This Day in History – 15 August: Complete World Timeline

Ancient & Medieval Era

636 – The Battle of Yarmouk between the Arab Rashidun Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire becomes a decisive moment in Islamic expansion.
778 – Battle of Roncevaux Pass: Charlemagne’s rear guard is ambushed by Basque forces.
1057 – Macbeth, King of Scotland, is killed at the Battle of Lumphanan.
1248 – Construction of the Cologne Cathedral begins in Germany, destined to become a Gothic masterpiece.

1519 – Pedro Arias Dávila founds Panama City, shaping the Spanish conquest in the Americas.

1843 – The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu is dedicated; it becomes the oldest continuously used Catholic cathedral in the U.S.
1843 – Tivoli Gardens opens in Copenhagen, Denmark, becoming one of the world’s oldest amusement parks.

1914 – The Panama Canal officially opens, revolutionizing maritime trade between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
1945 – V-J Day: Japan surrenders in World War II, ending the war in Asia. Korea gains independence from Japanese rule.

1947 – India gains independence from British colonial rule; Muhammad Ali Jinnah becomes the first Governor-General of Pakistan.
1948 – Republic of Korea (South Korea) is officially established.
1950 – A massive earthquake strikes at the Assam–Tibet–Myanmar border, killing thousands.
1952 – A flash flood devastates Lynmouth, England, killing 34 people.
1960 – Republic of the Congo gains independence from France.
1961 – East German soldier Conrad Schumann defects to the West while guarding the Berlin Wall’s construction.
1965 – The Beatles perform a historic stadium concert at Shea Stadium, New York City.
1969 – Woodstock Music & Art Fair begins in Bethel, New York, becoming a symbol of the counterculture movement.
1971 – U.S. President Richard Nixon ends dollar-gold convertibility and imposes a 90-day wage and price freeze.
1971 – Bahrain gains independence from the United Kingdom.
1973 – The Case–Church Amendment ends U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
1975 – Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding leader of Bangladesh, is assassinated in a military coup.
1977 – The “Wow! signal”, a mysterious radio transmission from space, is detected by the SETI program.

1985 – The Assam Accord is signed, ending the Assam agitation in India.
1995 – Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama issues a statement of remorse for wartime actions.
1998 – Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland kills 29 people.
1998 – Apple launches the first iMac, revolutionizing computer design.
2005 – Israel begins its Gaza disengagement plan; Indonesia and Aceh rebels sign the Helsinki Agreement, ending decades of conflict.
2007 – An 8.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Peru, killing hundreds.
2013 – A powerful explosion in Beirut kills dozens; the olinguito, a new carnivore species, is officially identified in the Americas.
2015 – North Korea creates Pyongyang Time, shifting its time zone back 30 minutes.
2020 – Russia begins mass production of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.
2021 – Kabul falls to the Taliban as U.S. and allied forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

Assumption of Mary – Celebrated by Christians worldwide, especially in countries like France, Italy, and Spain.
National Liberation Day of Korea – Celebrated in both North and South Korea to mark liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
India’s Independence Day – Celebrated annually with flag-hoisting, parades, and cultural events.