Europa
- Battle of Arbedo (1422)
On June 30, 1422, the Battle of Arbedo took place between the Duke of Milan and the Swiss cantons. The conflict arose after the Swiss rejected Milan’s attempt to purchase the fortified city of Bellinzona. The Milanese forces won, which discouraged Swiss expansion into the Great Lakes region and led the Swiss to adopt the use of long spears in warfare, a tactic that would shape their military for centuries. - Death of King Henry II of France (1559)
On June 30, 1559, King Henry II of France was mortally wounded during a jousting contest with Gabriel de Montgomery, a Scottish nobleman. Henry’s death led to a succession crisis and contributed to the instability that fueled the French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants. - Tower Bridge Opens in London (1894)
London’s iconic Tower Bridge was officially opened to traffic on June 30, 1894, by the Prince of Wales. The opening ceremony included raising the bridge to allow a flotilla of ships to pass, marking a significant moment in British engineering and urban history. - Night of the Long Knives (1934)
On June 30, 1934, Adolf Hitler orchestrated the “Night of the Long Knives” in Germany, a purge during which the SS summarily executed many leaders of the SA (Sturmabteilung), a Nazi paramilitary group. This event consolidated Hitler’s power and eliminated potential rivals within the Nazi Party. - World’s First Emergency Telephone Number (1937)
On June 30, 1937, London introduced the world’s first emergency telephone number, 999. This innovation made it easier for citizens to reach emergency services and set a precedent for similar systems worldwide. - Tunguska Event (1908)
While not in Europe but significant globally, on June 30, 1908, the Tunguska event occurred in Siberia, Russia. An explosion, likely caused by an asteroid or comet, flattened over 2,000 square kilometers of forest. It remains the largest impact event in recorded history. - 1837: Punishment by pillory was abolished in Britain.
- 1643: The Battle of Adwalton Moor in the English Civil War saw the Royalists defeat the Parliamentarians.
America
- 1906: Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act Passed
On June 30, 1906, the United States Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. These landmark laws aimed to regulate food safety and protect consumers, laying the foundation for modern food and drug regulation in the U.S. - 1921: William Howard Taft Appointed Chief Justice
On this day in 1921, President Warren G. Harding appointed former President William Howard Taft as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, making Taft the only person to have served as both President and Chief Justice. - 1922: End of U.S. Occupation of the Dominican Republic
The Hughes–Peynado agreement was signed in Washington, D.C., officially ending the United States’ occupation of the Dominican Republic. - 1944: Battle of Cherbourg Ends
During World War II, the Battle of Cherbourg concluded on June 30, 1944, with American forces capturing the strategically vital French port, which was essential for the Allied invasion of Normandy. - 1953: First Chevrolet Corvette Produced
The first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan, on June 30, 1953, marking the birth of an American automotive icon. - 1956: Grand Canyon Mid-Air Collision
A tragic mid-air collision occurred above the Grand Canyon between a TWA Super Constellation and a United Airlines DC-7, resulting in the deaths of all 128 people on board both aircraft. This disaster led to significant changes in air traffic control and aviation safety regulations. - 1966: National Organization for Women Founded
The National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest feminist organization in the United States, was founded on June 30, 1966, advocating for women’s rights and gender equality. - 2020: United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA)
The USMCA, a major trade agreement replacing NAFTA, officially entered into force on June 30, 2020, reshaping trade relations in North America.
Asia
- 1908: The Tunguska Event (Russia/Siberia)
On June 30, 1908, the Tunguska Event occurred in Eastern Siberia, Russia. This was the largest impact event in recorded history, caused by the explosion of a meteoroid or comet fragment in the atmosphere, which flattened over 2,000 square kilometers of forest. - 1914: Mahatma Gandhi Arrested (South Africa/India)
On June 30, 1914, Mahatma Gandhi was arrested for the first time while protesting for the rights of Indians in South Africa, a significant moment in the Indian independence movement. - 1857: Death of Maharaja Gulab Singh (India)
Maharaja Gulab Singh, the founder of the Dogra dynasty and the first Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, died on June 30, 1857. He played a pivotal role in the history of the region during British rule. - 1917: Death of Dadabhai Naoroji (India)
Dadabhai Naoroji, a prominent Indian political leader, scholar, and the first Asian member of the British Parliament, died on June 30, 1917. He was a key figure in the Indian independence movement. - 1947: Partition Boundary Commission Announced (India/Pakistan)
On June 30, 1947, members of the Boundary Commission for the partition of Bengal and Punjab were announced, a crucial step in the process leading to the partition of British India into India and Pakistan. - 2015: Indonesian Air Force C-130 Crash
On June 30, 2015, a Hercules C-130 military aircraft crashed in a residential area in Medan, Indonesia, resulting in at least 116 deaths. - 2009: Yemenia Flight 626 Crash (Indian Ocean, near Comoros)
Yemenia Flight 626, flying from Yemen to Comoros, crashed into the Indian Ocean on June 30, 2009. Of the 153 people on board, only one—a 14-year-old girl—survived. - 2013: Mass Protests in Egypt
On June 30, 2013, mass protests erupted across Egypt against President Mohamed Morsi and the ruling Freedom and Justice Party, leading to the events that culminated in the 2013 Egyptian coup d’état.
Africa
- Independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960)
On June 30, 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as the Republic of the Congo) gained independence from Belgium. This was a landmark event in African decolonization, marking the end of brutal Belgian colonial rule and the beginning of self-governance for the Congolese people. Patrice Lumumba became the country’s first Prime Minister, and Joseph Kasavubu its first President. The day was marked by immense hope but was quickly followed by political turmoil and the Congo Crisis. - Haile Selassie’s Appeal to the League of Nations (1936)
On June 30, 1936, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia delivered his famous speech to the League of Nations in Geneva, appealing for international support after Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia. His speech is considered a pivotal moment in African and global anti-colonial history, highlighting the failure of the international community to stop aggression against an African nation.
This day in history: 30 june