People’s Republic of China
The People’s Republic of China was officially established, with Mao Zedong proclaiming the founding of a new era for the world’s most populous nation.
USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was commissioned at Groton, Connecticut, with Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson as the boat’s first commander.
Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam, one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century, was dedicated, providing hydroelectric power and water resources to the American Southwest.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees hit his 60th home run of the baseball season, a record that stood for decades and became a symbol of baseball greatness.
4179 Toutatis
The asteroid 4179 Toutatis made a close approach to Earth, providing valuable insights into the study of asteroids and planetary defense.
Sinking of MS Estonia
MS Estonia, a passenger and car ferry, sank in the Baltic Sea killing more than 800 passengers. It is considered to be the worst maritime peace-time disaster of the 20th century.
Babi Yar Massacre
On this day in 1941, the Babi Yar massacre began in Kiev, Ukraine, as Nazi forces executed thousands of Jewish residents, marking one of the most horrifying atrocities of the Holocaust.
Oslo II Accords
Rabin, Peres, and Arafat signed the Oslo II Accords (formally Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip), which detailed the expansion of Palestinian self-rule to population centres other than Gaza and Jericho.
Penicillin
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first true antibiotic, revolutionizing medicine and saving countless lives.
California “discovered”
Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, known as the “discoverer” of California, landed this day in 1542 near what is now San Diego and became the first European to set foot on the west coast of what would become the United States.