most desperate battle ever?

Question

what is the most desperate battle where on side is outnumbered greatly but the side that is outnumbered wins perferably stories about like the roman age

Answer 1

I can offer a story a little closer to modern times, that offers the scenario you are seeking

In northeast Korea, December 1950, the Chosin Reservoir, in bone chilling temperatures dropping 30 degrees below zero, 12000 US Marines of the 1st Marine Division were surrounded by 70,000 Chinese. The epic struggle to survive led the Marines to break out of encirclement while inflicting grueling punishment on the enemy: 25,000 Chinese killed with 12,500 wounded and another 25,000 were frostbitten. The 1st Marine Division had 718 killed, 192 missing, 3508 wounded and 6,000 suffered frostbite.

When asked by combat reporters, Major General O.P. Smith responded, "Retreat ? Hell no ! We're attacking in another direction."

Answer 2

Sorry it's not from the Roman era, lol.

The Battle of Rourke's Drift, South Africa, January 22-23 1879.

100 fit and 40 injured British soldiers successfully defended a supply outpost and hospital against more than 4000 Zulu warriors - many armed with black-market rifles.

But this one is:

The Battle of Thermopylae, August 480 BC
300 Spartans, 700 Thespians and approx. 6000 Greek allies under the command of King Leonidas of Sparta fought the invading army of Persians under the command of Xerxes at the pass of Thermopylae, central Greece. Reports put the number of invaders at between 200,000 and 2,000,000 (although around 250-300,000 is most likely).

The defenders knew that they were unlikely to survive and seem to have fought even harder because of that. All 300 spartans and 700 Thespians were killed, along with about 1,500 Greek allies. Persian losses were estimated to be as low(?) as 20,000 and as high as 80,000 men, although modern estimates favor the lower figure.

Sorry they don't win in that one (at least not that battle - the actions of the few at Thermopylae enabled the Greeks to win the war).

Answer 3

The last major battle of VietNam. The Battle of Xuan Loc. Had we not abandoned the South Vietnamese, in 1973 this may not have even happened.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Xuan_Loc
http://www.generalhieu.com/xuanloc-m.htm

Answer 4

Battle of Belleau Woods

Answer 5

look up the story of the 300 spartans from ancient greece during the persian invason

Answer 6

I would say Samson and his jaw bone against all those Philistines was at least in the top ten.