All Events

Historical Events on August 20

  • World War I

    1914

    World War I: Brussels is captured during the German invasion of Belgium.

  • World War II

    1940

    World War II: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill makes the fourth of his famous wartime speeches, containing the line "Never was so much owed by so many to so few".

  • Korean War

    1950

    Korean War: United Nations repel an offensive by North Korean divisions attempting to cross the Nakdong River and assault the city of Taegu.

  • Iran-Iraq War

    1988

    Iran-Iraq War: A ceasefire is agreed after almost eight years of war.

  • The Troubles

    1988

    The Troubles: Eight British soldiers are killed and 28 wounded when their bus is hit by an IRA roadside bomb in Ballygawley, County Tyrone.

  • Dissolution of the Soviet Union

    1991

    Dissolution of the Soviet Union, August Coup: More than 100,000 people rally outside the Soviet Union's parliament building protesting the coup aiming to depose President Mikhail Gorbachev.

  • Estonia

    1991

    Estonia, annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, issues a decision on the re-establishment of independence on the basis of historical continuity of its pre-World War II statehood.

  • Iraq

    2002

    A group of Iraqis opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein take over the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin, Germany for five hours before releasing their hostages and surrendering.

  • Sri Lankan Civil War

    2006

    Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP S. Sivamaharajah is shot dead at his home in Tellippalai.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on August 20

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on August 20

19. August

21. August