This Day In History
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1981 Queen’s ‘fantasy assassin’ jailed
A teenage boy who fired blank shots at the Queen during a Trooping of the Colour ceremony has pleaded guilty to a charge under ... -
2001 US rocked by day of terror
The United States is in a state of shock after a day of attacks which have left thousands dead and New York’s World Trade ... -
1963 American Express comes to Britain
American Express, one of the world’s largest banking houses, has opened a credit card service in Britain. Holders of the cards will be able ... -
1976 Chairman Mao Zedong dies
The chief architect of the Chinese revolution, Chairman Mao Zedong, has died at the age of 82. His death – at 10 minutes past ... -
1986 Pinochet survives rebel ambush
The president of Chile has escaped an attempt on his life in a fierce attack which killed five of his bodyguards and wounded 11 ... -
1984 Epidemic ‘spreads to second hospital’
Three more people have died in the food poisoning epidemic at hospitals in Yorkshire bringing the total number of deaths to 22. The outbreak ... -
1957 Homosexuality ‘should not be a crime’
A report sponsored by the government has suggested homosexual behaviour between consenting adults should no longer be a criminal offence. The proposal is the ... -
1976 Hull prison riot ends
The last protesting imates at Hull’s top-security prison have finally surrendered after 67 hours on the rampage. The protest ended peacefully after negotiations with ... -
1945 Japan signs unconditional surrender
Japanese officials have signed the act of unconditional surrender, finally bringing to an end six years of world war. In the presence of 50 ... -
1939 Germany invades Poland
German forces have invaded Poland and its planes have bombed Polish cities, including the capital, Warsaw. The attack comes without any warning or declaration ... -
1997 Princess Diana dies in Paris crash
Diana, Princess of Wales, has died after a car crash in Paris. She was taken to hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning ... -
1963 King’s dream for racial harmony
The fight for racial equality in the United States moved a step closer to victory today as Martin Luther King spoke of his dream ... -
1979 Soldiers die in Warrenpoint massacre
At least 18 soldiers have been killed in two booby-trap bomb attacks at Warrenpoint, South Down, close to the border with the Irish Republic. ... -
1959 US to ‘stand by’ West Germans
America will stand by West Germans in their efforts to remain strong and free, the United States President has pledged. President Dwight D Eisenhower ... -
1967 ‘American Hitler’ shot dead
The leader of the American Nazi party, George Lincoln Rockwell, has been shot and killed by a sniper at a shopping centre in Arlington, ... -
1993 Michael Jackson accused of child abuse
Police in Los Angeles are investigating allegations of child abuse made against singer Michael Jackson. They have refused to give details but it has ... -
1968 Russia brings winter to ‘Prague Spring’
Dozens of people have been killed in a massive military clampdown in Czechoslovakia by five Warsaw Pact countries. Several members of the liberal Czechoslovak ... -
1978 Two dead after El Al crew ambushed
Two people have died and nine have been injured during an attack on a bus carrying Israelis in central London. The bus was taking ... -
2003 UN envoy dies in Baghdad bombing
A massive bomb has wrecked the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, killing at least 17 people including the UN’s chief envoy to Iraq, Sergio ... -
1989 Man U sold in record takeover deal
Manchester United Football Club has been sold for £20m in the biggest takeover deal in the history of British football. The new owner is ... -
1998 Clinton admits Lewinsky affair
President of the United States Bill Clinton has admitted having an inappropriate relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. In a televised address ... -
1980 Shipyard Poles strike for their rights
Shipyard workers in Gdansk, Poland, have staged a successful strike in protest over the dismissal of militant crane driver Anna Walentinowicz. The strike at ... -
1966 China announces Cultural Revolution
China has announced plans for a “new leap forward” after the first meeting in four years of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. The blueprint ... -
1990 Briton shot by Iraqis
A British man attempting to escape from Iraqi-occupied Kuwait has been shot by Iraqi soldiers. Douglas Croskery from Whitley Bay on Tyneside was in ... -
1999 Millions marvel at total eclipse
Up to 350 million people in Europe and Asia have witnessed the last total solar eclipse of the century. The phenomenon began over the ... -
1990 Magellan starts mapping Venus
The Magellan spacecraft has arrived at the planet Venus after an epic 15-month journey from Earth. The craft arrived just after 1730 BST (1630 ... -
1972 Asians given 90 days to leave Uganda
The Ugandan leader, Idi Amin, has set a deadline for the expulsion of most of the country’s Asians. General Amin said all Asians who ... -
1995 Japan mourns Hiroshima anniversary
Up to 50,000 people have attended a memorial service in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on the 50th anniversary of the first atomic bombing. ... -
1962 Marilyn Monroe found dead
Screen icon Marilyn Monroe has been found dead in bed at her Los Angeles home. The 36-year-old actress’ body was discovered in the early ... -
1964 Three civil rights activists found dead
The bodies of three civil rights workers missing for six weeks have been found buried in a partially constructed dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Agents ... -
2001 Car bomb in west London injures seven
A car bomb containing 45kg of explosives has been detonated in a busy west London street, injuring seven people. The explosion happened just seconds ... -
1998 UK imposes total ban on landmines
The British Government has announced a total ban on the use of landmines. Parliament passed the Landmines Act last month – after public pressure ... -
1966 Football glory for England
England have won football’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1930. A crowd of 93,000 spectators – including the ... -
1981 Charles and Diana marry
Crowds of 600,000 people filled the streets of London to catch a glimpse of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on their wedding day. ... -
1965 US orders 50,000 troops to Vietnam
President Johnson has committed a further 50,000 US troops to the conflict in Vietnam. Monthly draft calls will increase from 17,000 to 35,000 – ...
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