Atlas of Battles

battle, Cold War

Battle of Masaka

Battle of Masaka was a battle fought on 23 February 1979 at Masaka, in what is now Uganda; it lasted 1 day. It was part of the Uganda–Tanzania War, which ran from 1978 to 1979. The recorded result: Tanzanian-Ugandan rebel victory. Recorded strength: 3 Tanzanian brigades; 1 Ugandan rebel battalion against Unknown, possibly thousands of soldiers.

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Fought23 February 1979lasted 1 day
WhereMasaka, Uganda0.341S, 31.736E
OutcomeTanzanian-Ugandan rebel victory
BelligerentsTanzania; Ugandan rebelsagainstUganda
Part ofUganda–Tanzania War1978 to 1979

Where it sits in the Uganda–Tanzania War

Battle of Mutukula, 1979Battle of Masaka, 1979Battle of Lukaya, 1979Battle of Entebbe, 1979Fall of Kampala, 197919791979Battle of Masaka, 1979
5 placed engagements of the Uganda–Tanzania War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date23 February 1979
to 24 February 1979
PlaceMasaka, Uganda
0.341S, 31.736E
KindBattle, Cold War
Territorial changeMasaka captured by Tanzanian and Ugandan rebel forces
Strength3 Tanzanian brigades; 1 Ugandan rebel battalionUnknown, possibly thousands of soldiers
Commanders
  • David Musuguri
  • John Butler Walden
  • Isaac Maliyamungu
  • Bernard Rwehururu
Battle of MasakaBattle of MasakaBattle of LukayaBattle of SembabuleBattle of MutukulaBattle of BukobaBattle of JinjaBattle of LukayaBattle of SembabuleBattle of MutukulaBattle of BukobaKampalaJinjaEntebbeMbararaMityanaMubendeBomboFort Portal100 km0.341S, 31.736E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1979

Battle of Masaka is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 15 in present-day Uganda.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q60524415, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Masaka, revision 1370449231, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.