This day in history: 19 february

Europa

• 197 CE: Emperor Septimius Severus defeated the usurper Clodius Albinus at the Battle of Lugdunum (modern Lyon, France), considered the bloodiest battle between Roman armies.
• 356 CE: Roman Emperor Constantius II implemented anti-pagan policies, forbidding the worship of pagan idols in the Roman Empire.
• 1594: Sigismund III of the House of Vasa was crowned King of Sweden, having already been King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth since 1587.
• 1674: England and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Westminster, ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War. As part of the agreement, the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam was transferred to England and later became New York.
• 1714: The Battle of Napue was fought between Sweden and Russia in Isokyrö, Ostrobothnia, as part of the Great Northern War.
• 1199: Pope Innocent III assigned the Teutonic Knights their distinctive uniform of a white tunic with a black cross, which became their emblem during the crusades in Eastern Europe.

America

• 1942 – Internment of Japanese Americans: On this day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced relocation and internment of over 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. This action led to the shutdown of businesses, sale of property, and disruption of lives for thousands of families living on the Pacific coast.
• 1945 – Battle of Iwo Jima: U.S. Marines invaded the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, initiating a fierce and pivotal battle in the Pacific theater of World War II. The iconic photograph of Marines raising the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi was taken during this campaign.
• 1878 – Thomas Edison patents the phonograph: Edison received the patent for the phonograph, the first machine capable of recording and reproducing sound.
• 1847 – Donner Party rescue: The first group of rescuers reached the stranded Donner Party in the Sierra Nevada, a tragic episode in American pioneer history.
• 1884 – Major tornado outbreak: More than sixty tornadoes struck the Southern United States, marking one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history.
• 1807 – Aaron Burr arrested: Former Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested for treason in Alabama and confined to Fort Stoddert.
• 2008 – Fidel Castro steps down: In Cuba, Fidel Castro resigned as president after 49 years in power, marking the end of an era in Cuban and Latin American politics.
• 1913 – Pedro Lascuráin’s brief presidency: In Mexico, Pedro Lascuráin served as president for only 45 minutes, the shortest presidential term in history.

Asia

• 1905 – Battle of Mukden: One of the largest land battles to that date, the Battle of Mukden began during the Russo-Japanese War in Manchuria, marking a significant Japanese victory over Russia.
• 1942 – Bombing of Darwin: Nearly 250 Japanese warplanes attacked the northern Australian city of Darwin, killing 243 people. While Darwin is in Australia, the attack was carried out by the Japanese military as part of their World War II campaign in the Asia-Pacific region.
• 1948 – Calcutta Conference: The Conference of Youth and Students of Southeast Asia Fighting for Freedom and Independence convened in Calcutta, India, bringing together anti-colonial activists from across the region.
• 1954 – Transfer of Crimea: The Soviet Union’s Politburo ordered the transfer of Crimea from the Russian SFSR to the Ukrainian SSR, a decision with lasting geopolitical implications for the region.
• 1960 – China’s first sounding rocket: China successfully launched the T-7, its first sounding rocket, marking a milestone in the nation’s space program.
• 1986 – Akkaraipattu massacre: The Sri Lankan Army massacred 80 Tamil farm workers in eastern Sri Lanka, a tragic event in the country’s civil conflict.
• 1989 – Malaysia air crash: Flying Tiger Line flight 66 crashed near Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Malaysia, killing four people.
• 2003 – Iran air disaster: An Ilyushin Il-76 military aircraft crashed near Kerman, Iran, resulting in 275 deaths.
• 2021 – Myanmar protests: Mya Thwe Thwe Khine, a 19-year-old protester, became the first known casualty of anti-coup demonstrations following the 2021 Myanmar coup d’état.

Africa

• 1919 – First Pan-African Congress: The inaugural session of the Pan-African Congress opened in Paris on February 19, 1919. Although held in France, this event was pivotal for Africa and the African diaspora, bringing together over 50 delegates from 15 countries—including several African nations—to discuss colonialism, racial discrimination, and self-determination for African peoples. Organized by W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida Gibbs Hunt, the Congress marked a significant step in the global movement for African rights and independence.
• 1943 – Battle of Kasserine Pass begins: The Battle of Kasserine Pass, a major engagement during World War II, began in Tunisia on this date. It was the first large-scale meeting between American and Axis forces in Africa and had a profound impact on subsequent Allied military strategy in North Africa.
• 1964 – French restore M’ba to power in Gabon: On February 19, 1964, French military intervention restored President Léon M’ba to power in Gabon after a coup attempt, reflecting the ongoing influence of former colonial powers in African political affairs.
• 1994 – Massacre in South Africa: Gunmen killed 18 African National Congress (ANC) supporters in KwaZulu-Natal, highlighting the violence and instability that plagued South Africa during its transition from apartheid to democracy.