February 23 in History

Historical Events on February 23

1778 American Revolutionary War: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army.

1847 Mexican-American War: Battle of Buena Vista: In Mexico, American troops under future president General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.

1870 Reconstruction Era: Post-U.S. Civil War military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union.

1883 Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an anti-trust law.

1903 Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity".

1942 World War II: Japanese submarines fire artillery shells at the coastline near Santa Barbara, California.

1944 The Soviet Union begins the forced deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people from the North Caucasus to Central Asia.

1945 World War II: The capital of the Philippines, Manila, is liberated by combined Filipino and American forces.

1991 In Thailand, General Sunthorn Kongsompong leads a bloodless coup d'état, deposing Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan.

All Events

Famous Birthdays on February 23

1685 George Frideric Handel

1868 W. E. B. Du Bois

1983 Mido (footballer)

1989 Evan Bates

All Births

Famous Deaths on February 23

908 Li Keyong

1848 John Quincy Adams

1934 Edward Elgar

1969 Madhubala

All Deaths

Choose Another Date