On This Day — 22 June

2025

The United States conducts airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

United States

2022

An earthquake occurs in eastern Afghanistan resulting in over 1,000 deaths.

June 2022 Afghanistan earthquake

2015

The Afghan National Assembly building is attacked by gunmen after a suicide bombing. All six of the gunmen are killed and 18 people are injured.

National Assembly (Afghanistan)

2012

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo is removed from office by impeachment and succeeded by Federico Franco.

Paraguay

2012

A Turkish Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter plane is shot down by the Syrian Armed Forces, killing both of the plane's pilots and worsening already-strained relations between Turkey and Syria.

Turkish Air Force

2009

A Washington D.C Metro train traveling southbound near Fort Totten station collides into another train waiting to enter the station. Nine people are killed in the collision (eight passengers and the train operator) and at least 80 others are injured.

Washington Metro

2007

The small town of Elie, Manitoba is hit by Canada's most intense tornado on record.

Elie, Manitoba

2002

An earthquake measuring 6.5 Mw strikes a region of northwestern Iran killing at least 261 people and injuring 1,300 others and eventually causing widespread public anger due to the slow official response.

Moment magnitude scale

2000

Wuhan Airlines Flight 343 is struck by lightning and crashes into Wuhan's Hanyang District, killing 49 people.

Wuhan Airlines Flight 343

1990

Cold War: Checkpoint Charlie is dismantled in Berlin.

Cold War

1986

The famous Hand of God goal, scored by Diego Maradona in the quarter-finals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and England, ignites controversy. This was later followed by the Goal of the Century. Argentina wins 2–1 and later goes on to win the World Cup.

The hand of God

1984

Virgin Atlantic launches with its first flight from London to Newark.

Virgin Atlantic

1979

Former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was acquitted of conspiracy to murder Norman Scott, who had accused Thorpe of having a relationship with him.

Liberal Party (UK)

1978

Charon, the first of Pluto's satellites to be discovered, was first seen at the United States Naval Observatory by James W. Christy.

Charon (moon)

1969

The Cuyahoga River catches fire in Cleveland, Ohio, drawing national attention to water pollution, and spurring the passing of the Clean Water Act and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Cuyahoga River

1966

Vietnamese Buddhist activist leader Thích Trí Quang was arrested as the military junta of Nguyen Cao Ky crushed the Buddhist Uprising.

Buddhism in Vietnam

1965

The Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea is signed.

Treaty on Basic Relations Between Japan and the Republic of Korea

1962

Air France Flight 117 crashes on approach to Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport in Guadeloupe, killing 112 people.

Air France Flight 117

1948

The ship HMT Empire Windrush brought the first group of 802 West Indian immigrants to Tilbury, marking the start of modern immigration to the United Kingdom.

HMT Empire Windrush

1948

King George VI formally gives up the title "Emperor of India", half a year after Britain actually gave up its rule of India.

George VI

1945

World War II: The Battle of Okinawa comes to an end with an American flag-raising ceremony.

Battle of Okinawa

1944

World War II: Opening day of the Soviet Union's Operation Bagration against the Army Group Centre.

Operation Bagration

1944

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs into law the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1942

World War II: Erwin Rommel is promoted to Field Marshal after the Axis capture of Tobruk.

Erwin Rommel

1942

The Pledge of Allegiance is formally adopted by U.S. Congress.

Pledge of Allegiance

1941

World War II: Nazi Germany invades the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa.

Nazi Germany

1940

World War II: France is forced to sign the Second Compiègne armistice with Germany, in the same railroad car in which the Germans signed the Armistice in 1918.

World War II

1922

British Army Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson is killed by the Irish Republican Army helping to spark the Irish Civil War.

Field marshal (United Kingdom)

1918

The Hammond Circus Train Wreck kills 86 and injures 127 near Hammond, Indiana.

Hammond Circus train wreck

1911

George V and Mary of Teck are crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

George V

1911

Mexican Revolution: Government forces bring an end to the Magonista rebellion of 1911 in the Second Battle of Tijuana.

Mexican Revolution

1907

The London Underground's Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway opens.

London Underground

1898

Spanish–American War: In a chaotic operation, 6,000 men of the U.S. Fifth Army Corps begins landing at Daiquirí, Cuba, about 16 miles (26 km) east of Santiago de Cuba. Lt. Gen. Arsenio Linares y Pombo of the Spanish Army outnumbers them two-to-one, but does not oppose the landings.

Spanish–American War

1897

British colonial officers Charles Walter Rand and Lt. Charles Egerton Ayerst are assassinated in Pune, Maharashtra, India by the Chapekar brothers and Mahadeo Vinayak Ranade, who are later caught and hanged.

British Overseas Territories

1893

The Royal Navy battleship HMS Camperdown accidentally rams the British Mediterranean Fleet flagship HMS Victoria which sinks taking 358 crew with her, including the fleet's commander, Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon.

Royal Navy

1870

The United States Department of Justice is created by the U.S. Congress.

United States Department of Justice

1839

Cherokee leaders Major Ridge, John Ridge, and Elias Boudinot are assassinated for signing the Treaty of New Echota, which had resulted in the Trail of Tears.

Cherokee

1812

France declares war on Russia, starting Napoleon's invasion.

1812 French declaration of war on Russia

1807

In the Chesapeake–Leopard affair, the British warship HMS Leopard attacks and boards the American frigate USS Chesapeake.

Chesapeake–Leopard affair

1793

Haitian Revolution: The Battle of Cap-Français ends with French Republican troops and black slave insurgents capturing the city.

Haitian Revolution

1783

A poisonous cloud caused by the eruption of the Laki volcano in Iceland reaches Le Havre in France.

Volcanic eruption

1774

The British pass the Quebec Act, setting out rules of governance for the colony of Quebec in British North America.

Quebec Act

1633

The Holy Office in Rome forces Galileo Galilei to recant his view that the Sun, not the Earth, is the center of the Universe in the form he presented it in, after heated controversy.

Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

1593

Battle of Sisak: Allied Christian troops defeat the Ottomans.

Battle of Sisak

1527

Fatahillah expels Portuguese forces from Sunda Kelapa, now regarded as the foundation of Jakarta.

Fatahillah

910

The Hungarians defeat the East Frankish army near the Rednitz River, killing its leader Gebhard, Duke of Lotharingia (Lorraine).

Hungarians

813

Battle of Versinikia: The Bulgars led by Krum defeat the Byzantine army near Edirne. Emperor Michael I is forced to abdicate in favor of Leo V the Armenian.

Battle of Versinikia

431

The Council of Ephesus, the third ecumenical council, begins, dealing with Nestorianism.

Council of Ephesus

-168

Battle of Pydna: Romans under Lucius Aemilius Paullus defeat Macedonian King Perseus who surrenders after the battle, ending the Third Macedonian War.

Battle of Pydna

-217

Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV Philopator of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom.

Battle of Raphia