blockade, encirclement - a war measure that isolates some area of importance to the enemy

Alamo - the mission in San Antonio where in 1836 Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico

battle of Atlanta, Atlanta - Federal troops under Sherman cut off the railroads supplying Atlanta and burned the city; 1864

Bataan, Corregidor - the peninsula and island in the Philippines where Japanese forces besieged American forces in World War II; United States forces surrendered in 1942 and recaptured the area in 1945

Dien Bien Phu - the French military base fell after a 56-day siege by Vietnam troops; ended the involvement of France in Indochina in 1954

Lucknow - the British residents of Lucknow were besieged by Indian insurgents during the Indian Mutiny (1857)

siege of Orleans, Orleans - a long siege by the English was relieved by Joan of Arc in 1429

Petersburg, Petersburg Campaign - the final campaign of the American Civil War (1864-65); Union forces under Grant besieged and finally defeated Confederate forces under Lee

Pleven, Plevna - the town was taken from the Turks by the Russians in 1877 after a siege of 143 days

siege of Syracuse, Syracuse - the Athenian siege of Syracuse (415-413 BC) was eventually won by Syracuse

siege of Syracuse, Syracuse - the Roman siege of Syracuse (214-212 BC) was eventually won by the Romans who sacked the city (killing Archimedes)

siege of Vicksburg, Vicksburg - a decisive battle in the American Civil War (1863); after being besieged for nearly seven weeks the Confederates surrendered

Yorktown - in 1781 during the American Revolution the British under Cornwallis surrendered after a siege of three weeks by American and French troops

armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"