1942: Singapore falls to Japan
In one of the greatest defeats in British military history, Britain's supposedly impregnable Singapore fortress surrenders to Japanese forces. Singapore, located off the Malay Peninsula was considered invulnerable to attack because of its big defensive guns. However, the weapons, which used armor-piercing shells and the flat trajectories necessary to decimate an enemy fleet, were not designed to defend against a land attack on the unfortified northern end of the island.
After steamrollering down the Malay Peninsula, the Japanese infiltrated Singapore from the north and pushed toward Singapore City, capturing key Allied positions and splitting the British-led defenders into isolated groups. With supplies severely depleted, the British were forced to surrender control of a major waterway connecting India and China. Many thousands of the 130,000 Allied troops captured later died in Japanese captivity.
2005
The singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, wins damages from two UK newspapers which falsely claimed he supported terrorism.
2003
Millions of people around the world protest against a war with Iraq.
1996
In Britain, the Arms-to-Iraq report is published.
1989
The last sets of Soviet troops withdraw from Afghanistan.
1976
A national referendum endorses the 1976 Constitution of Cuba.
1974
The search for the missing British trawler, the Gaul, in the Arctic Ocean is called off.
1971
The beginning of the decimalisation of British coinage.
1965
Canada formally adopts the maple leaf flag.
1961
A Boeing 707 jet airliner crashes at Berg, near Brussels airport. At least 73 people are killed.
1952
In Britain, King George VI is buried at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
1950
The Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China sign a mutual defence and assistance treaty.
1933
America’s president-elect, Franklin D. Roosevelt survives an assassination attempt by Giuseppe Zangara, who fires a gun as Roosevelt but misses.
1915
The First World War: In Singapore Indian soldiers launch the first large-scale mutiny from British control.
1898
A massive explosion sinks the American battleship USS Maine in Cuba's Havana harbour. It is not known how the explosion occurred, 260 people died.
399BC
It is thought that on this day the philosopher Socrates is sentenced to death.