On this day in 1805 two of the battles with the most consequence occurred. At the battle of Ulm, Austrian General Mack von Leiberich surrenders his army to Napoleon. It was a huge blow to the Third Coalition that had been brought together to defeat Napoleon on land. However, many miles away off the coast of Spain the Battle of Trafalgar ended with a decisive British victory. Under the leadership of Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson, the British fleet destroyed most of the joint Spanish/French fleet. Nelson was killed during the battle, but British sea power wasn't challenged for another 100 years.
On this day in 1941 the German army massacred thousands of Yugoslavians who were part of a coup that was protesting their countries alliance with the Nazis. Knowing that they were next on the chopping block for German invasion, the Yugoslavian government signed the alliance the previous year. But its citizens didn't share the same view. Yugoslavia was the home to many different ethnic groups that were against the policies of the Nazi regime. Their resistance was crushed when the German army was sent into the towns thought to be putting up the most fight. With blatant disregard for human life the Germans killed men, women, and children alike.