On This Day in History — June 5

Highlights of June 5

• 2009 — A fire at a day-care center kills 49 children in Mexico Read more
• 2009 — After almost two months of civil disobedience, at least 31 people were killed in clashes between the National Police and indigenous people in Bagua province, Peru. Read more
• 2004 — Noël Mamère, the mayor of Bègles, conducted a marriage ceremony for two men, even though same-sex marriage in France had not yet been legalised. Read more
• 2001 — Tropical Storm Allison, the costliest Atlantic tropical cyclone that was never a hurricane, made landfall in Texas, causing approximately $8.5 billion in damage. Read more
• 1997 — Anticipating a coup attempt, President Pascal Lissouba of the Republic of the Congo ordered the detention of his rival Denis Sassou Nguesso, initiating a second civil war. Read more
• 1989 — An anonymous demonstrator, later dubbed "Tank Man", single-handedly stopped a column of Chinese tanks during the Tiananmen Square protests before being dragged aside. Read more
• 1981 — The first clinical cases of AIDS were published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more
• 1976 — The Teton Dam in eastern Idaho, U.S., collapsed (failure pictured) as its reservoir was being filled for the first time, resulting in the deaths of eleven people and 13,000 cattle, and causing up to $2 billion in damage. Read more
• 1968 — U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot by Palestinian immigrant Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Read more
• 1967 — Following Israel's initiation of Operation Focus with the goal to neutralise the Egyptian Air Force, Syrian Air Force, and the Royal Jordanian Air Force, the Six-Day War begins. Read more
• 1963 — The arrest of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini for publicly denouncing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi sparked protests in Iran. Read more
• 1963 — British politician John Profumo admitted that he had lied to the House of Commons about his involvement in a sex scandal with Christine Keeler, and resigned from government. Read more
• 1947 — At a speech at Harvard University, United States Secretary of State George Marshall called for economic aid to war-torn Europe, outlining a recovery program that became known as the Marshall Plan. Read more
• 1941 — Second Sino-Japanese War: About 4,000 people died of asphyxiation in Chongqing when the tunnel in which they were hiding became blocked during a raid in the five-year bombing campaign. Read more
• 1899 — Antonio Luna, Commanding General of the Philippine Army, was assassinated in the midst of the Philippine–American War. Read more
• 1897 — The Ancient Temples and Shrines Preservation Law was passed, instituting the protection of structures and artifacts in Japan designated National Treasures. Read more
• 1879 — The Zungeni Mountain skirmish took place between British and Zulu forces during the second invasion of the Zulu Kingdom. Read more
• 1862 — Vietnamese guerrilla leader Trương Định chose to fight on against European forces, defying Emperor Tự Đức and the Treaty of Saigon. Read more
• 1832 — The June Rebellion, an anti-monarchist uprising, broke out in Paris. Read more
• 1610 — The masque Tethys' Festival was performed at the Palace of Whitehall to celebrate the investiture of Henry Frederick as Prince of Wales. Read more
• 1305 — Raymond Bertrand de Got was elected Pope Clement V, succeeding Benedict XI, who died the previous year. Read more
• 1257 — Bolesław V, High Duke of Poland, granted city rights to Kraków modelled on the Magdeburg town charter. Read more
• 663 — The Daming Palace in Chang'an became the seat of government and the royal residence of the Tang dynasty during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. Read more

Events

• 2025 — The Nintendo Switch 2 video game console is released worldwide. Read more
• 2024 — The Boeing Starliner is launched on its first crewed flight, carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the International Space Station. Read more
• 2022 — A constitutional referendum is held in Kazakhstan following violent protests and civil unrest against the government. Read more
• 2017 — Montenegro becomes the 29th member of NATO. Read more
• 2017 — Six Arab countries—Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates—cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region. Read more
• 2016 — Two shootings in Aktobe, Kazakhstan, kill six people. Read more
• 2015 — An earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.0 strikes Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia, killing 18 people, including hikers and mountain guides on Mount Kinabalu, after mass landslides that occurred during the earthquake. This is the strongest earthquake to strike Malaysia since 1975. Read more
• 2012 — Last transit of Venus until the year 2117. Read more
• 2009 — After 65 straight days of civil disobedience, at least 31 people are killed in clashes between security forces and indigenous people near Bagua, Peru. Read more
• 2009 — A fire at a day-care center kills 49 people in Hermosillo, Mexico. Read more
• 2004 — Noël Mamère, Mayor of Bègles, celebrates marriage for two men for the first time in France. Read more
• 2003 — A severe heat wave across Pakistan and India reaches its peak, as temperatures exceed 50 °C (122 °F) in the region. Read more
• 2002 — Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-111, carrying the Expedition 5 crew to the International Space Station to replace the Expedition 4 crew. Astronaut Franklin Chang-Díaz becomes the second person to have flown on seven spaceflights. Read more
• 2001 — Tropical Storm Allison makes landfall on the upper-Texas coastline as a strong tropical storm and dumps large amounts of rain over Houston. The storm causes $5.5 billion in damages, making Allison the second costliest tropical storm in U.S. history. Read more
• 2000 — The Six-Day War in Kisangani begins in Kisangani, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, between Ugandan and Rwandan forces. A large part of the city is destroyed. Read more
• 1998 — A strike begins at the General Motors parts factory in Flint, Michigan, that quickly spreads to five other assembly plants. The strike lasts seven weeks. Read more
• 1997 — The Second Republic of the Congo Civil War begins. Read more
• 1995 — The Bose–Einstein condensate is first created. Read more
• 1993 — Portions of the Holbeck Hall Hotel in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK, fall into the sea following a landslide. Read more
• 1991 — Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-40, the fifth spacelab mission. Read more
• 1989 — The Tank Man halts the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Read more
• 1984 — Operation Blue Star: Under orders from India's prime minister, Indira Gandhi, the Indian Army begins an invasion of the Golden Temple, the holiest site of the Sikh religion. Read more
• 1983 — More than 100 people are killed when the Russian river cruise ship Aleksandr Suvorov collides with a girder of the Ulyanovsk Railway Bridge. The collision caused a freight train to derail, further damaging the vessel, yet the ship remained afloat and was eventually restored and returned to service. Read more
• 1981 — The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that five people in Los Angeles, California, have a rare form of pneumonia seen only in patients with weakened immune systems, in what turns out to be the first recognized cases of AIDS. Read more
• 1976 — The Teton Dam in Idaho, United States, collapses. Eleven people are killed as a result of flooding. Read more
• 1975 — The Suez Canal opens for the first time since the Six-Day War. Read more
• 1975 — The United Kingdom holds its first country-wide referendum on membership of the European Economic Community (EEC). Read more
• 1968 — Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan. Read more
• 1967 — The Six-Day War begins: Israel launches surprise strikes against Egyptian air-fields in response to the mobilisation of Egyptian forces on the Israeli border. Read more
• 1964 — DSV Alvin is commissioned. Read more
• 1963 — The British Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, resigns in a sex scandal known as the "Profumo affair". Read more
• 1963 — Movement of 15 Khordad: Protests against the arrest of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini by the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In several cities, masses of angry demonstrators are confronted by tanks and paratroopers. Read more
• 1960 — The Lake Bodom murders occur in Finland. Read more
• 1959 — The first government of Singapore is sworn in. Read more
• 1956 — Elvis Presley introduces his new single, "Hound Dog", on The Milton Berle Show, scandalizing the audience with his suggestive hip movements. Read more
• 1949 — Thailand elects Orapin Chaiyakan, the first female member of Thailand's Parliament. Read more
• 1947 — Cold War: Marshall Plan: In a speech at Harvard University, the United States Secretary of State George Marshall calls for economic aid to war-torn Europe. Read more
• 1946 — A fire in the La Salle Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, kills 61 people. Read more
• 1945 — The Allied Control Council, the military occupation governing body of Germany, formally takes power. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: More than 1,000 British bombers drop 5,000 tons of bombs on German gun batteries on the Normandy coast in preparation for D-Day. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: The United States declares war on Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. Read more
• 1941 — World War II: Four thousand Chongqing residents are asphyxiated in a bomb shelter during the Bombing of Chongqing. Read more
• 1940 — World War II: After a brief lull in the Battle of France, the Germans renew the offensive against the remaining French divisions south of the River Somme in Operation Fall Rot ("Case Red"). Read more
• 1917 — World War I: Conscription begins in the United States as "Army registration day". Read more
• 1916 — Louis Brandeis is sworn in as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court; he is the first American Jew to hold such a position. Read more
• 1916 — World War I: The Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire breaks out. Read more
• 1915 — Denmark amends its constitution to allow women's suffrage. Read more
• 1900 — Second Boer War: British soldiers take Pretoria. Read more
• 1893 — The trial of Lizzie Borden for the murder of her father and step-mother begins in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Read more
• 1888 — The Rio de la Plata earthquake takes place. Read more
• 1883 — The first regularly scheduled Orient Express departs Paris.[citation needed] Read more
• 1879 — The Zungeni Mountain skirmish takes place between British and Zulu forces during the second invasion of the Zulu Kingdom. Read more
• 1873 — Sultan Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar closes the great slave market under the terms of a treaty with Great Britain. Read more
• 1864 — American Civil War: Battle of Piedmont: Union forces under General David Hunter defeat a Confederate army at Piedmont, Virginia, taking nearly 1,000 prisoners. Read more
• 1862 — As the Treaty of Saigon is signed, ceding parts of southern Vietnam to France, the guerrilla leader Trương Định decides to defy Emperor Tự Đức of Vietnam and fight on against the Europeans. Read more
• 1851 — Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery serial, Uncle Tom's Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly, starts a ten-month run in the National Era abolitionist newspaper. Read more
• 1849 — Denmark becomes a constitutional monarchy by the signing of a new constitution. Read more
• 1837 — Houston is incorporated by the Republic of Texas. Read more
• 1832 — The June Rebellion breaks out in Paris in an attempt to overthrow the monarchy of Louis Philippe. Read more
• 1829 — HMS Pickle captures the armed slave ship Voladora off the coast of Cuba. Read more

Born on June 5

• 2003 — Anna Malygon, Ukrainian influencer and model Read more
• 2002 — Selwyn Cobbo, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 2001 — Chaeryeong, South Korean singer and dancer Read more
• 1998 — Kale Clague, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1998 — Jaqueline Cristian, Romanian tennis player Read more
• 1998 — Dave, British rapper Read more
• 1998 — Yulia Lipnitskaya, Russian figure skater Read more
• 1997 — Sam Darnold, American football player Read more
• 1996 — Jamayne Isaako, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
• 1995 — Troye Sivan, South African–born Australian singer-songwriter, actor, and YouTuber Read more
• 1995 — Ross Wilson, English table tennis player Read more
• 1993 — Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Samoan-New Zealand rugby league player Read more
• 1992 — Joazhiño Arroe, Peruvian footballer[citation needed] Read more
• 1992 — Sam Rainbird, Australian cricketer Read more
• 1992 — Emily Seebohm, Australian swimmer Read more
• 1991 — Sören Bertram, German footballer[citation needed] Read more
• 1991 — Ninja, American professional gamer Read more
• 1990 — Radko Gudas, Czech ice hockey player Read more
• 1989 — Cam Atkinson, American ice hockey player Read more
• 1989 — Megumi Nakajima, Japanese voice actress and singer[citation needed] Read more
• 1988 — Alessandro Salvi, Italian footballer Read more
• 1987 — Marcus Thornton, American basketball player Read more
• 1986 — Dave Bolland, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1985 — Jeremy Abbott, American figure skater Read more
• 1985 — Ekaterina Bychkova, Russian tennis player Read more
• 1984 — Robert Barbieri, Canadian-Italian rugby player Read more
• 1982 — Ryan Dallas Cook, American trombonist (died 2005) Read more
• 1981 — Serhat Akın, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1981 — Sébastien Lefebvre, Canadian singer and guitarist Read more
• 1980 — Mike Fisher, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1980 — Chris Flannery, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1980 — Antonio García, Spanish racing driver Read more
• 1979 — Stefanos Kotsolis, Greek footballer Read more
• 1979 — Matthew Scarlett, Australian footballer Read more
• 1979 — Pete Wentz, American singer-songwriter, bass player, actor, and fashion designer Read more
• 1979 — Jason White, American race car driver Read more
• 1978 — Nick Kroll, American actor and comedian Read more
• 1978 — Fernando Meira, Portuguese footballer Read more
• 1977 — Liza Weil, American actress Read more
• 1976 — Joe Gatto, American comedian Read more

Died on June 5

• 2024 — Rosa, former sea otter at Monterey Bay Aquarium (born 1999) Read more
• 2023 — Astrud Gilberto, Brazilian singer (born 1940) Read more
• 2021 — T. B. Joshua, Nigerian televangelist (born 1963) Read more
• 2018 — Kate Spade, American fashion designer (born 1962) Read more
• 2017 — Andy Cunningham, English actor (born 1950) Read more
• 2017 — Cheick Tioté, Ivorian footballer (born 1986) Read more
• 2016 — Jerome Bruner, American psychologist (born 1915) Read more
• 2015 — Tariq Aziz, Iraqi journalist and politician, Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1936) Read more
• 2015 — Alan Bond, English-Australian businessman (born 1938) Read more
• 2015 — Richard Johnson, English actor (born 1927) Read more
• 2015 — Roger Vergé, French chef and author (born 1930) Read more
• 2014 — Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi, Iraqi commander (born 1971) Read more
• 2014 — Don Davis, American songwriter and producer (born 1938) Read more
• 2014 — Reiulf Steen, Norwegian journalist and politician, Norwegian Minister of Transport and Communications (born 1933) Read more
• 2013 — Helen McElhone, Scottish politician (born 1933) Read more
• 2013 — Stanisław Nagy, Polish cardinal (born 1921) Read more
• 2013 — Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Irish republican activist and politician (born 1932) Read more
• 2013 — Michel Ostyn, Belgian physiologist and physician (born 1924) Read more
• 2012 — Ray Bradbury, American science fiction writer and screenwriter (born 1920) Read more
• 2012 — Hal Keller, American baseball player and manager (born 1928) Read more
• 2012 — Mihai Pătrașcu, Romanian-American computer scientist (born 1982) Read more
• 2012 — Charlie Sutton, Australian footballer and coach (born 1924) Read more
• 2011 — Azam Khan, Bangladeshi singer-songwriter (born 1950) Read more
• 2009 — Jeff Hanson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1978) Read more
• 2006 — Frederick Franck, Dutch-American painter, sculptor, and author (born 1909) Read more
• 2006 — Edward L. Moyers, American businessman (born 1928) Read more
• 2005 — Adolfo Aguilar Zínser, Mexican scholar and politician (born 1949) Read more
• 2005 — Wee Chong Jin, Singaporean judge (born 1917) Read more
• 2004 — Iona Brown, English violinist and conductor (born 1941) Read more
• 2004 — Ronald Reagan, American actor and politician, 40th president of the United States (born 1911) Read more
• 2003 — Jürgen Möllemann, German soldier and politician, 10th Vice-Chancellor of Germany (born 1945) Read more
• 2003 — Manuel Rosenthal, French composer and conductor (born 1904) Read more
• 2002 — Dee Dee Ramone, American singer-songwriter and bass player (born 1951) Read more
• 2000 — Don Liddle, American baseball player (born 1925) Read more
• 1999 — Mel Tormé, American singer-songwriter (born 1925) Read more
• 1998 — Jeanette Nolan, American actress (born 1911) Read more
• 1998 — Sam Yorty, American soldier and politician, 37th mayor of Los Angeles (born 1909) Read more
• 1997 — J. Anthony Lukas, American journalist and author (born 1933) Read more
• 1996 — Acharya Kuber Nath Rai, Indian poet and scholar (born 1933) Read more
• 1993 — Conway Twitty, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1933) Read more

Holidays & observances

Arbor Day (New Zealand); Christian feast day: Boniface; Christian feast day: Dorotheus of Gaza; Christian feast day: Dorotheus of Tyre; Christian feast day: Luke Loan Ba Vu (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Genesius, Count of Clermont; Christian feast day: Blessed Meinwerk; Christian feast day: June 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Constitution Day (Denmark); Father's Day (Denmark); Indian Arrival Day (Suriname); Liberation Day (Seychelles); President's Day (Equatorial Guinea); Reclamation Day (Azerbaijan); World Day Against Speciesism (International); World Environment Day (International)

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