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On This Day in History — March 12
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Highlights of March 12
- 2014 — A gas leak caused an explosion in East Harlem, New York City, destroying two apartment buildings and causing eight deaths. Read more
- 2006 — U.S. Army soldiers gang-raped a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and murdered her along with her family members. Read more
- 1971 — The Turkish Armed Forces executed a "coup by memorandum", forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel (pictured). Read more
- 1967 — General Suharto (pictured) seized power from President Sukarno when the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly sworn him in as acting president of Indonesia. Read more
- 1952 — British diplomat Lord Ismay was appointed the first secretary general of NATO. Read more
- 1947 — Cold War: U.S. president Harry S. Truman proclaimed the Truman Doctrine to help stem the spread of communism. Read more
- 1940 — The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed, ending the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. Read more
- 1934 — Supported by the Estonian army, Konstantin Päts staged a coup d'état, beginning the Era of Silence. Read more
- 1930 — Mahatma Gandhi began the Salt March (pictured), a 24-day nonviolent walk to defy the British salt tax in colonial India. Read more
- 1928 — The failure of the St. Francis Dam (pictured) northwest of Los Angeles resulted in a flood that killed 400 people. Read more
- 1913 — At a ceremony at Kurrajong Hill, Lady Denman, wife of the governor-general Lord Denman, announced that the future capital of Australia would be called Canberra. Read more
- 1881 — Andrew Watson (pictured) captained the Scotland national football team against England, becoming the world's first black international footballer. Read more
- 1622 — Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Jesuits, were canonized by Pope Gregory XV. Read more
- 1537 — Croatian–Ottoman wars: After the execution of feudal lord Petar Kružić, Croatian forces at Klis surrendered to the Ottoman forces in exchange for their safe passage to northern locations. Read more
- 1088 — Odo of Châtillon was elected as the 159th pope of the Catholic Church. Read more
- 538 — The Gothic king Vitiges ended his year-long siege of Rome, which was defended by the Byzantine general Belisarius Read more
Events
- 2020 — The United States suspends travel from Europe due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
- 2019 — In the House of Commons, the revised EU Withdrawal Bill was rejected by a margin of 149 votes. Read more
- 2018 — US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 crashes at Tribhuvan International Airport in Katmandu, killing 51 and injuring 20. Read more
- 2014 — A gas explosion in the New York City neighborhood of East Harlem kills eight and injures 70 others. Read more
- 2011 — A reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant explodes and releases radioactivity into the atmosphere a day after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Read more
- 2009 — Financier Bernie Madoff pleads guilty to one of the largest frauds in Wall Street's history. Read more
- 2006 — In Mahmoudiyah, Iraq, 14-year-old Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi is raped and murdered by five American soldiers of the 502nd Infantry Regiment, who also murder both of her parents and her sister. Read more
- 2004 — President of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, is impeached by its National Assembly, the first such impeachment in the nation's history. Read more
- 2003 — Zoran Đinđić, Prime Minister of Serbia, is assassinated in Belgrade. Read more
- 2003 — The World Health Organization officially release a global warning of outbreaks of Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Read more
- 1999 — Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join NATO. Read more
- 1993 — Several bombs explode in Mumbai, India, killing about 300 people and injuring hundreds more. Read more
- 1993 — North Korea announces that it will withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and refuses to allow inspectors access to its nuclear sites. Read more
- 1992 — Mauritius becomes a republic while remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Read more
- 1989 — Tim Berners-Lee submits his proposal to CERN for an information management system, which subsequently develops into the World Wide Web. Read more
- 1971 — The 1971 Turkish military memorandum is sent to the Süleyman Demirel government of Turkey and the government resigns. Read more
- 1968 — Mauritius gains independence from the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1967 — Suharto takes power from Sukarno when the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly inaugurate him as Acting President of Indonesia. Read more
- 1950 — The Llandow air disaster kills 80 people when the aircraft they are travelling in crashes near Sigingstone, Wales. At the time this was the world's deadliest air disaster. Read more
- 1947 — Cold War: The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism. Read more
- 1942 — The Battle of Java ends with the surrender of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command to the Empire of Japan in Bandung, West Java, Dutch East Indies. Read more
- 1940 — Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Read more
- 1940 — The most destructive train accident in Finnish history kills 39 and injures 69 people in Turenki, Janakkala. Read more
- 1938 — Anschluss: German troops occupy and annex Austria. Read more
- 1933 — Great Depression: Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses the nation for the first time as President of the United States. This is also the first of his "fireside chats". Read more
- 1930 — Mahatma Gandhi begins the Salt March, a 200-mile (320 km) march to the sea to protest the British monopoly on salt in India. Read more
- 1928 — In California, the St. Francis Dam fails; the resulting floods kill 431 people. Read more
- 1920 — The Kapp Putsch begins when the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt is ordered to march on Berlin. Read more
- 1918 — Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again after Saint Petersburg held this status for most of the period since 1713. Read more
- 1913 — The future capital of Australia is officially named Canberra. Read more
- 1912 — The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States. Read more
- 1862 — Paddle steamer Brother Jonathan docks in Fort Victoria (now Victoria, British Columbia), carrying smallpox-infected passengers from San Francisco. The ensuing epidemic killed an estimated two-thirds of First Nations in the province of British Columbia. Read more
- 1811 — Peninsular War: A day after a successful rearguard action, French Marshal Michel Ney once again successfully delays the pursuing Anglo-Portuguese force at the Battle of Redinha. Read more
- 1689 — James II of England lands at Kinsale, starting the Williamite War in Ireland. Read more
- 1622 — Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Society of Jesus, are canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. Read more
- 1579 — Start of the Siege of Maastricht, part of the Eighty Years' War. Read more
- 1391 — Konrad von Wallenrode is elected the 24th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (date is O.S.). Read more
- 1158 — German city Munich (München) is first mentioned as forum apud Munichen in the Augsburg arbitration by Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich I. Read more
- 1088 — Election of Urban II as the 159th Pope of the Catholic Church. He is best known for initiating the Crusades. Read more
- 538 — Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths, ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city to the victorious Byzantine general, Belisarius. Read more
Born on March 12
- 2008 — Emma Kok, Dutch singer Read more
- 2004 — DannyLux, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 2003 — Andrea Brillantes, Filipino actress and model Read more
- 2003 — Malina Weissman, American actress and model Read more
- 2001 — Max Duggan, American football player Read more
- 2001 — Kim Min-kyu, South Korean singer and actor Read more
- 1998 — Carsen Edwards, American basketball player Read more
- 1998 — Mecole Hardman, American football player Read more
- 1998 — Daniel Samohin, Israeli figure skater Read more
- 1998 — Elizaveta Ukolova, Czech figure skater Read more
- 1997 — Dean Henderson, English footballer Read more
- 1997 — Allan Saint-Maximin, French footballer Read more
- 1997 — Felipe Vizeu, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1996 — Serhou Guirassy, French-Guinean footballer Read more
- 1996 — Karim Hafez, Egyptian footballer Read more
- 1996 — Robert Murić, Croatian footballer Read more
- 1996 — Cene Prevc, Slovenian ski jumper Read more
- 1994 — Katie Archibald, Scottish track cyclist Read more
- 1994 — Jerami Grant, American basketball player Read more
- 1994 — Christina Grimmie, American singer-songwriter (died 2016) Read more
- 1994 — Tyler Patrick Jones, American actor Read more
- 1993 — Shehu Abdullahi, Nigerian footballer Read more
- 1993 — Amjad Attwan, Iraqi footballer Read more
- 1992 — Daniele Baselli, Italian footballer Read more
- 1992 — Jordan Ferri, French footballer Read more
- 1992 — Ciara Mageean, Irish middle-distance runner Read more
- 1992 — Jiří Skalák, Czech footballer Read more
- 1991 — Leandro Fernandez, Argentine footballer Read more
- 1991 — Felix Kroos, German footballer Read more
- 1990 — Dont'a Hightower, American football coach and former player Read more
- 1990 — Marvin Jones, American football player Read more
- 1990 — Alexander Kröckel, German skeleton racer Read more
- 1990 — Dawid Kubacki, Polish ski jumper Read more
- 1990 — Irakli Kvekveskiri, Georgian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Matias Myttynen, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
- 1990 — Ilija Nestorovski, Macedonian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Milena Raičević, Montenegrin handballer Read more
- 1990 — Mikko Sumusalo, Finnish footballer Read more
- 1989 — Jordan Adéoti, French footballer Read more
- 1989 — Vytautas Černiauskas, Lithuanian footballer Read more
Died on March 12
- 2022 — Gertraud Gruber, German beautician and businesswoman (born 1921) Read more
- 2021 — Ronald DeFeo Jr., American criminal (born 1951) Read more
- 2016 — Rafiq Azad, Bangladeshi poet and author (born 1942) Read more
- 2016 — Felix Ibru, Nigerian architect and politician, Governor of Delta State (born 1935) Read more
- 2016 — Lloyd Shapley, American mathematician and economist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1923) Read more
- 2015 — Willie Barrow, American minister and activist (born 1924) Read more
- 2015 — Michael Graves, American architect and academic, designed the Portland Building and the Humana Building (born 1934) Read more
- 2015 — Ada Jafri, Pakistani poet and author (born 1924) Read more
- 2015 — Terry Pratchett, English journalist, author, and screenwriter (born 1948) Read more
- 2014 — Věra Chytilová, Czech actress, director, and screenwriter (born 1929) Read more
- 2014 — Paul C. Donnelly, American scientist and engineer (born 1923) Read more
- 2014 — José Policarpo, Portuguese cardinal (born 1936) Read more
- 2013 — Michael Grigsby, English director and producer (born 1936) Read more
- 2013 — Ganesh Pyne, Indian painter and illustrator (born 1937) Read more
- 2012 — Dick Harter, American basketball player and coach (born 1930) Read more
- 2012 — Michael Hossack, American drummer (born 1946) Read more
- 2012 — Friedhelm Konietzka, German-Swiss footballer and manager (born 1938) Read more
- 2011 — Nilla Pizzi, Italian singer (born 1919) Read more
- 2010 — Miguel Delibes, Spanish journalist and author (born 1920) Read more
- 2008 — Jorge Guinzburg, Argentinian journalist and producer (born 1949) Read more
- 2008 — Lazare Ponticelli, Italian-French soldier and supercentenarian (born 1897) Read more
- 2006 — Victor Sokolov, Russian-American priest and journalist (born 1947) Read more
- 2004 — Milton Resnick, Russian-American painter (born 1917) Read more
- 2003 — Zoran Đinđić, Serbian philosopher and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Serbia (born 1952) Read more
- 2003 — Howard Fast, American novelist and screenwriter (born 1914) Read more
- 2003 — Lynne Thigpen, American actress and singer (born 1948) Read more
- 2002 — Hartini, former wife of Sukarno (born 1924) Read more
- 2002 — Spyros Kyprianou, Cypriot lawyer and politician, 2nd President of Cyprus (born 1932) Read more
- 2002 — Jean-Paul Riopelle, Canadian painter and sculptor (born 1923) Read more
- 2001 — Morton Downey Jr., American singer-songwriter, actor, and talk show host (born 1933) Read more
- 2001 — Robert Ludlum, American author (born 1927) Read more
- 2001 — Victor Westhoff, Dutch botanist and academic (born 1916) Read more
- 2000 — Aleksandar Nikolić, Yugoslav basketball coach (born 1924) Read more
- 1999 — Yehudi Menuhin, American-Swiss violinist and conductor (born 1916) Read more
- 1999 — Bidu Sayão, Brazilian-American soprano (born 1902) Read more
- 1998 — Beatrice Wood, American painter and potter (born 1893) Read more
- 1992 — Lucy M. Lewis, American potter (born 1890) Read more
- 1991 — Ragnar Granit, Finnish-Swedish neuroscientist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1900) Read more
- 1991 — William Heinesen, Faroese author, poet, and author (born 1900) Read more
- 1989 — Maurice Evans, English-American actor (born 1901) Read more
Holidays & observances
Arbor Day (China); Arbor Day (Taiwan); Aztec New Year; Christian feast day:
Alphege; Christian feast day:
Angela Salawa; Christian feast day:
Bernard of Carinola (or of Capua); Christian feast day:
Gorgonius, Peter Cubicularius and Dorotheus of Nicomedia; Christian feast day:
Mura (McFeredach); Christian feast day:
Fina; Christian feast day:
Maximilian of Tebessa; Christian feast day:
Paul Aurelian; Christian feast day:
Pope Gregory I (Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Church, and Anglican Communion); Christian feast day:
Theophanes the Confessor; Christian feast day:
March 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); National Day (Mauritius); World Day Against Cyber Censorship; Youth Day (Zambia)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “March 12”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.