Europa
- 1814 – Battle of Montereau: During the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon Bonaparte achieved a victory against Austrian forces at Montereau, France.
- 1861 – Victor Emmanuel II becomes King of Italy: With Italian unification nearly complete, Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont, Savoy, and Sardinia assumed the title of King of Italy, marking a crucial step in the unification of the country.
- 1873 – Execution of Vasil Levski: Bulgarian revolutionary leader Vasil Levski was executed by hanging in Sofia by Ottoman authorities, a pivotal moment in Bulgaria’s struggle for independence.
- 1906 – Formation of the Belgian Olympic Committee: Édouard de Laveleye established the Belgian Olympic Committee in Brussels, contributing to the development of international sports in Europe.
- 1943 – White Rose Resistance in Nazi Germany: Hans and Sophie Scholl, members of the White Rose student resistance group, were arrested at the University of Munich for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets. They were executed four days later, becoming symbols of resistance against totalitarianism.
- 1943 – Goebbels’ “Total War” Speech: Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister, delivered his infamous “Total War” speech at the Berlin Sportpalast, calling for full mobilization of Germany’s resources in World War II.
- 1952 – Greece and Turkey join NATO: Both countries officially became members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, strengthening Western alliances during the Cold War.
America
- 1861 – Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as the provisional President of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Alabama, marking a pivotal moment at the outset of the American Civil War.
- 1791 – Vermont is admitted to the Union: The U.S. Congress passed a law to admit Vermont as the 14th state, effective March 4, ending its 14 years as an independent republic.
- 1878 – John Tunstall is murdered in New Mexico: His death sparked the Lincoln County War, a famous conflict in the American West.
- 1885 – “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain is published in the United States, becoming one of the most influential works in American literature.
- 1930 – Pluto is discovered: Clyde W. Tombaugh, working at Lowell Observatory in Arizona, discovered the dwarf planet Pluto, a major milestone in astronomy.
- 1945 – U.S. Marines invade Iwo Jima: During World War II, American forces began the battle to capture the strategically important island of Iwo Jima from Japan.
- 1983 – Wah Mee massacre in Seattle: Thirteen people were killed and one seriously injured in what is considered the largest robbery-motivated mass murder in U.S. history.
Asia
- 3102 BC: According to Hindu tradition and the astronomer Aryabhatta, the epoch of the Kali Yuga—the last of the four ages in Hindu cosmology—began on this day.
- 1665: The Portuguese handed over the island of Bombay (now Mumbai) to the British, a key moment in colonial history.
- 1719: Rafi-ud-Darajat was declared Mughal Emperor after capturing Agra.
- 1836: Birth of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, a renowned Hindu mystic and saint.
- 1905: The Indian Home Rule Society was founded in London by Shyamji Krishna Varma and others to promote self-rule in British India.
- 1911: The world’s first official airmail flight took place from Allahabad to Naini in British India, piloted by Henri Pequet.
- 1941: A minor revolt occurred in the Royal Indian Navy, with sailors protesting conditions and treatment.
- 1946: The Royal Indian Navy mutiny began, a significant event in India’s independence movement.
- 2007: The Samjhauta Express bombing occurred near Panipat, Haryana, killing 70 people and injuring many others.
- 1932: The Empire of Japan proclaimed the creation of Manchukuo (Manchuria) as an independent state, installing former Chinese Emperor Puyi as Chief Executive. This was a major event in the lead-up to World War II in Asia.
- 1938: During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee was renamed the Nanking International Rescue Committee as the safety zone for refugees collapsed during the Nanking Massacre.
- 1942: The Imperial Japanese Army began systematic extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese population in Singapore.
- 1950: Sapporo’s first annual Snow Festival took place in Japan.
- 2003: A subway fire in Daegu, South Korea, killed 134 people.
- 1989: The Afghan government declared a state of emergency amid ongoing conflict.
Africa
- The Gambia Independence Day: On 18 February 1965, The Gambia gained its independence from Britain. This day is celebrated annually as Independence Day and is a public holiday in The Gambia.
- Opening of Fourah Bay College: On 18 February 1827, Fourah Bay College was opened in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It became the first institution of higher learning in sub-Saharan Africa and played a significant role in the region’s educational development.
- End of the Kamerun Campaign (World War I): On 18 February 1916, Allied forces completed the conquest of the German protectorate of Kamerun (now Cameroon), ending German colonial rule there.
- Anglo-Dutch War on the Gold Coast: On 18 February 1781, during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, Captain Thomas Shirley began his expedition against Dutch colonial outposts on the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana).
- Ethiopian Campaigns: In 1332, Amda Seyon I, Emperor of Ethiopia, began military campaigns in the southern Muslim provinces, expanding Ethiopian influence in the region.
This day in history: 18 february