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