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.

Age of Discovery & Early Modern Period

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

19th Century

• 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.

Early 20th Century & World Wars

• 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.

Mid to Late 20th Century

• 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.

Late 20th Century to Present

• 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.

Religious & Cultural Observances

• 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.