On This Day In History
Did You Know?
Albert Einstein informs FDR of the possibilities of an atomic bomb
Today in History in 1939
Would You Believe?
First woman FBI “special investigator”, Alaska Davidson, appointed
Today in History in 1922
October 12th
539 BC The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon
1279 Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk, founder of Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon
1492 Christopher Columbus‘s expedition makes landfall on a Caribbean island he names San Salvador (likely Watling Island, Bahamas). The explorer believes he has reached East Asia (OS 21 Oct)
1864 War of the Triple Alliance begins with Brazilian troops under the command of Gen. João Propício Mena Barreto invading Uruguay
1900 The first modern submarine is commissioned by the U.S. Navy as the USS Holland, named for its designer John Philip Holland
1915 Ford Motor Company under Henry Ford manufactures its 1 millionth automobile at the River Rouge plant in Detroit
1999 The Day of Six Billion: the proclaimed 6 billionth living human in the world is born
Did You Know?
Children’s rhyme “Three Blind Mice” is published in London in a book edited by and possibly written by Thomas Ravenscroft
Today in History in 1609
Would You Believe?
King John of England loses his crown jewels in The Wash as the flood tide swamps his wagons, probably near Fosdyke, perhaps near Sutton Bridge
Today in History in 1216
October 13th
54 Nero succeeds Claudius as Roman Emperor
1307 French King Philip IV has Grand Master Jacques de Molay and Knights Templar arrested and charged with idolatry and corruption
1884 Greenwich in London established as the universal time meridian of longitude
1924 Mecca falls without struggle to Saudi forces led by Abdulaziz Ibn Saud
1943 Italy declares war on former Axis partner Germany
1944 US 1st army begins battle of Aachen, first German city captured during World War II
2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile comes to a happy end as all 33 miners arrive at the surface after surviving a record 69 days underground
Did You Know?
First electron micrograph of an Ebola viral particle obtained by Dr. F.A. Murphy, working at the C.D.C.
Today in History in 1976
Would You Believe?
1st military use of trained dolphins (US Navy in Persian Gulf)
Today in History in 1987
October 14th
1066 Battle of Hastings: William, Duke of Normandy and his Norman army defeat the English forces of Harold II who is killed in the battle
1322 Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland’s independence
1774 1st Continental Congress makes Declaration of Colonial Rights in Philadelphia
1867 15th and last Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigns in Japan
1884 George Eastman patents paper-strip photographic film
1933 Nazi Germany announces its withdrawal from the League of Nations
1982 US President Reagan proclaims a war on drugs
Did You Know?
Arthur Conan Doyle publishes “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” collection of 12 stories originally published serially in “The Strand Magazine”
Today in History in 1892
Would You Believe?
1st Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. by over 100,000 people
Today in History in 1979
October 15th
1581 Commissioned by Catherine de’ Medici, the 1st ballet “Ballet Comique de la Reine” is staged in Paris
1582 Gregorian calendar introduced in Spain, Portugal and pontifical states, after skipping 10 days after Oct 4 to sync the calendar
1815 Napoleon Bonaparte arrives on island of St Helena to begin his exile
1969 Vietnam Moratorium Day; millions nationwide protest the war
1993 Nelson Mandela and South African President F. W. de Klerk awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Did You Know?
Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari is executed by firing squad for spying for Germany during WWI at Vincennes near Paris
Today in History in 1917
Would You Believe?
11-year-old Grace Bedell writes to Abraham Lincoln telling him to grow a beard
Today in History in 1860
October 16th
1813 Battle of Leipzig, largest battle in Europe prior to WWI, Napoleon‘s forces defeated by Prussia, Austria and Russia
1900 Great Britain and Germany sign the Anglo-German Treaty, agreeing to maintain territorial integrity of China and support ‘open door’ policy called for by US Secretary of State
1934 Mao Zedong and 25,000 troops begin their 6,000 mile Long March from the south of China to the north and west
1962 Cuban Missile Crisis begins as JFK is shown photos confirming the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba
1978 Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla elected Pope John Paul II
1998 Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet is arrested in London on a Spanish warrant requesting his extradition on murder charges
Did You Know?
Findings published of neutron star collision that occurred two months prior on August 17, the first cosmic event seen in gravitational waves and light. Confirms heavy elements such as gold the result of such collisions
Today in History in 2017
Would You Believe?
Jadwiga is crowned King of Poland, despite being a woman
Today in History in 1384
October 17th
1854 French and British forces bombard Sevastopol for the first time during the Crimean War
1907 Guglielmo Marconi’s company begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless service between Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada and Clifden, Ireland
1943 Burma railway completed, built by Allied POWs and Asian laborers for use of the Japanese army
1973 OPEC oil ministers use oil as an economic weapon in the Arab-Israeli War, mandating a cut in exports and recommending an embargo against unfriendly states [1]
2017 Islamic State headquarters Raqqa declared under full control of US-led alliance by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) spokesman Talal Sello after 4 months of fighting
Did You Know?
The United States population reaches 300 million
Today in History in 2006
Would You Believe?
Chicago declared the ‘rattiest city’ in America for the sixth year in a row by pest control service Orkin
Today in History in 2020