Europa
- Battle of Vienna (1683)
On September 12, 1683, the pivotal Battle of Vienna took place. European armies, primarily from the Holy Roman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth led by King John III Sobieski, joined forces to defeat the Ottoman Empire. This victory marked a turning point in the Austro-Ottoman War, halting the Ottoman advance into Central Europe and shifting the balance of power on the continent. - Treaty of Alcañices (1297)
The Treaty of Alcañices was signed between King Denis of Portugal and King Ferdinand IV of Castile. Mediated by the pope, this treaty defined the border between Portugal and Castile (Spain) and established an alliance of friendship. The borders agreed upon in this treaty have largely persisted to the present day. - Establishment of Switzerland as a Federal State (1848)
On September 12, 1848, Switzerland adopted a new constitution, marking its transformation into a federal state. This move laid the foundation for modern Swiss governance and neutrality. - Saint-Mihiel Offensive (1918)
During World War I, on September 12, 1918, the American Expeditionary Forces, under General John J. Pershing, launched their first major offensive in Europe as an independent army. The attack targeted the Saint-Mihiel salient in France, which was successfully liberated from German occupation by September 16, contributing to the final Allied offensive of the war. - Rescue of Benito Mussolini (1943)
On September 12, 1943, German paratroopers, on orders from Adolf Hitler, rescued former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from imprisonment in the Gran Sasso raid (Operation Eiche). Mussolini had been held captive by Italian authorities after the collapse of his Fascist regime. - German Reunification Treaty (1990)
On September 12, 1990, East and West Germany, along with the four Allied powers of World War II (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union), signed the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany. This treaty paved the way for the restoration of full sovereignty to a reunified Germany and marked the formal end of postwar Allied occupation, symbolizing the end of the Cold War in Europe.
America
- Battle of North Point (1814)
On September 12, 1814, during the War of 1812, American forces halted the British land advance toward Baltimore at the Battle of North Point. This engagement was part of the larger Battle of Baltimore, which ultimately inspired the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” after the successful defense of Fort McHenry. - Battle of Chapultepec Begins (1847)
The Battle of Chapultepec, a crucial engagement in the Mexican–American War, began on this day. U.S. forces attacked the fortified castle of Chapultepec in Mexico City, a decisive action that led to the capture of the city and the eventual end of the war. - SS Central America Sinks (1857)
The SS Central America, a sidewheel steamer carrying passengers and significant quantities of gold from the California Gold Rush, sank off the coast of North Carolina. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 426 people and contributed to a financial panic in the United States. - First African American Woman in Space (1992)
Mae C. Jemison became the first African American woman to travel into space as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-47 mission. Jemison conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness during the mission. - John F. Kennedy Marries Jacqueline Bouvier (1953)
On September 12, 1953, future U.S. President John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island. The event attracted significant public and media attention. - President Kennedy’s “We Choose to Go to the Moon” Speech (1962)
President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous “We choose to go to the Moon” speech at Rice University in Houston, Texas, setting the stage for the Apollo missions and the U.S. space race. - Voyager 1 Exits the Solar System (2013)
NASA announced that Voyager 1, launched in 1977, became the first human-made object to leave the solar system, entering interstellar space on September 12, 2013. - Hercules Powder Plant Disaster (1940): An explosion at a munitions plant in New Jersey killed 51 people and injured over 200.
- Bonanza Premieres (1959): The first regularly scheduled TV program presented in color, “Bonanza,” debuted in the United States.
- Charles “Chic” Burlingame III Born (1949): The pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which was hijacked during the September 11, 2001 attacks, was born on this date.
Asia
- Japanese Surrender in Southeast Asia (1945)
On September 12, 1945, the formal Japanese surrender in Southeast Asia was concluded in Singapore, marking the end of Japanese occupation in the region after World War II. This event was a key moment in the transition to postwar independence movements across many Asian countries. - Taixing Campaign Ends in Communist Victory (1945)
Also on September 12, 1945, the Taixing Campaign in China concluded with a communist victory during the Chinese Civil War. This was part of a series of conflicts that would eventually lead to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. - China’s South China Sea Maritime Claims (2012)
On September 12, 2012, China made significant moves to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea by announcing new baselines for its territorial sea, a move that heightened tensions with neighboring countries and drew international attention to ongoing maritime disputes. - Births: Peter Musñgi, a well-known Filipino voice-over artist, was born on September 12, 1945, in Santiago, Isabela, Philippines.
- Deaths: Hajime Sugiyama, a Japanese field marshal, died by suicide on September 12, 1945.
Africa
- Deposition of Emperor Haile Selassie (1974)
On September 12, 1974, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was overthrown in a coup led by the Derg, a group of military officers and law enforcement agencies. This ended his 44-year reign and marked a major turning point in Ethiopian and African history, as Selassie was an influential figure both on the continent and globally. He was later revered by the Rastafarian movement as a messianic figure. - Death of Steve Biko (1977)
On September 12, 1977, Steve Biko, a prominent South African anti-apartheid activist and leader of the Black Consciousness Movement, died in police custody. Biko was only 30 years old and his death, following severe torture and mistreatment by police, became a rallying point for the anti-apartheid struggle and drew international condemnation of South Africa’s apartheid regime. - Assassination of Anton Lubowski (1989)
On September 12, 1989, Anton Lubowski, a Namibian lawyer and anti-apartheid activist affiliated with SWAPO, was assassinated outside his home in Windhoek, Namibia. His murder was linked to South Africa’s covert operations against independence movements in the region.
This day in history: 12 september