On This Day — August 20

🕰️ Notable Events on August 20

• 2016 — 54 people are killed when a suicide bomber detonates himself at a Kurdish wedding party in Gaziantep, Turkey. Wikipedia ↗
• 2014 — Seventy-two people are killed in Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture by a series of landslides caused by a month's worth of rain that fell in one day. Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — A prison riot in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, kills at least 20 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 2008 — Spanair Flight 5022, from Madrid, Spain to Gran Canaria, skids off the runway and crashes at Barajas Airport. Of the 172 people on board, 146 die immediately, and eight more later die of injuries sustained in the crash. Wikipedia ↗
• 2007 — China Airlines Flight 120 caught fire and exploded after landing at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP S. Sivamaharajah is shot dead at his home in Tellippalai. Wikipedia ↗
• 2002 — A group of Iraqis opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein take over the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin, Germany for five hours before releasing their hostages and surrendering. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — The Supreme Court of Canada rules that Quebec cannot legally secede from Canada without the federal government's approval. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — U.S. embassy bombings: The United States launches cruise missile attacks against alleged al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical weapons plant in Sudan in retaliation for the August 7 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — Souhane massacre in Algeria; over 60 people are killed and 15 kidnapped. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — The Firozabad rail disaster claimed 358 lives in Firozabad, India. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — After rounds of secret negotiations in Norway, the Oslo Accords are signed, followed by a public ceremony in Washington, D.C. the following month. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Dissolution of the Soviet Union, August Coup: More than 100,000 people rally outside the Soviet Union's parliament building protesting the coup aiming to depose President Mikhail Gorbachev. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Estonia, annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, issues a decision on the re-establishment of independence on the basis of historical continuity of its pre-World War II statehood. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — The pleasure boat Marchioness sinks on the River Thames following a collision. Fifty-one people are killed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — "Black Saturday" of the Yellowstone fire in Yellowstone National Park Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Iran-Iraq War: A ceasefire is agreed after almost eight years of war. Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — The Troubles: Eight British soldiers are killed and 28 wounded when their bus is hit by an IRA roadside bomb in Ballygawley, County Tyrone. Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — In Edmond, Oklahoma, U.S. Postal employee Patrick Sherrill guns down 14 of his co-workers and then commits suicide. Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Voyager program: NASA launches the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Viking program: NASA launches the Viking 1 planetary probe toward Mars. Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Soviet Union-dominated Warsaw Pact troops invade Czechoslovakia, crushing the Prague Spring. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — The NS Savannah, the world's first nuclear-powered civilian ship, embarks on its maiden voyage. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Senegal breaks from the Mali Federation, declaring its independence. Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Battle of Philippeville: In Morocco, a force of Berbers from the Atlas Mountains region of Algeria raid two rural settlements and kill 77 French nationals. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Korean War: United Nations repel an offensive by North Korean divisions attempting to cross the Nakdong River and assault the city of Taegu. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: 168 captured allied airmen, including Phil Lamason, accused by the Gestapo of being "terror fliers", arrive at Buchenwald concentration camp. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: The Battle of Romania begins with a major Soviet Union offensive. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — In Mexico City, Mexico exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky is fatally wounded with an ice axe by Ramón Mercader. He dies the next day. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — World War II: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill makes the fourth of his famous wartime speeches, containing the line "Never was so much owed by so many to so few". Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Lou Gehrig hits his 23rd career grand slam, a record that stood for 75 years until it was broken by Alex Rodriguez. Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Japan's public broadcasting company, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) is established. Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — The first commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ), begins operations in Detroit. Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — The National Football League is organized as the American Professional Football Conference in Canton, Ohio Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — World War I: Brussels is captured during the German invasion of Belgium. Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — The Great Fire of 1910 (also commonly referred to as the "Big Blowup" or the "Big Burn") occurs in northeast Washington, northern Idaho (the panhandle), and western Montana, burning approximately 3 million acres (12,000 km2). Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Sun Yat-sen, Chinese revolutionary, forms the first chapter of T'ung Meng Hui, a union of all secret societies determined to bringing down the Manchus. Wikipedia ↗
• 1882 — Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture debuts in Moscow, Russia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1866 — President Andrew Johnson formally declares the American Civil War over. Wikipedia ↗
• 1858 — Charles Darwin first publishes his theory of evolution through natural selection in The Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, alongside Alfred Russel Wallace's same theory. Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — Steamboat Atlantic sank on Lake Erie after a collision, with the loss of at least 150 lives. Wikipedia ↗
• 1794 — Battle of Fallen Timbers: American troops force a confederacy of Shawnee, Mingo, Delaware, Wyandot, Miami, Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomi warriors into a disorganized retreat. Wikipedia ↗
• 1775 — The Spanish establish the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson in the town that became Tucson, Arizona. Wikipedia ↗
• 1710 — War of the Spanish Succession: A multinational army led by the Austrian commander Guido Starhemberg defeats the Spanish-Bourbon army commanded by Alexandre Maître, Marquis de Bay in the Battle of Saragossa. Wikipedia ↗
• 1707 — The first Siege of Pensacola comes to end with the failure of the British to capture Pensacola, Florida. Wikipedia ↗
• 1672 — Former Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis are brutally murdered by an angry mob in The Hague. Wikipedia ↗
• 1648 — Battle of Lens: French Duc d'Enghien defeats Spaniards Wikipedia ↗
• 1519 — Philosopher and general Wang Yangming defeats Zhu Chenhao, ending the Prince of Ning rebellion against the reign of the Ming dynasty's Zhengde Emperor. Wikipedia ↗
• 1467 — The Second Battle of Olmedo takes places as part of a succession conflict between Henry IV of Castile and his half-brother Alfonso, Prince of Asturias. Wikipedia ↗
• 1391 — Konrad von Wallenrode becomes the 24th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Wikipedia ↗
• 1308 — Pope Clement V pardons Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, absolving him of charges of heresy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1191 — Richard I of England initiates the Massacre at Ayyadieh, leaving 2,600-3,000 Muslim hostages dead. Wikipedia ↗
• 1083 — Canonization of the first King of Hungary, Saint Stephen and his son Saint Emeric. Wikipedia ↗
• 1000 — The foundation of the Hungarian state by Saint Stephen, celebrated as a National Day in Hungary. Wikipedia ↗
• 917 — Battle of Acheloos: Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria decisively defeats a Byzantine army. Wikipedia ↗
• 636 — Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of the Levant away from the Byzantine Empire, marking the first great wave of Muslim conquests and the rapid advance of Islam outside Arabia. Wikipedia ↗
• Agrippa Postumus, adopted son of the late Roman emperor Augustus, is executed by his guards under mysterious circumstances while in exile. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on August 20

• 1996 — Bunty Afoa, New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Liana Liberato, American television and film actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Mario Jelavic, Croatian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Matt Eisenhuth, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Demi Lovato, American singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Andrei Peteleu, Romanian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Deniss Rakels, Latvian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Callum Skinner, Scottish track cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Marko Djokovic, Serbian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Jyrki Jokipakka, Finnish hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Arseny Logashov, Russian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Luke O'Neill, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Mario Tičinović, Croatian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Culoe De Song, South African Music producer and DJ Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Macauley Chrisantus, Nigerian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Venelin Filipov, Bulgarian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Leigh Griffiths, Scottish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Fabien Jarsalé, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Bradley Klahn, American tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Kirko Bangz, American rapper and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Nebil Gahwagi, Hungarian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Silas Kiplagat, Kenyan runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Slavcho Shokolarov, Bulgarian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Judd Trump, English snooker player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Dean Winnard, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Jerryd Bayless, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Sarah R, Lotfi, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — José Zamora, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Stefan Aigner, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Vedran Janjetović, Croatian-Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Sido Jombati, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Egon Kaur, Estonian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Andrew Surman, South African-English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Steven Zalewski, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Brant Daugherty, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Glen Buttriss, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Blake DeWitt, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Thomas Domingo, French rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Matt Hague, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Jack King, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Álvaro Negredo, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Willie Ripia, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Joe Vitale, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Stephen Ward, Irish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Mark Washington, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Aílton José Almeida, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Pavel Eismann, Czech footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Laura Georges, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Jamie Hoffmann, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Ingrid Lukas, Estonian-Swiss singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Hamza Abdullah, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Paulo André Cren Benini, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Andrew Garfield, American-English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Héctor Landazuri, Colombian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Mladen Pelaić, Croatian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Brian Schaefering, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Yuri Zhirkov, Russian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Cléber Luis Alberti, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Aleksandr Amisulashvili, Georgian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Monty Dumond, South African rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Youssouf Hersi, Ethiopian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Joshua Kennedy, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Mijaín López, Cuban wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Richard Petiot, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Barney Rogers, Zimbabwean cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Enyelbert Soto, Venezuelan-Japanese baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Ben Barnes, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Brett Finch, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Artur Kotenko, Estonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Bernard Mendy, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Craig Ochs, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Byron Saxton, American wrestler, manager, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Sarah Borwell, English tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Jamie Cullum, English singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Cory Sullivan, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Alberto Martín, Spanish tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Emir Mkademi, Tunisian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Chris Schroder, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Paolo Bianco, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Wayne Brown, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Felipe Contepomi, Argentine rugby player, coach, and physician Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Manuel Contepomi, Argentine rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Shockmain Davis, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — A. M. Esmonde, Welsh author, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Stéphane Gillet, Luxembourgian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Aaron Hamill, Australian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Ívar Ingimarsson, Icelandic footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — James Ormond, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Josh Pearce, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Aaron Taylor, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Chris Drury, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Cornel Frăsineanu, Romanian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Tony Grant, Irish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Kristen Miller, American actress, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Marcel Podszus, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Fabio Ulloa, Honduran footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Marcin Adamski, Polish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Marko Martin, Estonian pianist and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Shaun Newton, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Elijah Williams, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Amy Adams, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Misha Collins, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Szabolcs Sáfár, Hungarian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Andy Strachan, Australian drummer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Maxim Vengerov, Russian violinist and conductor Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Alban Bushi, Albanian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Alexandre Finazzi, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Scott Goodman, Australian swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Todd Helton, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Cameron Mather, New Zealand rugby player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — José Paniagua, Dominican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Donn Swaby, American actor and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Juan Becerra Acosta, Mexican journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Derrick Alston, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Melvin Booker, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Chaney Kley, American actor, coach, and sportscaster (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Scott Quinnell, Welsh rugby player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Anna Umemiya, Japanese model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Nenad Bjelica, Croatian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Matt Calland, English rugby player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Steve Stone, English footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — David Walliams, English comedian, actor, and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Els Callens, Belgian tennis player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Fred Durst, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Billy Gardell, American comedian, actor, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Mark Holzemer, American baseball player and scout Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Brett Angell, English footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Abdelatif Benazzi, Moroccan-French rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Klas Ingesson, Swedish footballer and manager (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Yuri Shiratori, Japanese voice actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Andy Benes, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Miguel Albaladejo, Spanish director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Dimebag Darrell, American guitarist and songwriter (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Enrico Letta, Italian lawyer and politician, 55th Prime Minister of Italy Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — KRS-One, American rapper and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Azarias Ruberwa, Congolese lawyer and politician, Vice-President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Uwe Bialon, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Kal Daniels, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — José Cecena, Mexican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — James Marsters, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Amanda Sonia Berry, English businesswoman Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Dom Duff, Breton singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Mark Langston, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on August 20 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on August 20

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Az államalapítás ünnepe (HU) · State Foundation Day (HU)