Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.
On 15, Thursday February 1844, Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, died (b. 1757)
On 15, Monday February 1869, Ghalib, Indian poet, died (b. 1796)
On 15, Thursday February 1894, In Korea, peasant unrest erupts in the Donghak Peasant Revolution, a massive revolt of followers of the Donghak movement. Both China and Japan send military forces, claiming to come to the ruling Joseon Dynasty government’s aid.
On 15, Thursday February 1894, At 04:51 GMT, French anarchist Martial Bourdin attempts to destroy the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London, England, with a bomb, killing himself instead.
On 15, Thursday February 1894, May Brookyn, American actress, died (b. 1854/1859)
On 15, Tuesday February 1944, Bushfires in the Western District, Gippsland and Yallourn regions of Victoria kill 51 people.
On 15, Tuesday February 1944, WWII: Battle of Monte Cassino: The monastery atop Monte Cassino is destroyed by Allied bombing.
On 15, Tuesday February 1944, Dzhokhar Dudayev, Chechen leader, first President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, an unrecognized breakaway state in the North Caucasus, born (d. 1996)
On 15, Sunday February 1959, American evangelist Billy Graham begins a tour of Australia.
On 15, Sunday February 1959, Ralph Eastwood, British army officer, died (b. 1890)
On 15, Sunday February 1959, Owen Willans Richardson, British physicist, Nobel Prize laureate, died (b. 1879)
On 15, Saturday February 1969, Roberto Balado, Cuban boxer, born (d. 1994)
On 15, Saturday February 1969, Birdman, American rapper, entertainer, and record producer, born
On 15, Saturday February 1969, Pee Wee Russell, American jazz musician, died (b. 1906)
On 15, Thursday February 1979, James Harvey, basketball player, born
On 15, Thursday February 1979, A suspected gas explosion in a Warsaw bank kills 49.
On 15, Thursday February 1979, Gordon Shedden, Scottish race car driver, born
On 15, Wednesday February 1989, Soviet–Afghan War: The Soviet Union announces that all of its troops have left Afghanistan.
On 15, Wednesday February 1989, Following a campaign that saw over 1,000 people killed in massive campaign-related violence, the United National Party wins the Sri Lankan parliamentary election.
On 15, Wednesday February 1989, Bonnie Dennison, American actress, born
On 15, Tuesday February 1994, Eric Dier, English footballer, born
On 15, Monday February 1999, Big L, American rapper, died (b. 1974)
On 15, Monday February 1999, Henry Way Kendall, American physicist, died (b. 1926)
On 15, Saturday February 2014, James Condon, 90, actor, died
On 15, Saturday February 2014, George Coates, 90, football player (Fitzroy), died
Other On This Day days in history
Neville Buch