August 16 in history
Events on August 16
Notable events that happened on August 16 in past years.
- 2020
The August Complex fire in California burns more than one million acres of land.
Wikipedia article: August Complex fire - 2010
AIRES Flight 8250 crashes at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés, San Andrés y Providencia, Colombia, killing two people.
Wikipedia article: AIRES Flight 8250 - 1987
Northwest Airlines Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashes after takeoff in Detroit, Michigan, killing 154 of the 155 on board, plus two people on the ground.
Wikipedia article: Northwest Airlines Flight 255 - 1964
Vietnam War: A coup d'état replaces Dương Văn Minh with General Nguyễn Khánh as President of South Vietnam. A new constitution is established with aid from the U.S. Embassy.
Wikipedia article: Vietnam War - 1946
Mass riots in Kolkata begin; more than 4,000 people would be killed in 72 hours.
Wikipedia article: Direct Action Day - 1942
World War II: US Navy L-class blimp L-8 drifts in from the Pacific and eventually crashes in Daly City, California. The two-man crew cannot be found.
Wikipedia article: World War II - 1927
The Dole Air Race begins from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, during which six out of the eight participating planes crash or disappear.
Wikipedia article: Dole Air Race - 1918
The Battle of Lake Baikal is fought between the Czechoslovak Legion and the Red Army.
Wikipedia article: Battle of Lake Baikal - 1906
The 8.2 Mw Valparaíso earthquake hits central Chile, killing 3,882 people.
Wikipedia article: Seismic magnitude scales - 1870
Franco-Prussian War: The Battle of Mars-la-Tour is fought, resulting in a Prussian victory.
Wikipedia article: Franco-Prussian War - 1844
Governor-general of the Philippines Narciso Claveria signs a decree to reform the country's calendar by skipping Tuesday, December 31, as a solution to anomalies that had existed since Ferdinand Magellan's arrival in 1521.
Wikipedia article: Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa - 1812
War of 1812: American General William Hull surrenders Fort Detroit without a fight to the British Army.
Wikipedia article: War of 1812 - 1717
Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718): An imperial coalition army under Prince Eugene of Savoy defeats an Ottoman army under Haji Halil Pasha, leading to the surrender of the Ottoman garrison of Belgrade a few days later.
Wikipedia article: Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718) - 1513
Battle of the Spurs (Battle of Guinegate): King Henry VIII of England and his Imperial allies defeat French forces who are then forced to retreat.
- 1 BC
Wang Mang consolidates his power in China and is declared marshal of state. Emperor Ai of Han, who died the previous day, had no heirs.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0