August 15

Sunday 15, 1999:

Beni Ounif massacre in Algeria; some 29 people killed at a false roadblock near the Moroccan border, leading to temporary tensions with Morocco.

Saturday 15, 1998:

Omagh bomb in Northern Ireland, becoming the worst terrorist incident of The Troubles

Tuesday 15, 1978:

The City of Peace and Future Man

Monday 15, 1977:

The Big Ear, a radio telescope operated by The Ohio State University as part of the SETI project, receives a radio signal from deep space; the event is named the "WOW!" signal for notation made by a volunteer on the project.

Friday 15, 1975:

Miki Takeo makes the first official pilgrimage to Yasukuni Shrine by a sitting prime minister on the anniversary of the end of World War II.

Thursday 15, 1974:

Yook Young-soo, First Lady of South Korea is killed amid an apparent assassination attempt upon President of the South Korea, Park Chung-hee, during the anniversarial ceremony of the Liberation day.

Wednesday 15, 1973:

Vietnam War: The United States bombing of Cambodia ends

Sunday 15, 1971:

President Richard Nixon ends convertibility of U.S. dollar into gold

Friday 15, 1969:

The Woodstock Music and Art Festival opens.

Sunday 15, 1965:

John Coltrane plays in Chicago, Illinois for the Downbeat Jazz Festival with Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner.

Tuesday 15, 1961:

Construction begins on the Berlin Wall, Conrad Schumann flees from East Germany.

Monday 15, 1960:

Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) declares its independence from France

Sunday 15, 1948:

The Republic of Korea is established south of 38th Parallel

Friday 15, 1947:

India gains independence from Britain. Jawaharlal Nehru takes office as the first Prime Minister of India

Wednesday 15, 1945:

World War II: Korean Liberation Day

Tuesday 15, 1944:

Allied forces land in southern France.

Saturday 15, 1942:

The SS Ohio reaches the island of Malta barely afloat carrying vital fuel supplies for the island defenses.

Sunday 15, 1920:

Poles defeat the Red Army.

Saturday 15, 1914:

The Panama Canal opens to traffic

Wednesday 15, 1877:

"Mary Had a Little Lamb"

Saturday 15, 1863:

The Satsuma war begins between the Satsuma clan and Great Britain (Traditional Japanese date: July 2, 1863).

Tuesday 15, 1843:

Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest still intact amusement parks in the world, opens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sunday 15, 1824:

Freed American slaves form Liberia.

Saturday 15, 1620:

The Mayflower departs Southampton, England.

Monday 15, 1549:

Jesuit priest Francis Xavier comes ashore at Kagoshima (Traditional Japanese date: July 22, 1549).

Thursday 15, 1540:

Arequipa, Peru is founded

Thursday 15, 1535:

Asuncion, Paraguay is founded

Wednesday 15, 1534:

The Society of Jesus is founded by Ignatius of Loyola with Francis Xavier and other students

Friday 15, 1519:

Panama City, Panama is founded

Wednesday 15, 1517:

Seven Portuguese armed vessels led by Fernao Pires de Andrade meet Chinese officials at the Pearl River estuary.

Thursday 15, 1309:

The city of Rhodes surrenders to the forces of the Knights of St. John, completing their conquest of Rhodes. The knights establish their headquartes on the island, and rename themselves as the Knights of Rhodes.

Thursday 15, 1185:

The cave city of Vardzia was consecrated by Queen Tamar of Georgia

Saturday 15, 1057:

King MacBeth of Scotland is killed during the Battle of Lumphanan by the forces of King Malcolm III.

Friday 15, 927:

The Saracens conquered and destroyed Taranto

Tuesday 15, 778:

The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, in which Roland is killed

More on August, 15

• People Born on August, 15
• They left us on August, 15