This day in history: 24 august

Europa

• Mount Vesuvius Erupts (79 CE)
  On August 24, 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted catastrophically, burying the Roman cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae under volcanic ash. This disaster preserved the cities for centuries and remains one of the most famous volcanic eruptions in history.
• Sack of Rome by the Visigoths (410)
  On August 24, 410, the Visigoths under King Alaric began their sack of Rome. This was the first time in 800 years that Rome had fallen to a foreign enemy, marking a pivotal moment in the decline of the Western Roman Empire. The event sent shockwaves throughout the Mediterranean world and symbolized the end of an era.
• St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572)
  The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre began on August 24, 1572, in France. Thousands of Huguenots (French Protestants) were killed in Paris and across the country during a wave of religious violence ordered by King Charles IX. This massacre intensified the French Wars of Religion and remains one of the most infamous episodes of sectarian violence in European history.
• Battle of Britain—Portsmouth Bombing (1940)
  On August 24, 1940, during World War II, Portsmouth in England suffered its worst casualties up to that point in the Battle of Britain, with over 100 killed and 300 injured in a German air raid. On the same night, the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on central London, likely by navigational error, leading Winston Churchill to order the first RAF bombing raid on Berlin in retaliation.
• 1349: Six thousand Jews were killed in Mainz, Germany, after being blamed for the bubonic plague.
• 1456: The printing of the Gutenberg Bible was completed, marking a milestone in European culture and literacy.
• 1949: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) officially came into force, establishing a major Western military alliance.

America

• Burning of Washington (1814)
  On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces defeated American militia at the Battle of Bladensburg, marched into Washington, D.C., and set fire to key public buildings including the White House (then called the President’s House) and the U.S. Capitol. This marked one of the most significant attacks on American soil by a foreign power and resulted in widespread destruction in the nation’s capital.
• Panic of 1857 Begins
  The Panic of 1857, one of the most severe economic crises in U.S. history, began on August 24. It led to widespread bank failures, business bankruptcies, and unemployment, highlighting the volatility of the pre-Civil War American economy.
• Savannah and Charleston Tornado (1893)
  On August 24, 1893, a devastating tornado struck the coasts of Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, killing approximately 1,000 people. It remains one of the deadliest tornado events in U.S. history.
• Edith Sampson Becomes First Black U.S. Delegate to the UN (1950)
  On this day in 1950, Edith Sampson was appointed as the first Black U.S. delegate to the United Nations, marking a milestone in American civil rights and international representation.
• Hurricane Andrew Makes Landfall (1992)
  On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, made landfall in Homestead, Florida. It caused catastrophic damage, with losses estimated at up to $25 billion (1992 USD), making it one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history.
• 1682: William Penn received the area now known as Delaware, adding it to Pennsylvania.
• 1781: During the American Revolutionary War, a Pennsylvania militia force was ambushed, forcing George Rogers Clark to abandon an attack on Detroit.
• 1869: The waffle iron was patented in the United States.

Asia

• Arrival of the ‘Hector’ in India (1600)
  On August 24, 1600, the first ship of the British East India Company, named Hector, reached the banks of Surat, marking a pivotal moment in the beginning of British trade and eventual colonial influence in India.
• V.V. Giri Elected President of India (1969)
  V.V. Giri became the fourth President of India on August 24, 1969, and is notable for being the only president elected as an independent candidate.
• Merger of Indian Political Parties (1952)
  The merger of the Socialist Party and Krishak Mazdoor Praja Party was announced on this day, signaling a significant moment in post-independence Indian political realignment.
• Kargil War: Prisoners of War Dispute (1999)
  On August 24, 1999, during the aftermath of the Kargil War, Pakistan refused to recognize eight Indian prisoners as prisoners of war, highlighting ongoing tensions between the two countries.
• Calcutta’s 310th Anniversary (2000)
  The Calcutta Municipal Corporation celebrated the 310th anniversary of the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), and a dedicated web portal about the city was launched.
• Battle of Wuhe in the Chinese Civil War (1945)
  On August 24, 1945, the Battle of Wuhe was fought as part of the Chinese Civil War, resulting in a communist victory. This was one of several significant military actions in China during the turbulent period following World War II.
• World War II: Battle of the Eastern Solomons (1942)
  The Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō was sunk during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on this day, a key naval engagement in the Pacific theater of World War II.
• 1945: The Allied occupation of Japan began, marking the start of significant postwar changes in Japanese society and governance.
• 1945: The Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin, a Japanese-held territory, ended in Soviet victory, further shifting the balance of power in East Asia.

Africa

• Liberia Flag Day
  August 24 is celebrated as Flag Day in Liberia, commemorating the adoption of the Liberian national flag in 1847. The flag’s design and symbolism reflect the country’s founding by freed American and Caribbean slaves and its status as Africa’s first independent republic.
• African Landing Day (Commemoration in the U.S., with African Significance)
  August 24 is marked in the United States as African Landing Day, commemorating the arrival of the first recorded Africans in English North America at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619. While this event occurred in America, it is deeply tied to African history, as the people who arrived were taken from Angola, West Africa. The day is observed with ceremonies honoring African heritage, traditions, and the memory of those lost during the Middle Passage.
• Notable Death: J.G. Strijdom (South Africa)
  On August 24, 1958, J.G. Strijdom, a former Prime Minister of South Africa and a key figure in the apartheid government, died. His tenure was marked by the enforcement and expansion of apartheid policies.