On This Day — March 12

🕰️ Notable Events on March 12

• 2014 — A gas explosion in the New York City neighborhood of East Harlem kills eight and injures 70 others. Wikipedia ↗
• 2011 — A reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant melts and explodes and releases radioactivity into the atmosphere a day after Japan's earthquake. Wikipedia ↗
• 2009 — Financier Bernard Madoff pleads guilty in New York to scamming $18 billion, the largest in Wall Street's history. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — The President of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, is impeached by its National Assembly: The first such impeachment in the nation's history. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — Zoran Đinđić, Prime Minister of Serbia, is assassinated in Belgrade. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — WHO officially released global warning on pandemic SARS disease. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join NATO. Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — The Church of England ordains its first female priests. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Several bombs explode in Mumbai, India, killing about 300 and injuring hundreds more. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea says that it plans to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and refuses to allow inspectors access to its nuclear sites. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Mauritius becomes a republic while remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — The March 12 Memorandum is sent to the Suleyman Demirel government of Turkey and the government resigns. Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Mauritius achieves independence from the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Suharto take power from Sukarno when the MPRS inaugurated him as Acting President of Indonesia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — First winter ascent of the North Face of the Eiger. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — The Llandow air disaster occurs near Sigingstone, Wales, in which 80 people die when their aircraft crashed, making it the world's deadliest air disaster at the time. Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Pacific War: The Battle of Java ends with an ABDACOM surrender to the Japanese Empire in Bandung, West Java, Dutch East Indies. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Finnish troops and the remaining population are immediately evacuated. Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Anschluss: German troops occupy and absorb Austria. Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Konstantin Päts and General Johan Laidoner stage a coup in Estonia, and ban all political parties. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Great Depression: Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses the nation for the first time as President of the United States. This is also the first of his "fireside chats". Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Mahatma Gandhi begins the Salt March, a 200-mile march to the sea to protest the British monopoly on salt in India Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — In California, the St. Francis Dam fails; the resulting floods kills 431 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan form the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — İstiklâl Marşı is adopted in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — The Kapp Putsch begins when the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt is ordered to march on Berlin. Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again after Saint Petersburg held this status for 215 years. Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Canberra Day: The future capital of Australia is officially named Canberra. (Melbourne remains temporary capital until 1927 while the new capital is still under construction.) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Coca-Cola is bottled and sold for the first time in Vicksburg, Mississippi, by local soda fountain operator Joseph A. Biedenharn. Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — Tonkin Campaign: France captures the citadel of Bắc Ninh. Wikipedia ↗
• 1881 — Andrew Watson makes his Scotland debut as the world's first black international football player and captain. Wikipedia ↗
• 1864 — American Civil War: The Red River Campaign begins as a US Navy fleet of 13 Ironclads and 7 Gunboats and other support ships enter the Red River Wikipedia ↗
• 1811 — Peninsular War: A day after a successful rearguard action, French Marshal Michel Ney once again successfully delayed the pursuing Anglo-Portuguese force at the Battle of Redinha Wikipedia ↗
• 1689 — The Williamite War in Ireland begins. Wikipedia ↗
• 1622 — Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Society of Jesus, are canonized by the Roman Catholic Church Wikipedia ↗
• 1550 — Several hundred Spanish and indigenous troops under the command of Pedro de Valdivia defeat an army of 60,000 Mapuche at the Battle of Penco during the Arauco War in present-day Chile Wikipedia ↗
• 538 — Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Byzantine general, Belisarius Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on March 12

• 1996 — Robert Bartczak, Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — Aristo Sham, Hong Kong pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Will Pearsall, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Katie Archibald, Scottish track cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Christina Grimmie, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Anton Shramchenko, Belarusian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Jeppe Tverskov, Danish professional footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Nikolai Alho, Finnish football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Cian Bolger, Irish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Felix Kroos, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Lawrence Clarke, English hurdler Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Richard Eckersley, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Siim Luts, Estonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Mark Sirõk, Estonian activist Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Gareth Widdop, English rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Sebastian Brendel, German canoe racer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Konstantinos Mitroglou, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Tyler Ward, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Myles Weston, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Jessica Hardy, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Teimour Radjabov, Azerbaijani chess player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Chris Seitz, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Omar Abdulrazaq, Syrian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Danny Jones, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Ben Offereins, Australian runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Ed Clancy, English track and road cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Zach Miner, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Tobias Schweinsteiger, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Erick Stevens, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Kenta Kobayashi, Japanese wrestler and kick-boxer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Maurizio Lauro, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Kristjan Makke, Estonian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Katarina Srebotnik, Slovenian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Holly Williams, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Jens Mouris, Dutch cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Douglas Murray, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Jamie Dwyer, Australian field hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Nidia Guenard, American wrestler and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Shaun Rogers, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Edwin Villafuerte, Ecuadorian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Casey Mears, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Neal Obermeyer, American cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Claudio Sanchez, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Arina Tanemura, Japanese author and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Ramiro Corrales, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Kéllé Bryan, English singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Matt Barela, American wrestler and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Chris Carr, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Steve Price, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Hector Luis Bustamante, Colombian-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Isaiah Rider, American basketball player and rapper Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Dragutin Topić, Serbian high jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Dave Eggers, American author and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Mathias Gronberg, Swedish golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — John Nemechek, American race car driver (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Rex Walters, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Graham Coxon, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Jake Tapper, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Dylan Carlson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Tammy Duckworth, Thai-American colonel, pilot, and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Aaron Eckhart, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Jorge Dely Valdés, Panamanian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Julio Dely Valdés, Panamanian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Grant Long, American basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Steve Finley, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Shawn Gilbert, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Joaquim Cruz, Brazilian runner and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Ian Holloway, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Paul Way, English golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Darryl Strawberry, American baseball player and minister Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Joseph Facal, Canadian journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Titus Welliver, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Courtney B. Vance, American actor and painter Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Phil Anderson, English-Australian cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Matt Millen, American football player, executive, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Minoru Niihara, Japanese singer-songwriter and bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Patrick Battiston, French footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Marlon Jackson, American singer-songwriter and dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Steve Harris, English bass player and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Lesley Manville, English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Dale Murphy, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Nicole Léger, Canadian educator and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Anish Kapoor, Indian-English sculptor Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Hajime Meshiai, Japanese golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Ron Jeremy, American pornographic actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Boris Anatolyevich Gavrilov, Russian football player and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Javier Clemente, Spanish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Mike Gibbins, Welsh drummer, singer, and songwriter (Badfinger) (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Rob Cohen, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — David Mellor, English journalist, lawyer, and politician, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Bill Payne, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Fergus Slattery, Irish rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Virginia Bottomley, Scottish social worker and politician, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Kent Conrad, American politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — James Taylor, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Peter Harry Carstensen, German educator and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Mary Jean Harrold, American computer scientist and academic (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Kalervo Palsa, Finnish painter (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Mitt Romney, American businessman and politician, 70th Governor of Massachusetts Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Liza Minnelli, American actress, singer, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Frank Welker, American voice actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Serge Turgeon, Canadian actor and union leader (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — George Jackson, American singer-songwriter (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Ratko Mladić, Serbian general Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Shabnam Shakeel, Pakistani poet and author (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Jimmy Wynn, American baseball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Al Jarreau, American singer (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Lyndsie Holland, English actress and singer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Jude Milhon, American hacker and author (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Lew DeWitt, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Johnny Rutherford, American race car driver and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Dimitri Terzakis, Greek-German composer and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Valentīna Eiduka, Latvian javelin thrower and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Lloyd Dobyns, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Patrick Procktor, Irish-English painter and academic (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Eddie Sutton, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Virginia Hamilton, American author (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — David Spenser, Sri Lankan-English actor and director (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Barbara Feldon, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Andrew Young, American pastor and politician, 14th United States Ambassador to the United Nations Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Herb Kelleher, American lawyer and businessman, co-founded Southwest Airlines Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Robert B. Oakley, American soldier and diplomat, 19th United States Ambassador to Pakistan (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Bronco Horvath, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Vern Law, American baseball player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Win Tin, Burmese journalist and politician, co-founded the National League for Democracy (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Edward Albee, American director and playwright (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Aldemaro Romero, Venezuelan pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Raúl Alfonsín, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 46th President of Argentina (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — George Ariyoshi, American lawyer and politician, 3rd Governor of Hawaii Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Louison Bobet, French cyclist (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Georges Delerue, French pianist and composer (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Leo Esaki, Japanese physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Harry Harrison, American author and illustrator (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Henri Rochon, Canadian tennis player (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Mary Lee Woods, English mathematician and computer programmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Hjalmar Andersen, Norwegian speed skater and cyclist (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Clara Fraser, American activist, co-founded Radical Women (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Hanne Hiob, German actress and screenwriter (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Wally Schirra, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Joseph F. Weis, Jr., American lawyer and judge (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Mae Young, American wrestler (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Jack Kerouac, American author and poet (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Lane Kirkland, American sailor and union leader (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Gianni Agnelli, Italian businessman (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Gordon MacRae, American actor and singer (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Roland Fraïssé, French mathematical logician (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Mike Stepovich, American lawyer and politician, Governor of the Territory of Alaska (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Elaine de Kooning, American painter and academic (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Leonard Chess, American record company executive, co-founder of Chess Records (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Millard Kaufman, American author and screenwriter (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Googie Withers, Indian-Australian actress (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Willibald C. Bianchi, American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1945) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Alberto Burri, Italian painter and sculptor (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Frank Soo, English footballer and manager (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Yashwantrao Chavan, Indian politician, 5th Deputy Prime Minister of India (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Agathe von Trapp, Hungarian-American singer and author (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Irving Layton, Romanian-Canadian poet and academic (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Edgar Tafel, American architect (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Paul Weston, American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Mexican academic and politician, 49th President of Mexico (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on March 12 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on March 12

✡️ Religious Observances

• Islamic: Lailat-ul-Qadr