On This Day — 12 August

2021

Six people, five victims and the perpetrator are killed in Keyham, Plymouth in the worst mass shooting in the UK since 2010.

Plymouth

2018

Thirty-nine civilians, including a dozen children, are killed in an explosion at a weapons depot in Sarmada, Syria.

Sarmada

2017

The Unite the Right rally occurs in Charlottesville, Virginia, leading to the deaths of 3 and injuring nearly 50 more.

Unite the Right rally

2016

Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the city of Manbij from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Syrian civil war

2015

At least two massive explosions kill 173 people and injure nearly 800 more in Tianjin, China.

2015 Tianjin explosions

2000

The Russian Navy submarine Kursk explodes and sinks in the Barents Sea during a military exercise, killing her entire 118-man crew.

Russian Navy

1994

Major League Baseball players go on strike, eventually forcing the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.

Major League Baseball

1992

Canada, Mexico and the United States announce completion of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

North American Free Trade Agreement

1990

Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton found to date, is discovered by Sue Hendrickson in South Dakota.

Sue (dinosaur)

1985

Japan Air Lines Flight 123, a Boeing 747, crashes into Osutaka ridge in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, killing 520, becoming the worst single-plane air disaster.

Japan Air Lines Flight 123

1984

An infamous brawl takes place at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.

1984 Braves–Padres bean brawl

1981

The IBM Personal Computer is released.

IBM Personal Computer

1977

The first free flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise.

Approach and Landing Tests

1977

The Sri Lanka Riots: Targeting the minority Sri Lankan Tamils, begin, less than a month after the United National Party came to power. Over 300 Tamils are killed.

1977 anti-Tamil pogrom

1976

Between 1,000 and 3,500 Palestinians are killed in the Tel al-Zaatar massacre, one of the bloodiest events of the Lebanese Civil War.

Palestinians

1969

Violence erupts after the Apprentice Boys of Derry march in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in a three-day communal riot known as the Battle of the Bogside.

Apprentice Boys of Derry

1964

South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies.

South Africa

1960

Echo 1A, NASA's first successful communications satellite, is launched.

Project Echo

1953

Thermonuclear bomb testing: The Soviet atomic bomb project continues with the detonation of "RDS-6s" (Joe 4) using a "layered" scheme.

Nuclear weapons testing

1953

The 7.2 Ms  Ionian earthquake shakes the southern Ionian Islands with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). Between 445 and 800 people are killed.

1953 Ionian earthquake

1952

The Night of the Murdered Poets: Thirteen prominent Jewish intellectuals are murdered in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union.

Night of the Murdered Poets

1948

Between 15 and 150 unarmed members of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement are killed by Pakistani police.

Babrra massacre

1944

Waffen-SS troops massacre 560 people in Sant'Anna di Stazzema.

Waffen-SS

1944

Nazi German troops end the week-long Wola massacre, during which time at least 40,000 people are killed indiscriminately or in mass executions.

Nazi Germany

1944

Alençon is liberated by General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, the first city in France to be liberated from the Nazis by French forces.

Alençon

1914

World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on Austria-Hungary.

World War I

1914

World War I: The Battle of Halen a.k.a. Battle of the Silver Helmets a clash between large Belgian and German cavalry formations at Halen, Belgium.

Battle of Halen

1898

The Hawaiian flag is lowered from ʻIolani Palace in an elaborate annexation ceremony and replaced with the flag of the United States to signify the transfer of sovereignty from the Republic of Hawaii to the United States where it is formally recognized as Hawaii.

Flag of Hawaii

1883

The last quagga dies at the Natura Artis Magistra, a zoo in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Quagga

1865

Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic surgery.

Joseph Lister

1851

Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his sewing machine.

Isaac Singer

1831

French intervention forces William I of the Netherlands to abandon his attempt to suppress the Belgian Revolution.

William I of the Netherlands

1806

Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina after the first British invasion.

Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires

1793

The Rhône and Loire départments are created when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire is split into two.

Rhône (department)

1788

The Anjala conspiracy is signed.

Anjala League

1765

Treaty of Allahabad is signed. The Treaty marks the political and constitutional involvement and the beginning of Company rule in India.

Treaty of Allahabad

1687

Battle of Mohács: Charles of Lorraine defeats the Ottoman Empire.

Battle of Mohács (1687)

1676

Praying Indian John Alderman shoots and kills Metacomet, the Wampanoag war chief, ending King Philip's War.

Praying Indian

1624

Charles de La Vieuville is arrested and replaced by Cardinal Richelieu as the French king's chief advisor.

Charles de La Vieuville

1499

First engagement of the Battle of Zonchio between Venetian and Ottoman fleets.

Battle of Zonchio

1492

Christopher Columbus arrives in the Canary Islands on his first voyage to the New World.

Christopher Columbus

1323

The Treaty of Nöteborg between Sweden and Novgorod Republic is signed, regulating the border between the two countries for the first time.

Treaty of Nöteborg

1164

Battle of Harim: Nur ad-Din Zangi defeats the Crusader armies of the County of Tripoli and the Principality of Antioch.

Battle of Harim

1121

Battle of Didgori: The Georgian army under King David IV wins a decisive victory over the famous Seljuk commander Ilghazi.

Battle of Didgori

1099

First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid forces led by Al-Afdal Shahanshah. This is considered the last engagement of the First Crusade.

First Crusade