Osun Defender History Corner: February 8 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashbacks and recall some events that marked this day.

February 8, 1587

Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed for her involvement in a plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England.

February 8, 1693

The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, was granted a charter by King William III and Queen Mary II of England.

February 8, 1837

Richard Johnson became the first Vice President of the United States chosen by the Senate under the provisions of the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

February 8, 1904

The Russo-Japanese War began when Japan launched a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur, Manchuria.

February 8, 1910

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce.

February 8, 1922

President Warren G. Harding had a radio installed in the White House, the first U.S. president to do so.

February 8, 1942

Japanese forces began an invasion of Singapore during World War II.

February 8, 1945

The Yalta Conference between U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin began in Crimea to discuss postwar Europe.

February 8, 1960

The first eight brass star plaques were installed in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

February 8, 1963

The Kennedy Administration banned travel to Cuba and prohibited financial transactions with Cuban entities by U.S. citizens.

February 8, 1971

South Vietnamese forces began Operation Lam Son 719, an attempt to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail and cut off communist supply lines.

February 8, 1974

The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patricia Hearst, the granddaughter of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

February 8, 1983

The Melbourne dust storm, one of the worst dust storms in Australian history, blanketed the city of Melbourne.

February 8, 1986

The “National Resistance Army” led by Yoweri Museveni seized control of Uganda after a five-year guerrilla war.

February 8, 1993

General Motors sued NBC after the network aired a “Dateline NBC” segment that showed a GM truck catching fire after a collision. The segment was later revealed to have used incendiary devices to ensure the truck would catch fire.

February 8, 2001

The submarine USS Greeneville accidentally collided with the Japanese fishing training vessel Ehime Maru off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, resulting in the death of nine crewmembers of the Japanese vessel.

February 8, 2002

The 2002 Winter Olympics opened in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.

February 8, 2006

A massive landslide occurred in Leyte, Philippines, burying the entire village of Guinsaugon and killing over 1,000 people.

February 8, 2010

A series of winter storms hit the eastern United States, causing record snowfall in some areas and widespread disruption of transportation.

February 8, 2020

The Democratic Party’s Iowa caucuses, the first nominating contest for the 2020 United States presidential election, took place. However, due to technical issues and reporting errors, the results were delayed, causing confusion and controversy.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on February 8. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.