This day in history: 16 march

1190: The Massacre of Jews at Clifford’s Tower in York, England, took place. This tragic event saw the deaths of many members of the Jewish community who sought refuge in the tower during anti-Semitic violence.
1872: The first-ever FA Cup Final was held in England. The Wanderers F.C. defeated the Royal Engineers A.F.C. 1–0 at Kennington Oval in London, marking the beginning of the world’s oldest football competition.
1935: Adolf Hitler announced Germany’s rearmament, including the reintroduction of conscription, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. This was a key step toward World War II.
1939: From Prague Castle, Hitler declared Bohemia and Moravia as a German protectorate, furthering Nazi Germany’s territorial expansion.

1802: Congress established the United States Military Academy at West Point, one of the oldest military academies in the world. Strategically located on the Hudson River, West Point has played a critical role in training military leaders, including Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee.
1968: The My Lai Massacre occurred during the Vietnam War. U.S. soldiers killed over 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians, including women and children, in the hamlet of My Lai. This event became a symbol of the war’s brutality and led to widespread condemnation.
1850: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was published, exploring themes of sin and societal judgment in colonial America.
1985: Associated Press journalist Terry Anderson was kidnapped by Islamic militants in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War. He remained in captivity for over six years before being released.

1958: In Japan, Josei Toda, the second president of Soka Gakkai (a Japanese Buddhist organization), made a pivotal speech to 6,000 youth members, entrusting them with the future of the organization and its mission for world peace. This date is now commemorated as “Kosen-rufu Day” by Soka Gakkai members worldwide.
2001: A devastating series of bomb blasts occurred in Shijiazhuang, China, killing 108 people and injuring 38 others. This incident was considered the largest mass murder in China in decades.
2003: American activist Rachel Corrie was killed in Rafah when she was run over by an Israel Defense Forces bulldozer while attempting to obstruct the demolition of a Palestinian home.
2005: Israel officially transferred control of Jericho to Palestinian authorities.
2016: A terrorist attack in Peshawar, Pakistan resulted in a bomb detonating in a bus carrying government employees, killing 15 people and injuring at least 30 others.

1992: A pivotal referendum took place in South Africa, where nearly 69% of white voters endorsed reforms proposed by President F.W. de Klerk to dismantle apartheid. This marked a major step toward ending decades of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination.
2010: The Kasubi Tombs in Uganda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were destroyed in a fire. The tombs were a cultural landmark and the burial site for four Buganda kings.
2016: Two suicide bombers attacked a mosque during morning prayers on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Nigeria. The attack killed 24 people and injured 18 others, highlighting ongoing violence linked to Boko Haram insurgency.