Wikipedia:Today's featured article/July 26, 2004

The 1453 Siege of Constantinople

A siege is a prolonged military assault on and blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. A siege occurs when an attacker encounters a city or fortress that refuses to surrender and cannot be easily taken by a frontal assault. Sieges usually involve surrounding the target and blocking the provision of supplies, typically coupled with artillery bombardment, sapping and mining to reduce fortifications. Sieges are as old as warfare itself, with towns in the Middle East from the dawn of civilization having defensive walls. However, with the advent of mobile warfare, one single fortified stronghold is no longer as decisive as it once was. (more...)

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