9. The Battle of Heligoland Bight (1947)
In April 1947, the British Royal Navy conducted “Operation Big Bang” on Heligoland Island, Germany, to destroy surplus World War II munitions. The operation involved detonating approximately 6,700 tons of explosives, making it the largest non-nuclear explosion at that time. The blast was so powerful that it altered the island’s landscape and was visible from the mainland. For more details, refer to the National Geographic article on the event. (nationalgeographic.com)
