamentable condition it was in and with the destructive interfearance of Hitler, by any consideration would be


considered impossible.


Read 'The German Army, 1933 to 1945' By Matthew Cooper|||Battle of Little Round Top- During the second day of fighting at Gettysburg, the 20th Maine regiment ran out of ammunition. The regiments leader Col. Joshua Chamberlain ordered his unit to fix bayonets and charge the Confederate line. The charge resulted in the the 20th Maine capturing over 400 men and keeping the Union Army's left flank secure.





Pope Leo I obtaining Attila the Hun's word that he would withdraw his armies from Italy and negotiate peace with Emperor Valentinian III. The Pope used no force whatsoever to stop the spread of the Hunnic Empire into Europe.





The Battle of Warsaw, also known as the Miracle at the Vistula. This battle took place during the Polish-Soviet War of 1920. The Battle of Warsaw was fought from 13 to 25 August 1920 as Red Army forces commanded by Mikhail Tukhachevski approached the Polish capital of Warsaw and nearby Modlin Fortress. On August 16, Polish forces commanded by J贸zef Pi艂sudski counter-attacked from the south, forcing the Russian forces into a disorganised withdrawal eastward and behind the Niemen River. Estimated Bolshevik losses were 10,000 killed, 500 missing, 10,000 wounded and 66,000 taken prisoner, compared with Polish losses of some 4,500 killed, 10,000 missing and 22,000 wounded. Before this victory Russia and most countries around the world assumed that Poland was on the verge of defeat. This unexpected victory, supplimented by numerous following victories, secured Poland's independence and eastern boarders.