October 19 has a long history of bringing peace to the world. On this day in 1453 the Hundred Years War came to a close. In 1466 on the same day the Thirteen Years War ended.
Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington on this day in 1781, ending the American Revolutionary War.
Napoleon retreated from Moscow on this day in 1812. In 1813 he would suffer one of his worst defeats at the Battle of Leipzig. Any defeat of Napoleon must be viewed as a striking a blow for peace, n'est ce pas?
Two major exceptions complete a cycle: in 202 BC the Battle of Zama resulted in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal, only to have the Vandals take Carthage on the same day in AD 439.
(The fact that the Ivy League drafted the first code of American football rules on this day in 1873 should perhaps be overlooked.)
As I was born on October 19, would it be proper for me to consider myself a Man of Peace?
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