October 20 in history
Events on October 20
Notable events that happened on October 20 in past years.
- 2022
Liz Truss steps down as British Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party amid the country's political crisis, serving for the least time of any British Prime Minister (49 days).
Wikipedia article: Liz Truss - 2011
Libyan Crisis: Rebel forces capture Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his son Mutassim in his hometown of Sirte and kill them shortly thereafter, ending the first Libyan civil war.
Wikipedia article: Libyan crisis - 2002
Top Gear, the revived popular British TV motoring magazine, premieres on BBC.
Wikipedia article: Top Gear (2002 TV series) - 1991
A 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes the Uttarkashi region of India, killing more than 1,000 people.
Wikipedia article: Moment magnitude scale - 1982
During the UEFA Cup match between FC Spartak Moscow and HFC Haarlem, 66 people are crushed to death in the Luzhniki disaster.
Wikipedia article: FC Spartak Moscow - 1976
The Luling–Destrehan Ferry MV George Prince is struck by the Norwegian freighter SS Frosta while crossing the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. Seventy-eight passengers and crew die, and only 18 people aboard the ferry survive.
Wikipedia article: Luling–Destrehan Ferry - 1962
China launches simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line, igniting the Sino-Indian War.
Wikipedia article: China - 1951
The "Johnny Bright incident" occurs during a football game between the Drake Bulldogs and Oklahoma A&M Aggies.
Wikipedia article: Johnny Bright incident - 1947
Cold War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into Communist infiltration of the Hollywood film industry, resulting in a blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years.
Wikipedia article: Cold War - 1944
World War II: American general Douglas MacArthur fulfills his promise to return to the Philippines when he comes ashore during the Battle of Leyte.
Wikipedia article: Douglas MacArthur - 1910
British ocean liner RMS Olympic is launched.
Wikipedia article: Ocean liner - 1827
Greek War of Independence: In the Battle of Navarino, a combined Turkish and Egyptian fleet is defeated by British, French and Russian naval forces in the last significant battle fought with wooden sailing ships.
Wikipedia article: Greek War of Independence - 1803
The United States Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase.
Wikipedia article: Louisiana Purchase - 1740
France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony refuse to honour the Pragmatic Sanction, and the War of the Austrian Succession begins.
- 1448
The second battle of Kosovo ends when the larger army of the Ottoman Empire defeats those of the Kingdom of Hungary after the Wallachian troops desert.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0