November 20

Thursday 20, 2003:

2003 - Michael Jackson is arrested by police on charges of child molestation.

Tuesday 20, 2001:

In Washington, DC, US President George W. Bush dedicates the United States Department of Justice headquarters building as the Robert F. Kennedy Justice Building, honoring the late Robert F. Kennedy on what would have been his 76th birthday.

Saturday 20, 1999:

The People's Republic of China launches its first Shenzhou spacecraft.

Friday 20, 1998:

A court in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan declares accused terrorist Osama bin Laden "a man without a sin" in regards to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.

Sunday 20, 1994:

The Angolan government and UNITA rebels sign the Lusaka Protocol in Zambia, ending 19 years of civil war (in 1995 localized fighting resumed).

Saturday 20, 1993:

Savings and Loan scandal: The United States Senate Ethics Committee issues a stern censure of California senator Alan Cranston for his "dealings" with savings-and-loan executive Charles Keating.

Friday 20, 1992:

In England, a fire breaks out in the Private Chapel room of Windsor Castle, rages for 15 hours, and seriously damages the northwest side of the building (an investigation found that the fire was ignited after a spotlight came into contact with a curtain over an extended period).

Monday 20, 1989:

Velvet Revolution: The number of peaceful protestors assembled in Prague, Czechoslovakia swells from 200,000 the day before to an estimated half-million.

Sunday 20, 1983:

An estimated 100 million people watch the controversial made-for-television movie The Day After, depicting the start of a nuclear war.

Saturday 20, 1982:

1982 - Andy Kaufman was forever voted off of Saturday Night Live by a live phone poll.

Wednesday 20, 1974:

The United States Department of Justice files its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. This suit later leads to the break up of AT&T and its Bell System.

Thursday 20, 1969:

Vietnam War: The Cleveland Plain Dealer publishes explicit photographs of dead villagers from the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.

Wednesday 20, 1968:

Vietnam War: Eleven men comprising a Long Range Patrol team from F Company, 58th Infantry, 101st_Airborne are surrounded and nearly wiped out by North_Vietnamese_Army regulars from the 4th and 5th Regiment. The seven wounded survivors and their fallen brothers are rescued after several hours by an impromptu force made of other men from their unit.

Sunday 20, 1966:

Cabaret opens at the Imperial Theatre, New York

Tuesday 20, 1962:

Cuban Missile Crisis ends: In response to the Soviet Union agreeing to remove its missiles from Cuba, US President John F. Kennedy ends the quarantine of the Caribbean nation.

Sunday 20, 1955:

Bo Diddley becomes the first African American performer to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. Apparently Sullivan was infuriated when Diddley sang his self-titled song instead of Tennessee Ernie Ford's hit, "Sixteen Tons".

Thursday 20, 1947:

The Princess Elizabeth marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey in London.

Tuesday 20, 1945:

Nuremberg Trials begin: Trials against 24 Nazi war criminals of World War II start at the Nuremberg Palace of Justice.

Saturday 20, 1943:

United States Marines land on Tarawa and Makin atolls in the Gilbert Islands and take heavy fire from Japanese shore guns.

Wednesday 20, 1940:

World War II: Hungary, Romania and Slovakia join the Axis Powers.

Tuesday 20, 1917:

1917 - Ukraine is declared a republic.

Sunday 20, 1910:

Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero denounces President Porfirio Díaz, declares himself president, and calls for a revolution to overthrow the government of Mexico.

Thursday 20, 1902:

Henri Desgrange and fellow journalist Géo Lefèvre dream up the idea of the Tour de France over lunch at the Café de Madrid in Paris.

Monday 20, 1820:

An 80-ton sperm whale attacks the Essex (a whaling ship from Nantucket, Massachusetts) 2,000 miles from the western coast of South America (Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick was in part inspired by this story).

Friday 20, 1789:

New Jersey becomes the first U.S. state to ratify the Bill of Rights.

Saturday 20, 1700:

King Charles XII of Sweden defeats the army of Tsar Peter the Great at Narva.

Friday 20, 1468:

Joanot Martorell's book Tirant lo Blanc is published for the first time.

Friday 20, 1407:

A solemn truce between John, Duke of Burgundy and Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans is agreed under the auspicies of John, Duke of Berry. Orléans would be assassinated three days later by Burgundy.

Sunday 20, 1272:

Following Henry III of England's death on November 16, his son Prince Edward becomes King of England.

More on November, 20

• People Born on November, 20
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