An invasion is a military action consisting of armed forces of one geopolitical entity entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of conquering territory or altering the established government. An invasion can be the cause of a war, it can be used as a part of a larger strategy to end a war, or it can constitute an entire war in and of itself. The term usually connotes a strategic endeavor of substantial magnitude; because the goals of an invasion are usually large-scale and long-term, large forces are needed to hold territory and protect the interests of the invading entity. Smaller and lighter tactical infiltrations are not generally considered invasions, being more often classified as skirmishes, sorties, targeted killings, assassinations or reconnaissance in force. By definition, an invasion is an attack from outside forces. As such, rebellions, civil wars, coups d'etat, and internal acts of democide or other acts of oppression are generally not considered invasions.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1768: Philip Astley staged the first modern circus in London. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus)

1839: The French Academy of Sciences announced the Daguerreotype photographic process, named after its inventor, Louis Daguerre. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype)

1878: Humbert the Good became King of Italy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umberto_I)

1916: World War I: In Gallipoli, the Ottoman Empire was victorious in the Battle of Çanakkale. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gallipoli)

1964: Martyrs' Day in Panama: A four-day riot erupted over sovereignty of the Canal Zone. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs%27_Day)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

I think it is possible, and that is the most dramatic element in modern civilization, that a human truth is opposed to another human truth no less human, ideal against ideal, positive worth against worth no less positive, instead of the struggle being as we are so often told, one between noble truth and vile selfish error. -- Karel Čapek (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Karel_%C4%8Capek)