History
On this day in 1951: China formally annexed Tibet as an autonomous region
China’s formal incorporation of Tibet into the People’s Republic remains one of the most contested moments in modern Asian history....
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Mexico’s war declaration marked a turning point in the Americas
On 22 May 1942, Mexico entered the Second World War by declaring that a state of war existed with Germany,...
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On this day in 1927: Charles Lindbergh completed the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean
On 21 May 1927, American aviator Charles Lindbergh completed the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, landing near...
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On this day in 2002: East Timor officially became independent
On 20 May 2002, East Timor officially became an independent state, ending a long and painful struggle shaped by colonial...
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On this day in 1802: Napoleon created the Legion of Honour, the premier order of the French republic.
On 19 May 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte created the Legion of Honour, establishing what would become the premier order of merit...
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On this day in 1940: Brussels fell to the invading German army in World War II
On 17 May 1940, Brussels fell to the advancing German army during one of the most dramatic phases of the...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1510: Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, one of the greatest painters of the Florentine Renaissance, died.
One of the defining artistic voices of the Florentine Renaissance, Sandro Botticelli, died on 17 May 1510 in Florence. More...
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On this day in 1929: The first Academy Awards: Hollywood’s night that changed cinema forever
On 16 May 1929, the first Academy Awards ceremony was held at the legendary Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles,...
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On this day in 1859: Pierre Curie, cowinner (with his wife, Marie Curie) of the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics, was born
On this day, one of the most influential physicists in modern history was born. French scientist Pierre Curie, who shared...
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On this day in 1948: Israel’s independence declaration reshaped the Middle East
On 14 May 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel in Tel Aviv, ending decades of...
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