1942: Marines land on Guadalcanal
On August 7, 1942, 11,000 U.S. troops land on Guadalcanal, one of the
Solomon Islands located east of New Guinea, and successfully take over the airfield. On the 2,510-square-mile island,
Japan was building an air base so that it could eventually isolate the Australian continent. Despite the successful landing on the island, the Americans failed to achieve superiority at sea, and
Japanese forces later re-infiltrated Guadalcanal and waged a bloody jungle battle that left thousands dead. The Japanese finally withdrew in February 1943.
1998
Two terrorist bombs exploded outside the American Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania kill more than 200 and injure a further 5,000. The Islamic Army for the Liberation of Holy Places claims responsibility.
1997
Footballers Bruce Grobbelaar, Hans Segers and John Fashanu are all found not guilty of match fixing.1995
British athlete
Jonathan Edwards twice breaks his own world triple jump record - becoming the first man to clear 18 metres - while winning the gold medal in the World Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.
1990
In
South Africa, the
African National Congress suspends its 29 year guerilla campaign against 'white rule' - a concession that leads to formal talks on ending the country's system of Apartheid.
1973
US Vice-President
Spiro Agnew admits he is under investigation in his own state of Maryland for crimes including
fraud and
bribery. 1959
US satellite Explorer 6, is launched from Cape Canaveral - and becomes the first space probe to transmit photographs of the Earth from space.1942
World War II: US troops land on the Japanese-held island of Guadalcanal in the Southern
Solomon Islands in the Pacific.
1926
The first British motor racing Grand Prix is staged at Brooklands - 110 laps of the track for a total distance of 287 miles. Winner is Robert Senechal in just over 4 hours at an average speed of almost 72 miles an hour.1925
Britain introduces the Daylight Saving Act - bringing in British summer time so the nation changes clocks by one hour twice a year.1914
World War I:
German forces enter the Belgian city of Liege.
1858
Queen Victoria choses
Ottawa to be the capital of the Dominion of Canada
1840
The British Parliament passes an Act prohibiting the use of 'climbing boys' as chimney sweeps.1782
George Washington establishes the Order of the Purple Heart - a decoration for US soldiers wounded in combat. 1711
Ascot racecourse becomes 'Royal' Ascot after the attendance of
Queen Anne for a day at the races.
1485
Henry
Tudor, the future
Henry VII of England, lands in Wales at the start of his succesful bid to take the English throne.
1948
Australian Test cricketer Greg Chappell.1906
Portuguese politician Marcello Caetano.
Portuguese Prime Minister 1968-74.
1903
Anthropologist and archaeologist Louis Leakey in born in
Kenya. 1885
English novelist Dornford Yates - pseudonym of Cecil William Mercer.1957
American comedian Oliver Norvell Hardy - partner of Stan Laurel. 1941
Bruno
Mussolini, son of the
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, is killed in an aircrash.
1931
US jazz musician and composer Bix Beiderbecke dies of pneumonia aged 28.1903
Martha Jane Cannary - better known as frontierswoman Calamity Jane
