Defeat Allusions, Definition, Citation, Reference, Information - Allusion to Defeat


  1. Appomattox Courthouse scene of Lee’s surrender to Grant (1865). [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 22]
  2. Armada, Spanish defeat by English fleet marked Spain’s decline and England’s rise as a world power (1588). [Eur. Hist.: EB, 1: 521–522]
  3. Austerlitz defeat of Austro-Russian coalition by Napoleon (1805). [Fr. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 23–24]
  4. Bataan Philippine peninsula where U.S. troops surrendered to Japanese (1942). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 245]
  5. Battle of the Boyne sealed Ireland’s fate as England’s vassal state (1690). [Br. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 39]
  6. Battle of the Bulge final, futile German WWII offensive (1944–1945). [Eur. Hist.: Hitler, 1148–1153, 1154–1155]
  7. Caudine Forks mountain pass where Romans were humiliatingly defeated by the Samnites. [Rom. Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 186]
  8. Culloden consolidated English supremacy; broke clan system (1746). [Br. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 70]
  9. Dien Bien Phu Vietminh rout of French paved way for partition of Vietnam (1954). [Fr. Hist.: Van Doren, 541]
  10. Gallipoli poorly conceived and conducted battle ending in British disaster (1915). [Br. Hist.: Fuller, III, 240–261]
  11. Little Bighorn scene of General Ouster’s “last stand” (1876). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 274]
  12. Pearl Harbor Japan’s surprise attack destroys U.S. fleet (1941). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 2089]
  13. Pyrrhic victory a too costly victory; “Another such victory and we are lost.” [Rom. Hist.: “Asculum I” in Eggenburger, 30–31]
  14. Salt River up which losing political parties travel to oblivion. [Am. Slang: LLEI, I: 312]
  15. Sedan decisive German defeat of French (1870). [Fr. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 225]
  16. Stalingrad German army succumbs to massive Soviet pincer movement (1942-1943). [Ger. Hist.: Fuller, III, 531–538]
  17. Waterloo British victory in Belgium signals end of Napoleon’s domination (1815). [Fr. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 266]
  18. white flag a sign of surrender. [Western Folklore: Misc.]