October 8

Historic Events

2020

Second Nagorno-Karabakh War: Azerbaijan twice deliberately targeted the Church of the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots of Shusha. ›

2019

About 200 Extinction Rebellion activists block the gates of Leinster House (parliament) in the Republic of Ireland. ›

2016

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the death toll rises to nearly 900. ›

2014

Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person in the United States to be diagnosed with Ebola, dies. ›

2005

The 7.6 Mw Kashmir earthquake leaves 86,000–87,351 people dead, 69,000–75,266 injured, and 2.8 million homeless. ›

2001

A twin engine Cessna and a Scandinavian Airlines System jetliner collide in heavy fog during takeoff from Milan, Italy, killing 118 people. ›

2001

U.S. president George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security. ›

1991

Upon the expiration of the Brioni Agreement, Croatia and Slovenia sever all official relations with Yugoslavia. ›

1990

First Intifada: Israeli police kill 17 Palestinians and wound over 100 near the Dome of the Rock. ›

1986

An explosion occurred at the Cipel-Marco fur factory in Kwai Chung, Hong Kong, killing 14 and injuring 10. ›

1982

Poland bans Solidarity and all other trade unions. ›

1978

Australia's Ken Warby sets the current world water speed record of 275.97 knots at Blowering Dam, Australia. ›

1974

Franklin National Bank collapses due to fraud and mismanagement; at the time it is the largest bank failure in the history of the United States. ›

1973

Yom Kippur War: Israel loses more than 150 tanks in a failed attack on Egyptian-occupied positions. ›

1973

Spyros Markezinis begins his 48-day term as prime minister in an abortive attempt to lead Greece to parliamentary rule. ›

1970

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wins the Nobel Prize in literature. ›

1969

The opening rally of the Days of Rage occurs, organized by the Weather Underground in Chicago. ›

1967

Guerrilla leader Che Guevara and his men are captured in Bolivia. Guevara would be executed the next day. ›

1962

Der Spiegel publishes an article disclosing the sorry state of the Bundeswehr, leading to accusations of treason. ›

1956

The New York Yankees's Don Larsen pitches the only perfect game in a World Series. ›

1952

The Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash in England kills 112 people. ›

1944

World War II: Captain Bobbie Brown earns a Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Crucifix Hill, just outside Aachen. ›

1943

World War II: Around 30 civilians are executed by Friedrich Schubert's paramilitary group in Kallikratis, Crete. ›

1941

World War II: During the preliminaries of the Battle of Rostov, German forces reach the Sea of Azov with the capture of Mariupol. ›

1939

World War II: Germany annexes western Poland. ›

1921

KDKA in Pittsburgh's Forbes Field conducts the first live broadcast of a football game. ›

1918

World War I: Corporal Alvin C. York kills 28 German soldiers and captures 132, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. ›

1912

The First Balkan War begins when Montenegro declares war against the Ottoman Empire. ›

1895

Korean Empress Myeongseong is assassinated by Japanese infiltrators. ›

1879

War of the Pacific: The Chilean Navy defeats the Peruvian Navy in the Battle of Angamos. ›

1871

Slash-and-burn land management, months of drought, and the passage of a strong cold front cause the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Chicago Fire and the Great Michigan Fires to break out. ›

1862

American Civil War: The Confederate invasion of Kentucky is halted at the Battle of Perryville. ›

1856

The Second Opium War between several western powers and China begins with the Arrow Incident. ›

1829

Stephenson's Rocket wins the Rainhill Trials. ›

1821

The Peruvian Navy is established during the War of Independence. ›

1813

The Treaty of Ried is signed between Bavaria and Austria. ›

1645

Jeanne Mance opens the first lay hospital of North America in Montreal. ›

1573

The Spanish siege of Alkmaar ends with the first Dutch victory in the Eighty Years' War. ›

1480

The Great Stand on the Ugra River puts an end to Tatar rule over Moscow ›

1322

Mladen II Šubić of Bribir is deposed as the Croatian Ban after the Battle of Bliska. ›

1200

Isabella of Angoulême is crowned Queen consort of England. ›

1075

Dmitar Zvonimir is crowned King of Croatia. ›

876

Frankish forces led by Louis the Younger prevent a West Frankish invasion and defeat emperor Charles II ("the Bald"). ›

451

The first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins. ›

316

Constantine I defeats Licinius, who loses his European territories. ›