On This Day in History — March 10

Highlights of March 10

• 2019 — Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa International Airport due to a fault within the software of the plane, resulting in the deaths of all 157 people on board. Read more
• 2008 — The New York Times revealed that Eliot Spitzer (pictured), Governor of New York, had patronized a prostitution ring. Read more
• 2006 — NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (artist's impression pictured) reached and entered orbit around Mars. Read more
• 1990 — Eighteen months after seizing power, Prosper Avril was ousted as the military head of state of Haiti. Read more
• 1977 — Astronomers using NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory discovered a faint ring system around Uranus. Read more
• 1975 — Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnam began its final push for victory over South Vietnam with an attack on Ban Me Thuot. Read more
• 1968 — Vietnam War/Laotian Civil War: North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao forces overwhelmed the American, Laotian, Thai, and Hmong defenders of Lima Site 85. Read more
• 1967 — British progressive-rock band Pink Floyd released their first single, "Arnold Layne". Read more
• 1966 — Military prime minister of South Vietnam Nguyễn Cao Kỳ sacked rival General Nguyễn Chánh Thi, precipitating large-scale civil and military dissension in parts of the nation. Read more
• 1965 — Thomas Playford, Premier of South Australia, left office after 27 years, the longest term of any democratically elected leader in the history of Australia. Read more
• 1959 — An anti-Chinese uprising began as thousands of Tibetans surrounded the Potala Palace in Lhasa to prevent the Dalai Lama from leaving or being removed by the Chinese army. Read more
• 1949 — Mildred Gillars, nicknamed Axis Sally, was convicted of treason for working with the Nazis as a broadcaster. Read more
• 1945 — World War II: The United States Army Air Forces conducted a firebombing raid on Tokyo that killed at least 90,000 people. Read more
• 1917 — Russia and France reached an agreement' to support one another's territorial ambitions for Europe in the aftermath of World War I. Read more
• 1916 — The final letter in the McMahon–Hussein Correspondence was written, agreeing that Britain would recognise Arab independence in return for the Sharif of Mecca launching a revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Read more
• 1915 — The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the first deliberately planned British offensive of the First World War, began. Read more
• 1695 — Nine Years' War: At the Battle of Sant Esteve d'en Bas, Catalan miquelets attacked a column of French regular infantry and caused them to surrender. Read more
• 241 BC — The Roman Republic defeated Carthaginian forces at the Battle of the Aegates, off the western coast of Sicily, in the final battle of the First Punic War. Read more

Events

• 2026 — Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat recorded the second-highest scoring game in NBA history with 83 Points. Read more
• 2024 — 2024 Portuguese legislative election: Elections are held in Portugal for all 230 seats in the Assembly of the Republic. The Partido Socialista loses its absolute majority to the Partido Social Democrata, winning 77 and 79 seats respectively. Read more
• 2023 — Silicon Valley Bank collapses due to a run on its deposits, in the second largest bank failure in US history. Its operations are taken over by the FDIC. Read more
• 2022 — 2022 Hungarian presidential election: The National Assembly of Hungary elects former minister for Family Affairs, Katalin Novák, as president of Hungary in a 137–51 vote, becoming the first female president in the country's history. Read more
• 2019 — Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 MAX, crashes shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 passengers and crew. This and the prior Lion Air Flight 610 led to all 387 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft being grounded worldwide. Read more
• 2017 — The impeachment of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea in response to a major political scandal is unanimously upheld by the country's Constitutional Court, ending her presidency. Read more
• 2006 — The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrives at Mars. Read more
• 2000 — The Dot-com bubble peaks with the NASDAQ Composite stock market index reaching 5,048.62. Read more
• 1991 — 1991 Salvadoran legislative election: The Nationalist Republican Alliance wins 39 of the 84 seats in the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. Read more
• 1990 — In Haiti, Prosper Avril is ousted eighteen months after seizing power in a coup d'état in September 1988. Read more
• 1989 — Air Ontario Flight 1363, a Fokker F-28 Fellowship, crashes at Dryden Regional Airport in Dryden, Ontario, Canada, killing 24. Read more
• 1982 — Syzygy: All nine planets recognized at this time — Mercury to Pluto — align on the same side of the Sun. Read more
• 1979 — 1979 International Women's Day protests in Tehran: Protestor involvement peaks with 15,000 Iranian women and girls performing a three‐hour-long sit‐in at the Courthouse of Tehran. Read more
• 1977 — Astronomers discover the rings of Uranus. Read more
• 1975 — Vietnam War: Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnamese troops attack Ban Mê Thuột in the South on their way to capturing Saigon in the final push for victory over South Vietnam. Read more
• 1974 — 1974 Belgian general election: Elections are held in Belgium for all 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives, the Belgian Socialist Party taking the majority with 59. Read more
• 1971 — John Gorton resigns as Prime Minister of Australia and the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia after a secret ballot vote of confidence, being replaced in both positions by William McMahon. Read more
• 1970 — Vietnam War: Captain Ernest Medina is charged by the U.S. military with My Lai war crimes. Read more
• 1969 — In Memphis, Tennessee, James Earl Ray pleads guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. He later unsuccessfully attempts to recant. Read more
• 1966 — Military Prime Minister of South Vietnam Nguyễn Cao Kỳ sacks rival General Nguyễn Chánh Thi, precipitating large-scale civil and military dissension in parts of the nation. Read more
• 1959 — Tibetan uprising: Fearing an abduction attempt by China, thousands of Tibetans surround the Dalai Lama's palace to prevent his removal. Read more
• 1952 — Fulgencio Batista leads a successful coup in Cuba. Read more
• 1949 — Mildred Gillars ("Axis Sally") is convicted of treason. Read more
• 1945 — World War II: The U.S. Army Air Force firebombs Tokyo, and the resulting conflagration kills more than 100,000 people, mostly civilians. Read more
• 1944 — Greek Civil War: The Political Committee of National Liberation is established in Greece by the National Liberation Front. Read more
• 1933 — The Long Beach earthquake affects the Greater Los Angeles Area, leaving around 108 people dead. Read more
• 1922 — Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in India, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years in prison, only to be released after nearly two years for an appendicitis operation. Read more
• 1909 — By signing the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, Thailand relinquishes its sovereignty over the Malay states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu, which become British protectorates. Read more
• 1906 — The Courrières mine disaster, Europe's worst ever, kills 1099 miners in northern France. Read more
• 1891 — Almon Strowger patents the Strowger switch, a device which led to the automation of telephone circuit switching. Read more
• 1876 — The first successful test of a telephone is made by Alexander Graham Bell. Read more
• 1873 — The first Azerbaijani play, The Adventures of the Vizier of the Khan of Lenkaran, prepared by Akhundov, is performed by Hassan-bey Zardabi and dramatist and Najaf-bey Vezirov. Read more
• 1861 — El Hadj Umar Tall seizes the city of Ségou, destroying the Bamana Empire of Mali. Read more
• 1848 — The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is ratified by the United States Senate, ending the Mexican–American War. Read more
• 1831 — The French Foreign Legion is created by Louis Philippe, the King of France, from the foreign regiments of the Kingdom of France. Read more
• 1830 — The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army is created. Read more
• 1814 — Emperor Napoleon I is defeated at the Battle of Laon in France. Read more
• 1762 — French Huguenot Jean Calas, who had been wrongly convicted of killing his son, dies after being tortured by authorities; the event inspired Voltaire to begin a campaign for religious tolerance and legal reform. Read more
• 1735 — An agreement between Nader Shah and Russia is signed near Ganja, Azerbaijan and Russian troops are withdrawn from occupied territories. Read more
• 1661 — French "Sun King" Louis XIV begins his personal rule of France after the death of his premier, the Cardinal Mazarin. Read more
• 1629 — Charles I dissolves the Parliament of England, beginning the eleven-year period known as the Personal Rule. Read more
• 1607 — Susenyos I defeats the combined armies of Yaqob and Abuna Petros II at the Battle of Gol in Gojjam, making him Emperor of Ethiopia. Read more
• 1535 — Spaniard Fray Tomás de Berlanga, the fourth Bishop of Panama, discovers the Galápagos Islands by chance on his way to Peru. Read more
• 1496 — After establishing the city of Santo Domingo, Christopher Columbus departs for Spain, leaving his brother in command. Read more
• 947 — The Later Han is founded by Liu Zhiyuan. He declares himself emperor. Read more
• 298 — Roman Emperor Maximian concludes his campaign in North Africa and makes a triumphal entry into Carthage. Read more
• 241 BC — First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates: The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing the First Punic War to an end. Read more

Born on March 10

• 2004 — Matt Poitras, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 2002 — Keon Johnson, American basketball player Read more
• 2000 — Nick Bolton, American football player Read more
• 1999 — Cole Kmet, American football player Read more
• 1998 — Justin Herbert, American football player Read more
• 1997 — Belinda Bencic, Swiss tennis player Read more
• 1995 — Zach LaVine, American basketball player Read more
• 1995 — Sergey Mozgov, Russian ice dancer Read more
• 1994 — Bad Bunny, Puerto Rican rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and wrestler Read more
• 1994 — Nikita Parris, English footballer Read more
• 1993 — Jack Butland, English footballer Read more
• 1993 — Aminata Namasia, Congolese politician Read more
• 1992 — Neeskens Kebano, French-Congolese footballer Read more
• 1991 — Kenshi Yonezu, Japanese singer-songwriter and illustrator Read more
• 1990 — Stefanie Vögele, Swiss tennis player Read more
• 1989 — Simon Moser, Swiss ice hockey player Read more
• 1989 — Dayán Viciedo, Cuban baseball player Read more
• 1988 — Clarissa dos Santos, Brazilian basketball player Read more
• 1988 — Josh Hoffman, Australian-New Zealand rugby league player Read more
• 1988 — Ego Nwodim, American actress Read more
• 1988 — Quincy Pondexter, American basketball player and coach Read more
• 1988 — Ivan Rakitić, Croatian football player Read more
• 1987 — Martellus Bennett, American football player Read more
• 1987 — Greg Eastwood, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
• 1987 — Tuukka Rask, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
• 1987 — Māris Štrombergs, Latvian BMX racer Read more
• 1986 — Sergei Shirokov, Russian ice hockey player Read more
• 1984 — Tim Brent, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1984 — Ben May, English footballer Read more
• 1984 — Olivia Wilde, American actress and director Read more
• 1983 — Étienne Boulay, Canadian football player Read more
• 1983 — Janet Mock, American journalist, author, and activist Read more
• 1983 — Rafe Spall, English actor Read more
• 1983 — Carrie Underwood, American singer-songwriter Read more
• 1982 — Kwame Brown, American basketball player Read more
• 1982 — Dr Disrespect, American live streamer Read more
• 1982 — Logan Mankins, American football player Read more
• 1981 — Samuel Eto'o, Cameroonian footballer Read more
• 1981 — Steven Reid, English-Irish footballer Read more
• 1978 — Benjamin Burnley, American musician Read more

Died on March 10

• 2025 — Stanley R. Jaffe, American film producer and director (born 1940) Read more
• 2025 — Carl Lundström, Swedish businessman and activist (born 1960) Read more
• 2023 — Napoleon XIV, American singer (born 1938) Read more
• 2022 — John Elliott, English historian and academic (born 1930) Read more
• 2016 — Ken Adam, German-English production designer and art director (born 1921) Read more
• 2016 — Roberto Perfumo, Argentinian footballer and sportscaster (born 1942) Read more
• 2016 — Jovito Salonga, Filipino lawyer and politician, 14th President of the Senate of the Philippines (born 1920) Read more
• 2016 — Anita Brookner, English novelist and art historian (born 1928) Read more
• 2015 — Richard Glatzer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1952) Read more
• 2013 — Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland, British born Swedish Princess (born 1915) Read more
• 2012 — Jean Giraud, French author and illustrator (born 1938) Read more
• 2012 — Frank Sherwood Rowland, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1927) Read more
• 2011 — Bill Blackbeard, American author and illustrator (born 1926) Read more
• 2010 — Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, Egyptian scholar and academic (born 1928) Read more
• 2010 — Corey Haim, Canadian actor (born 1971) Read more
• 2007 — Ernie Ladd, American football player and wrestler (born 1938) Read more
• 2005 — Dave Allen, Irish-English comedian, actor, and screenwriter (born 1936) Read more
• 1999 — Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuadorian painter and sculptor (born 1919) Read more
• 1998 — Lloyd Bridges, American actor and director (born 1913) Read more
• 1997 — LaVern Baker, American singer and actress (born 1929) Read more
• 1996 — Ross Hunter, American film producer (born 1926) Read more
• 1992 — Giorgos Zampetas, Greek bouzouki player and composer (born 1925) Read more
• 1988 — Andy Gibb, Australian singer-songwriter and actor (born 1958) Read more
• 1986 — Ray Milland, Welsh-American actor and director (born 1907) Read more
• 1985 — Konstantin Chernenko, Russian soldier and politician, Head of State of The Soviet Union (born 1911) Read more
• 1985 — Bob Nieman, American baseball player (born 1927) Read more
• 1977 — E. Power Biggs, English-American organist and composer (born 1906) Read more
• 1973 — Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale (1960 – 1973), Governor of Kenya (1952 – 1959), High Commissioner for Southern Africa (1944 – 1951), Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1942 – 1944) (born 1903) Read more
• 1973 — Li Mi, Chinese lieutenant general and anti-communist, Taiwanese nationalist (born 1902) Read more
• 1973 — Richard Sharples, British politician, assassinated Governor of Bermuda (born 1916) Read more
• 1969 — Muriel Hannah, American artist active in Alaska. Read more
• 1966 — Frits Zernike, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1888) Read more
• 1966 — Frank O'Connor, Irish short story writer, novelist, and poet (born 1903) Read more
• 1951 — Kijūrō Shidehara, Japanese lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of Japan (born 1872) Read more
• 1948 — Zelda Fitzgerald, American author, visual artist, and ballet dancer (born 1900) Read more
• 1948 — Jan Masaryk, Czech soldier and politician (born 1886) Read more
• 1942 — Wilbur Scoville, American pharmacist and chemist (born 1865) Read more
• 1940 — Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian novelist and playwright (born 1891) Read more
• 1937 — Yevgeny Zamyatin, Russian journalist and author (born 1884) Read more
• 1925 — Myer Prinstein, Polish-American jumper (born 1878) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day Attala; Christian feast day Harriet Tubman (Lutheran); Christian feast day John Ogilvie; Christian feast day Macarius of Jerusalem; Christian feast day Marie-Eugénie de Jésus; Christian feast day Pope Simplicius; Christian feast day Sojourner Truth (Lutheran); Christian feast day March 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Harriet Tubman Day (United States of America); Mario Day (International); Holocaust Remembrance Day (Bulgaria); National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (United States); Székely Freedom Day (Romania); Tibetan Uprising Day (Tibetan independence movement)

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