Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev was a Soviet politician who served as the last leader…
23 August 1898
The Southern Cross Expedition, the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, departs from London. The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration refers…
22 August 1953
The penal colony on Devil’s Island is permanently closed. Devil’s Island, part of the Îles du Salut (Salvation Islands) off the coast of French Guiana…
21 August 1982
Lebanese Civil War: The first troops of a multinational force lands in Beirut to oversee the Palestine Liberation Organization’s withdrawal from Lebanon. The war ended…
20 August 1882
Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture debuts in Moscow, Russia. Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture is one of the most famous pieces of classical music, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky…
19 August 1964
Syncom 3, the first geostationary communication satellite, is launched. Two months later, it would enable live coverage of the 1964 Summer Olympics. Syncom 3 was…
18 August 1783
A huge fireball meteor is seen across Great Britain as it passes over the east coast. The Fireball Meteor of 1783 is a fascinating event…
17 August 1945
The novella Animal Farm by George Orwell is first published. Animal Farm is a novella written by George Orwell, first published in 1945. The book…
16 August 1916
The Migratory Bird Treaty between Canada and the United States is signed. The Migratory Bird Treaty between Canada and the United States is a historic…
15 August 1914
The Panama Canal opens to traffic with the transit of the cargo ship SS Ancon. The Panama Canal is a significant artificial waterway in Panama…