April 18

Historic Events

2026

Seven people are killed and fourteen others are injured in a mass shooting in Kyiv, Ukraine ›

2019

A redacted version of the Mueller report is released to the United States Congress and the public. ›

2018

King Mswati III of Swaziland announces that his country's name will change to Eswatini. ›

2018

Anti-government protests start in Nicaragua. ›

1996

The Israeli military commits the Qana massacre in a deliberate shelling of a United Nations compound near the village of Qana in southern Lebanon, killing 106 Lebanese civilians who were taking shelter there and wounding over 100 more. ›

1988

The United States launches Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the largest naval battle since World War II. ›

1988

In Israel John Demjanjuk is sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II, although the verdict is later overturned. ›

1980

The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency. ›

1980

The town of Elmore City, Oklahoma holds its first dance in the town's history. ›

1978

The Ba Chúc massacre begins, which precipitates the Cambodian–Vietnamese War the same year. ›

1972

East African Airways Flight 720 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 43. ›

1955

Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference. ›

1954

Gamal Abdel Nasser seizes power in Egypt. ›

1949

The Republic of Ireland Act comes into force, declaring Éire to be a republic and severing Ireland's "association" with the Commonwealth of Nations. ›

1947

The Operation Big Bang, the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion to that time, destroys bunkers and military installations on the North Sea island of Heligoland, Germany. ›

1946

The International Court of Justice holds its inaugural meeting in The Hague, Netherlands. ›

1946

Jackie Robinson makes his regular season debut for the Montreal Royals of the International League, to make them the first integrated modern professional baseball team. ›

1945

World War II: Over 1,000 bombers attack the small island of Heligoland, Germany. ›

1945

Italian resistance movement: In Turin, despite the harsh repressive measures adopted by Nazi-fascists, a great pre-insurrectional strike begins. ›

1943

World War II: Operation Vengeance, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is killed when his aircraft is shot down by U.S. fighters over Bougainville Island. ›

1942

World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya are bombed. ›

1942

Pierre Laval becomes Prime Minister of Vichy France. ›

1939

Robert Menzies, who became Australia's longest-serving prime minister, is elected as leader of the United Australia Party after the death of Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. ›

1938

Superman debuts in Action Comics #1 (cover dated June 1938). ›

1930

A fire kills 118 people at a wooden church in the small Romanian town of Costești, most of them schoolchildren, after starting during Good Friday services. ›

1916

World War I: During a mine warfare in high altitude on the Dolomites, the Italian troops conquer the Col di Lana held by the Austrian army. ›

1915

World War I: French pilot Roland Garros is shot down and glides to a landing on the German side of the lines. ›

1912

The Cunard liner RMS Carpathia brings 705 survivors from the RMS Titanic to New York City. ›

1909

Joan of Arc is beatified in Rome. ›

1906

The 7.9 Mwearthquake and fire destroy much of San Francisco, California, killing more than 3,000 people, making one of the worst natural disasters in American history. ›

1902

The 7.5 Mw Guatemala earthquake shakes Guatemala with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), killing between 800 and 2,000. ›

1899

The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria. ›

1897

The Greco-Turkish War is declared between Greece and the Ottoman Empire. ›

1864

Battle of Dybbøl: A Prussian-Austrian army defeats Denmark and gains control of Schleswig. Denmark surrenders the province in the following peace settlement. ›

1857

The Spirits Book by Allan Kardec is published, marking the birth of Spiritualism in France. ›

1847

American victory at the battle of Cerro Gordo opens the way for invasion of Mexico. ›

1831

The University of Alabama is founded in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. ›

1797

War of the First Coalition: The Peace of Leoben is signed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Maximilian, Count of Merveldt, creating an armistice between France and Austria, setting the stage for the Treaty of Campo Formio and ending the War of the First Coalition.[citation needed] ›

1783

Three-Fifths Compromise: The first instance of black slaves in the United States of America being counted as three-fifths of persons (for the purpose of taxation), in a resolution of the Congress of the Confederation. This was later adopted in the 1787 Constitution. ›

1775

American Revolution: The British Army advances up the Charles River in Massachusetts to destroy supplies of American militias, while Paul Revere and other riders rapidly warn the countryside. ›

1738

Real Academia de la Historia ("Royal Academy of History") is founded in Madrid. ›

1689

Bostonians rise up in rebellion against Sir Edmund Andros. ›

1521

Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication. ›

1518

Bona Sforza is crowned as queen consort of Poland. ›

1506

The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid. ›

1428

Peace of Ferrara between Republic of Venice, Duchy of Milan, Republic of Florence and House of Gonzaga: ending of the second campaign of the Wars in Lombardy fought until the Treaty of Lodi in 1454, which will then guarantee the conditions for the development of the Italian Renaissance. ›

796

King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days. ›