War Information
10 sectionsWar History and Conflicts in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, the largest city in Virginia, has a long history of military conflict. Its strategic location on the Atlantic coast and near Chesapeake Bay made it an important military site.
Colonial Era and American Revolution
The area of present-day Virginia Beach was colonized by the English in the 17th century. During the American Revolution, the area saw naval conflicts. The Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775 occurred near this area — an important Patriot victory.
War of 1812
During the War of 1812, the British navy attacked Virginia's coast. Norfolk harbor and Hampton near Virginia Beach were targets of British attacks. The British burned the city of Hampton and looted the area.
American Civil War (1861–1865)
At the start of the Civil War, Union forces held Fort Monroe near Virginia Beach as a strategic base. Fort Monroe became an important base for Union operations and was known as the 'Gibraltar of the Chesapeake.' The fort never fell to the Confederacy and served as a refuge for fugitive enslaved people. The first battle of ironclads — USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (Merrimack) — occurred near this area in Hampton Roads in March 1862.
Norfolk Naval Base
In the 20th century, Virginia Beach became the center of the world's largest naval base — Norfolk Naval Base. The base played a central role in World War II, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Thousands of soldiers were deployed from this base to America's imperialist wars.
