On this day...

[DavidM]

So this is it … Today Germany invades Belgium and Britain declares war on Germany . Bethmann Hollweg admits this is contrary to international law but states ‘ in necessity Germany knows no law ‘ . Britain , like other combatants , expected a limited war of rapid movement akin to previous conflicts , with Britain largely using its naval might and hegemony . Although the territorial integrity of Belgium was the casus belli Britains support for France was decisive.

[Shadow]

Happy Birthday to

Percy Bysshe Shelley 1792, Louis Vuitton 1821, John Venn 1834 (Insert your own joke) Harry Lauder 1870, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon -  later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 1900, Louis Armstrong 1901, Martin Jarvis 1941, Billy Bob Thornton 1955 and Kate Silverton 1970

Sad farewells to

Peter De Montfort, Henry De Montfort, and Simon De Montfort all in the Battle of Evesham 1265 in a variety of nasty ways, Marilyn Monroe 1962 and Victor Mature 1999

[DavidM]

23 minutes ago, Shadow said:

Percy Bysshe Shelley 1792, Louis Vuitton 1821, John Venn 1834 (Insert your own joke) Harry Lauder 1870, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon -  later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 1900, Louis Armstrong 1901, Martin Jarvis 1941, Billy Bob Thornton 1955 and Kate Silverton 1970

 

That would be some birthday dinner party 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

5 hours ago, Shadow said:

Happy Birthday to

Percy Bysshe Shelley 1792, Louis Vuitton 1821, John Venn 1834 (Insert your own joke) Harry Lauder 1870, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon -  later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 1900, Louis Armstrong 1901, Martin Jarvis 1941, Billy Bob Thornton 1955 and Kate Silverton 1970

Sad farewells to

Peter De Montfort, Henry De Montfort, and Simon De Montfort all in the Battle of Evesham 1265 in a variety of nasty ways, Marilyn Monroe 1962 and Victor Mature 1999

Also, happy birthday to the Duchess of Sussex (1981).  Just saying...

[DavidM]

William Cecil also died today in 1598

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On this day in 1693, Dom Perignon invented champagne. At least this is the date normally attached to it. 

On this day in 1704, a combined British and Dutch fleet capture Gibraltar during the War of the Spanish Succession. Its been ours ever since and they're not having it back! 

On this day in 1796, Napoleon leads the French Army of Italy to victory at the Battle of Lonato during the Revolutionary Wars. 

On this day in 1944, an informer leads the Gestapo to a warehouse where Anne Frank, her family and four others are found and arrested. 

On this day in 2020, 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate explodes in a warehouse in Beirut killing 220 people and injuring over 5,000. It is one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by The Hallucinating Goose

[The Hallucinating Goose]

12 hours ago, DavidM said:

So this is it … Today Germany invades Belgium and Britain declares war on Germany . Bethmann Hollweg admits this is contrary to international law but states ‘ in necessity Germany knows no law ‘ . Britain , like other combatants , expected a limited war of rapid movement akin to previous conflicts , with Britain largely using its naval might and hegemony . Although the territorial integrity of Belgium was the casus belli Britains support for France was decisive.

Possibly the most important event in history, Britain declaring war on Germany. German defeat in the First World War led to the total collapse of Germany's economy and numerous failed governments, leaving people disillusioned and causing the rise of support for fascist organisations. The Nazis thus get into power which leads to the Second World War which itself directly causes the Cold War due to the state of Europe post WW2 and the amount of territory and people brought under communist rule. And of course the Cold War would shape the world as we see it today. 

Of course you can always go backwards from the First World War. If Napoleon hadn't have dissolved the Holy Roman Empire and formed the Confederation of the Rhine, the first united German state would not have been formed post Napoleon which would not have led to the expansion of the German Empire into a military power and not led to them being the prominent aggressor in WW1 and Britain might not have felt the need to declare war because the war might have just been confined to Austria and the Balkans. 

Of course the Holy Roman Empire only existed because of the collapse of the Roman Empire in the first place. Bloody Romans! What did the Romans ever do for us?! 

Its essentially what history is isn't it and what makes it so fascinating. Thousands and thousands of "what if?" moments that get your imagination racing. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by The Hallucinating Goose

[DavidM]

Henry I crowned King of England 1100

Traitorous cad and scoundrel William Wallace captured . Transported to London he is put on trial and despite expert defence lawyers and a thoroughly fair trial he is found guilty by the Judge and sentenced to death 1305

Mayflower departs for America 1620

Cornerstone of Statue of Liberty set down 1884

Houdini spends 91 minutes underwater in sealed tank before escaping 1926

USSR annexes Latvia 1940

Germany captures 300,000 prisoners after end of Battle of Smolensk 1941

Mandela jailed 1962

US , UK , USSR agree nuclear tests ban in outer space , under water and in the atmosphere 1963

Screen titans Marilyn Monroe , Richard Burton and Alec Guinness died today 

Neil Armstrong , John Huston and the wonderful Joan Hickson were born 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Mandela being jailed and Marilyn Monroe being found dead both happened on the exact same day, 5th August 1962. Big news day! 

Also, I'm sure we all remember the Chilean mining accident that occurred on this day in 2010, when a collapse meant 33 miners would be trapped 700 metres underground for 69 days. Horrifying. 

[DavidM]

Today in 1806 Francis II the last Holy Roman Emperor abdicates , ending the Holy Roman Empire a thousand years after the reign of Charlemagne .

Bolivia gained independence from Spain 1825

William Kemmler first person executed by electric chair 1890

First U - Boats leave port to battle Royal Navy in the Atlantic 1914 … Serbia declares war on Germany and Austria declares war on Russia 

Estonia annexed by USSR 1940

’ Little Boy ‘ devastates Hiroshima . 70,000 killed instantly and thousands subsequently . Given the fanatical resistance on the islands Truman was informed an invasion of the home island would incur up to half a million deaths .

Cuba nationalised foreign property 1960

LBJ signs voting rights act 1965

Global trade embargo against Iraq 1990

Berners-Lee describes World Wide Web idea 1991

Curiosity lands on  Mars 2012

[DavidM]

First performance of Macbeth 1606

Battle of Guadalcanal 1942

White House Farm murders 1985 . Jeremy Bamber is convicted but maintains his innocence and debate rages to this day 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On this day in 1858, the first ever Aussie Rules game is played between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College. 

[DavidM]

Today in 1908 Wilbur Wright made his first public flight at Le Mans

Battle of Amiens 1918 . The beginning of the end 

Airship Graf Zeppelin begins round the world flight 1929

United Nations charter signed by US 1945

Great Train Robbery 1963

The Sharon Tate massacre 1969

Nixon makes resignation address 1974

Iraq occupies and annexes Kuwait 1990

John McCarthy released after 5 years 1991

Beijing Olympics . The 8-8-08 Olympics 

Fay Wray died aged 97

[DavidM]

48BC Battle of Pharsalus , Caesar defeats Pompey

Founding of Bulgaria 681

1173 work begins on leaning tower of Pisa . It will take two centuries . I’m sure I’ve had that builder 

Sistine Chapel opens 1483

Edison receives telegraph patent 1892

Edward and Alexandra crowned king and queen 1902

Fourth gold for Jesse Owens 1936

Bombing of Nagasaki 1945

Nixon resigns 1974

Frank Whittle inventor of the jet engine (1996), Clive Churchill (1985), Shostakovich (1975), Hugo Boss fashion designer , avid Nazi and manufacturer of SS uniforms (1948) , Emperor Trajan (117) died today 

[DavidM]

Louis XVI arrested ! 1792 … A year later the Louvre is opened 

Ottoman Empire divided up 1920

Debut of Spider-Man ! 1962

David Berkowitz finally arrested 1977

[Futtocks]

Happy Agent Orange Awareness Day!

[The Hallucinating Goose]

12 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Happy Agent Orange Awareness Day!

Yep, on this day in 1961, Operation Ranch Hand began which, over a period of about 10 years, saw the Americans spray approximately 20,000,000 gallons of chemicals across South Vietnam, damaging and destroying 5,000,000 acres of forest and 500,000 acres of crops.

Not sure what to say about that really... 

[DavidM]

On this day in 30BC Cleopatra commits suicide allegedly by asp . This ends the Grecian - Ptolemaic dynasty going back to Alexander the Great 

1121 , King David ( hoorah ! ) of Georgia defeats the mighty Seljuk Ilghazi 

Qublai Khan’s fleet destroyed by famous divine winds approaching Japan 1281

1624 Cardinal Richelieu becomes Louis XVI’s principal minister 

Chicago founded 1833

Isaac Singer granted patent for sewing machine 1851

Ford builds first Model T 1908

Britain declares war on Austria - Hungary 1914

Soviets detonate their first thermonuclear bomb 1953

Charlie Wilson escapes from prison 1964

SAfrica banned from Olympics 1964

Space shuttle Enterprise launched 1977

IBM computer released 1981

Kursk sinks 2000

London Olympics closes 2012 

The great George Stephenson died today in 1848 . The great Lauren Bacall died in 2014 . Robert Robinson died in 2011 . Merv Griffin giant of American television and serial killer exposed in The Man With Two Brains , died in 2007 . Legend Henry Fonda died in 1982 as did Salvador Sanchez … only 23 . Ian Fleming died in 1964 . William Blake died in 1827 .

Edited August 12, 2022 by DavidM

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

3 hours ago, DavidM said:

On this day in 30BC Cleopatra commits suicide allegedly by asp . This ends the Grecian - Ptolemaic dynasty going back to Alexander the Great 

 

 

 

 

I recall that Gracie Fields sang a song about Cleopatra's suicide - "The Biggest Asp Disaster in the World"!

I would love to claim the credit for that, but, as I recall, I heard the late, great Frank Muir say it.

[DavidM]

3 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I recall that Gracie Fields sang a song about Cleopatra's suicide - "The Biggest Asp Disaster in the World"!

I would love to claim the credit for that, but, as I recall, I heard the late, great Frank Muir say it.

I always remember Andrew Marr saying Gracie Fields couldn’t act and couldn’t sing but was immensely popular showing not everything in history can be explained 

[DavidM]

Octavian holds procession in Rome after defeating Dalmatians 29 BC

John becomes Pope 523

Maurice becomes Head of Eastern Roman Empire 582

Cortes conquers Aztecs 1521

One if the greatest battles and victories in British history , the Battle of Blenheim , led by arguably our greatest general Marlborough … John Churchill . Started quite a line 1704 

Louis XVI arrested 1792

Brearley invents stainless steel 1913

BATTLE OF BRITAIN BEGINS ! 
 
East Germany closes Berlin border 1961

Peter Allen & Gwynn Evans last people executed in UK 1964

Edited August 13, 2022 by DavidM

[DavidM]

Macbeth defeats King Duncan in battle 1040

Count Adolf of Berg creates Düsseldorf 1288

First beauty contest held in Folkestone 1908 . A young Ann Widdecombe is second 

Romania joins the Allies 1916

Churchill and Roosevelt sign Atlantic Charter 1941

Surrender terms accepted by Japan 1945

Pakusran independence 1947

Offshore pirate radio illegal 1967

Troops deployed to NI 1969

Gdansk shipyard strikes 1980

Carlos the Jackal captured 1994

US Embassy in Havana reopens 2015

Edited August 14, 2022 by DavidM

[Futtocks]

1959: First Photograph of Earth taken from Space.

[DavidM]

Roland killed at Battle of Roncevaux Pass 778

Macbeth killed in battle 1057

Sistine Chapel consecrated by Sixtus 1483

Wizard of Oz premiers 1939

Spy Joseph Jakobs executed at the Tower . The last person executed there for treason 1941

Operation Dragoon , the landings in southern france 1944

VJ DAY . Japan surrenders 1945

Indian independence 1947

South Korea established 1948

Woodstock 1969

SETI received ‘ wow ‘ signal 1977

Omagh terrorist atrocity 1998

[DavidM]

On this day was the Peterloo Masscre of 1819

Ringo Starr joins The Beatles ( pop group not ISIS terrorist cell ) 1962

Elvis dies 1977

Usain Bolt runs 9.69 in Beijing 2008

George of Georgia 1027 , Albert of Austria 1258 , John of Saxony 1532 , and Peter of Serbia 1921 died