This day in history: 28 may

Europa

World War II: Belgium Surrenders (1940)

• On May 28, 1940, during World War II, the Belgian army surrendered to Nazi Germany, ending the Battle of Belgium. This marked a significant moment in the German invasion of Western Europe.

Volkswagen Founded (1937)

• On this date in 1937, Volkswagen, the iconic German automobile manufacturer, was founded in Berlin by the German Labour Front.

Other Notable European Events

• On May 28, 1937, Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister of Britain, a pivotal figure in pre-war and early World War II European politics.
• In 1918, Azerbaijan declared independence from the Russian Empire in Tiflis, an event with repercussions in the broader European and Eurasian context.

Modern European Event

• The 2025 UEFA Conference League final is scheduled to take place at Stadion Wrocław in Wroclaw, Poland, on May 28, 2025, highlighting the date’s ongoing relevance in European sports.

America

Battle of Jumonville Glen (1754)

• The first engagement of the French and Indian War took place when a young Lieutenant Colonel George Washington led Virginia militia to defeat a French reconnaissance party in what is now southwestern Pennsylvania.

Indian Removal Act Signed (1830)

• President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, leading to the Trail of Tears.

54th Massachusetts Regiment Departs (1863)

• The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first African American regiment organized in the northern states during the Civil War, left Boston to fight for the Union.

Sierra Club Founded (1892)

• John Muir organized the Sierra Club in San Francisco, a major milestone in the American conservation movement.

Golden Gate Bridge Opens (1937)

• President Franklin D. Roosevelt signaled the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, allowing vehicular traffic to cross for the first time.

Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire (1977)

• A devastating fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, killed 165 people, making it one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history.

Asia

Battle of Hulao (621 CE, China)

• On May 28, 621, the Battle of Hulao took place. Li Shimin, who would later become Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty, defeated the much larger forces of Dou Jiande near Hulao Pass (Henan). This victory was decisive in the civil war after the Sui dynasty’s collapse and paved the way for the Tang dynasty’s rise.

Pakistan’s Nuclear Tests (1998)

• On May 28, 1998, Pakistan conducted five nuclear tests in response to India’s nuclear tests earlier that month. This marked Pakistan as the seventh nation in the world to possess nuclear weapons and significantly altered the security dynamics of South Asia.

Recent Events (2021)

On May 28, 2021, several significant events occurred across Asia related to the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Malaysia reported a record number of COVID-19 cases and announced a nationwide lockdown.
• Japan extended its state of emergency in multiple prefectures due to high case numbers.
• Pakistan reported its first case of the B.1.617 COVID-19 variant, first identified in India.
• Taiwan recorded its highest daily COVID-19 death toll at that time.

Other Notable Events

• May 28, 2016: The Government of Canada issued a formal apology for the Komagata Maru incident, a significant event in the history of Asian communities in Canada, though the incident itself originally occurred in 1914.

Africa

South Africa and the Start of Apartheid (1948)

• On May 28, 1948, South Africa’s National Party won the whites-only general election. This victory marked the beginning of the formal implementation of apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that would shape South African society for decades.

Second Boer War: Pretoria Government Flees (1900)

• On May 28, 1900, during the Second Boer War, the government of the South African Republic (Transvaal) fled its capital, Pretoria, to Watervalboven to evade advancing British forces.

Other Historical Context

• May 28 is also marked in Ethiopia as the “Downfall of the Derg,” commemorating the end of the Derg military junta in 1991, although the most commonly cited date for this event is May 28, 1991.