This day in history: 4 june

Europa

• Dunkirk Evacuation Ends (1940)
• On June 4, 1940, the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, was completed during World War II. Known as Operation Dynamo, this massive rescue effort saved more than 300,000 soldiers and marked a turning point in the early phase of the war in Europe.
• Battle of Magenta (1859)
• The Battle of Magenta took place on June 4, 1859, during the Second Italian War of Independence. The French army, under Louis-Napoleon, defeated the Austrian army, a significant step toward Italian unification.
• Treaty of Trianon Signed (1920)
• On June 4, 1920, the Treaty of Trianon was signed in Paris, dramatically reducing Hungary’s territory and population following World War I. This treaty remains a pivotal and controversial moment in Central European history, especially for Hungary and its neighbors.
• Poland’s First Semi-Free Elections (1989)
• On June 4, 1989, Poland held its first semi-free parliamentary elections, marking the beginning of the end of communist rule in the country. This event is celebrated by many as a major milestone in the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe and Poland’s return to democracy.
• Liberation of Rome (1944)
• On June 4, 1944, Allied troops liberated Rome from Axis powers during World War II, making it the first Axis capital to fall to the Allies.Cyprus Convention (1878): The Ottoman Empire ceded Cyprus to the United Kingdom, though it retained nominal title.
• Marshal Mannerheim’s 75th Birthday (1942): Finnish Commander-in-Chief Gustaf Mannerheim was granted the title of Marshal of Finland, and Adolf Hitler visited Finland for a surprise meeting.

America

• Battle of Midway Begins (1942)
• On June 4, 1942, the Battle of Midway began in the Pacific during World War II. This pivotal naval battle resulted in a decisive American victory against Japan and is widely regarded as a turning point in the Pacific theater of the war.
• Nineteenth Amendment Passed by Congress (1919)
• On June 4, 1919, the U.S. Congress approved the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote. The amendment was sent to the states for ratification, which was completed in 1920.
• MS St. Louis Refugees Denied Entry (1939)
• On this day in 1939, the U.S. turned away the German ocean liner MS St. Louis, which was carrying over 900 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. The ship was forced to return to Europe, and many passengers later perished in the Holocaust.
• U-505 Submarine Captured (1944)
• On June 4, 1944, a U.S. Navy task group captured the German submarine U-505 off the coast of West Africa. This was the first time since the War of 1812 that the U.S. Navy captured an enemy vessel at sea.
• In 1812, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a declaration of war against Britain, leading to the War of 1812.
• In 1912, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to set a minimum wage.
• In 1876, the Transcontinental Express arrived in San Francisco, completing the journey from New York in just over 83 hours.

Asia

• Tiananmen Square Massacre (China, 1989)
• The most significant and internationally recognized event in Asia on June 4 is the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing. On the night of June 3–4, 1989, the Chinese government violently suppressed weeks of student-led pro-democracy protests. The military used tanks and live ammunition to clear Tiananmen Square, resulting in the deaths of at least several hundred people, with some estimates in the thousands. The crackdown led to widespread international condemnation and remains a deeply sensitive and censored topic within China.
• Assassination of Zhang Zuolin (China, 1928)
• On June 4, 1928, Zhang Zuolin, the President of the Republic of China and a powerful warlord, was assassinated by Japanese agents. His death marked a turning point in the power dynamics of early 20th-century China and contributed to the instability leading up to the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Africa

• National Party Elected, Apartheid Begins (South Africa, 1948)
• On June 4, 1948, South Africa’s National Party, dominated by white Afrikaners, was elected to power. This marked the formal beginning of apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that would shape South African society and politics for nearly half a century.
• Mouloud – Birth of the Prophet Mohammed (Ethiopia)
• June 4 is observed as Mouloud, the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, in Ethiopia. This religious observance is significant in the Ethiopian Muslim community.
• International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
• June 4 is recognized internationally, including in Africa, as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about children who suffer as a result of conflict and violence.
• Astronomical Event: Full Moon
• On June 4, 2023, a full moon was observed, noted as a significant astronomical event for that year in Africa.