Osun Defender History Corner: March 19 In Focus
Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashbacks and recall some events that marked this day.
March 19, 1279
A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China.
March 19, 1687
French explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle is murdered by his own men while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River.
March 19, 1853
The Taiping reform movement, led by Hong Xiuquan, establishes the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in China.
March 19, 1916
The First Battle of Erzincan during World War I begins between the Russian and Ottoman Empires.
March 19, 1918
The U.S. Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time.
March 19, 1920
The U.S. Senate rejects the Treaty of Versailles for the second time, leading to the failure of U.S. participation in the League of Nations.
March 19, 1932
The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is officially opened.
March 19, 1941
The 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first unit of African American pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps, is activated.
March 19, 1945
Adolf Hitler issues the “Nero Decree,” ordering the destruction of German infrastructure to prevent its use by Allied forces.
March 19, 1962
Bob Dylan releases his first album, “Bob Dylan,” which features iconic folk songs.
March 19, 1965
The wreck of the SS Georgiana, a Confederate cruiser sunk during the American Civil War, is discovered off the coast of South Carolina.
March 19, 1979
The U.S. House of Representatives begins broadcasting its debates on television.
March 19, 1982
Falklands War: Argentine forces land on South Georgia Island, beginning the Falklands War.
March 19, 1987
Televangelist Jim Bakker resigns as head of the PTL Club due to a sex scandal involving Jessica Hahn.
March 19, 2003
The Iraq War: U.S. President George W. Bush orders the start of military operations against Iraq.
March 19, 2011
A protest in Daraa, Syria, marks the beginning of the Syrian Civil War.
March 19, 2018
The U.S. announces plans to impose tariffs on $60 billion worth of Chinese imports, escalating trade tensions between the two countries.
March 19, 2019
New Zealand announces a ban on military-style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles following the Christchurch mosque shootings.
March 19, 2020
The International Olympic Committee postpones the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 19, 2021
The European Union imposes sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.
Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on March 19. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.
