Following years of instability after the 1986 disaster, Reactor 2 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was permanently shut down due to a fire, further reducing operations at the infamous site.
📍 Chernobyl, Ukraine
Namibia was officially admitted as the 160th member of the United Nations following its independence from South African rule earlier that year.
📍 New York, United States
India’s INSAT-1B satellite became operational, marking a major step in telecommunications, meteorology, and broadcasting, and laying the foundation for India’s space program growth.
📍 India
Seychelles officially gained independence from British colonial rule, becoming a sovereign nation and joining the Commonwealth.
📍 Victoria, Seychelles
The 1968 Summer Olympics concluded in Mexico City, remembered for iconic moments such as the Black Power salute and the introduction of drug testing in sports.
📍 Mexico City, Mexico
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon participated in the first televised U.S. presidential debate, transforming political communication and highlighting the growing influence of television in politics.
📍 Chicago, Illinois, United States
India marked its first national observance of Krishna Janmashtami, celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, reinforcing cultural unity in the post-independence era.
📍 India
The BBC resumed its television service after a seven-year suspension due to World War II, marking the revival of broadcast media in post-war Britain.
📍 London, United Kingdom
American forces landed in the Philippines, beginning the campaign to liberate the islands from Japanese occupation during World War II.
📍 Leyte, Philippines
Mother Teresa arrived in Calcutta, India, where she would begin her lifelong mission of serving the poor and sick, eventually founding the Missionaries of Charity.
📍 Calcutta, India
Charles Lindbergh received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his pioneering solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic, recognizing his contribution to aviation history.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was certified, granting women the right to vote. This milestone in women's rights is commemorated annually as Women's Equality Day.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Station 8MK (now WWJ) in Detroit began regular broadcasting, marking the birth of commercial radio and transforming mass communication worldwide.
📍 Detroit, Michigan, United States
A German Zeppelin completed its first flight over the English Channel during World War I, marking a new era in aerial warfare and long-range bombing.
📍 English Channel
During World War I, the first recorded dogfight took place between French and German aircraft, marking the beginning of aerial combat tactics.
📍 Tournai, Belgium
Alexander Graham Bell received the first U.S. patent for the invention of the telephone, revolutionizing global communication.
📍 United States
The guillotine was used for the first time in France as an official execution device during the French Revolution, symbolizing the era’s radical shift in justice and equality.
📍 Paris, France
The French National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a fundamental document of the French Revolution that became a cornerstone for human rights worldwide.
📍 Paris, France
British forces defeated American troops at the Battle of Long Island, the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War, forcing George Washington’s army to retreat.
📍 Brooklyn, New York, United States
During the Hundred Years' War, English forces achieved a decisive victory over France at the Battle of Crécy, showcasing the effectiveness of the longbow and shifting medieval warfare tactics.
📍 Crécy, France