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19th September

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1994: U.S. forces land on Haiti


On September 19, 1994, 20,000 U.S. troops land unopposed in Haiti to oversee the country's transition to democracy. In 1991, Roman Catholic priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the first freely elected leader in Haitian history, was deposed in a bloody military coup. He escaped to exile, and a three-man junta took power. In 1994, reacting to evidence of atrocities committed by Haiti’s military dictators, the United Nations authorized the use of force to restore Aristide. On September 18, the eve of the American invasion, a diplomatic delegation led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter brokered a last-minute agreement with Haiti's military to give up power. Bloodshed was prevented, and on October 15 Aristide returned. Aristide served as president until the expiration of his term in 1996. In 2000, he was again elected Haitian president in a election marked by violence and corruption.

1985

Thousands are killed and many more made homeless when an earthquake devastates large areas of Mexico City.

1975

In Britain, BBC TV transmits the first episode of the comedy classic 'Fawlty Towers'.

1960

Chubby Checkers' record 'The Twist' - a cover version of an original Hank Ballard song - enters the US charts and launches a dance craze that spreads across the Atlantic.

1955

General Peron resigns from the Presidency of Argentina.

1945

British World War II traitor William Joyce (nick-named Lord Haw-Haw from the tone of his voice on propaganda radio broadcasts from Germany) is sentenced to be hanged after being found guilty of treason.

1939

World War II: British warship HMS Courageous is sunk by a German submarine.

1928

The world's first talking cartoon picture, Walt Disney's 'Steamboat Willie', featuring Mickey Mouse, is shown in New York.

1899

French army officer Alfred Dreyfus, is wrongly convicted of selling military secrets to Germany and sent to Devil's Island, French Guyana.

1893

New Zealand becomes the first country to give women the vote.

1876

The first carpet-sweeper is patented by Melville Bissell of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the United States of America.

1356

One Hundred Years' War: The English Army, led by Edward, the Black Prince, defeats the French at the Battle of Poitiers.

1949

British model Leslie Hornby - universally known as Twiggy

1948

British actor Jeremy Irons

1934

Brian Epstein, manager of the British pop group 'The Beatles'

1933

English actor David McCullum

1922

Czechoslovakian middle and long distance runner Emil Zatopek. In 1952, at the Helsinki Olympic Games, he completes a remarkable treble - winning a gold medal in the 5,000 metres, the 10,000 metres and the Marathon.

1911

English novelist William Golding is born in Cornwall. Becomes an actor; a theatre director; a writer and, after serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, a teacher. His most famous work is 'The Lord Of The Flies'. Awarded the Nobel prize for Literature in 1983.

1839

English businessman, philanthropist and social reformer George Cadbury is born in Birmingham. In partnership with his brother, Richard, he expands his father's cocoa business and establishes the Cadbury name as Britain's main producer of chocolate. Guided by his Quaker upbringing and liberal ideas, he moves the firm to a purpose-built model village, called Bournville on the outskirts of Birmingham - providing decent housing/town planning for his workers including provision for education and welfare. Dies in 1922.

1998

British comedy actress Patricia Hayes dies aged 88.

1998

Susan Barrantes, 61 year old mother of Sarah (Ferguson) Duchess of York is killed in a car crash in Argentina.

1905

Philanthropist Dr Thomas Barnardo dies aged 60.

1881

James Abram Garfield, 20th US President dies from his wounds after being shot in July - only a few months after taking office..