The United Nations officially launched the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to prosecute individuals responsible for the 1994 genocide, setting a precedent for international justice.
📍 Arusha, Tanzania
The Soviet government declared its intention to withdraw forces from Afghanistan, ending a nearly decade-long occupation that had strained Soviet resources and contributed to the Cold War’s unraveling.
📍 Moscow, USSR
IBM launched its Personal Computer in Europe, expanding the global influence of the PC and marking a milestone in the rise of personal computing across international markets.
📍 Paris, France
Classified documents revealed that on this date, the Argentine military formally began planning the invasion of the Falkland Islands, setting in motion the events that led to war with the United Kingdom months later.
📍 Buenos Aires, Argentina
The United States signed a multilateral arms control agreement with NATO allies to limit nuclear proliferation and reinforce Cold War-era defense coordination across the Atlantic alliance.
📍 Brussels, Belgium
Ferdinand Marcos publicly hinted at plans for martial law during an address to the Philippine Congress, laying the groundwork for the declaration that would come the following year and plunge the country into authoritarian rule.
📍 Manila, Philippines
Indira Gandhi was elected as the Prime Minister of India, becoming the country's first female head of government and one of the most influential leaders in post-colonial South Asia.
📍 New Delhi, India
The USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was commissioned by the United States Navy. It symbolized Cold War-era naval superiority and technological innovation.
📍 Newport News, Virginia, United States
IBM installed its 1401 data processing system in Europe for the first time, revolutionizing business computing and accelerating the spread of digital automation across international industries.
📍 Paris, France
The United States aired the first televised weather forecast using radar imagery. This milestone changed public access to meteorological data and helped advance weather forecasting globally.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The Soviet Red Army liberated Kraków from Nazi Germany during the Vistula–Oder Offensive, sparing the historic city from major destruction and ending years of brutal occupation.
📍 Kraków, Poland
Janis Joplin, one of the most influential female rock singers of the 1960s, was born. Her raw voice and counterculture presence left a lasting impact on music history and the spirit of the era.
📍 Port Arthur, Texas, United States
The Government of India Act 1919 was passed by British Parliament, expanding Indian participation in governance through the system of dyarchy, a key step on the road to independence.
📍 London, United Kingdom
The first automated telephone switchboard, invented by Almon Strowger, was demonstrated in La Porte, Indiana. It revolutionized telecommunications and eliminated the need for human operators in local exchanges.
📍 La Porte, Indiana, United States
India witnessed its first documented hot air balloon flight in Calcutta, symbolizing the early influence of Western aviation advancements in the British colony.
📍 Calcutta, British India
The newly formed German Empire held its first national assembly, symbolizing the consolidation of various German states under one imperial rule following unification led by Prussia.
📍 Frankfurt, Germany
Mississippi became one of the first states to formally recognize and support the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, signaling the fragmentation of the Union.
📍 Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Edgar Allan Poe, the American writer known for pioneering the detective fiction genre and for his haunting poetry and tales of mystery, was born. His work left a profound global impact on literature and popular culture.
📍 Boston, Massachusetts, United States
U.S. President John Adams nominated John Marshall as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall’s tenure would transform the judiciary into a co-equal branch of government and establish principles like judicial review.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Giuseppe Piazzi's continued observations confirmed that the newly discovered celestial object, Ceres, was orbiting the Sun. This confirmed it as the first known asteroid, revolutionizing astronomy.
📍 Palermo, Italy