Today in History

2011 Muammar Gaddafi is Captured The deposed leader of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, is captured by the National Transitional Council Forces. He was killed by the troops soon after. 1982 Luzhniki Disaster A stampede during a UEFA Cup soccer (football) match between Dutch…

2005 Trial of Saddam Hussein Begins The Iraqi Special Tribunal started the trial of deposed President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and 7 other defendants for crimes against humanity. Hussein, who was the fifth President of Iraq was found guilty and was executed…

1867 Alaska Becomes a Part of the United States US had purchased the large and sparsely populated territory of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The purchase was not seen as a positive acquirement by many American citizens who believed that adding…

1973 OPEC Declares Oil Embargo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC led by Arab countries declared an oil embargo on any country that supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War, which was fought between Israel and a coalition of…

1964 First Chinese Nuclear Test Codenamed Chic-1 or 596, the 22 kiloton uranium fission device was dropped at Lop Nur. With this test, China became the fifth nuclear power state in the World. The other four are the United States, Russia, the…