All Events

Historical Events on July 31

  • World War I

    1917

    World War I: The Battle of Passchendaele begins near Ypres in West Flanders, Belgium.

  • Bulgaria

    1938

    Bulgaria signs a non-aggression pact with Greece and other states of Balkan Antanti (Turkey, Romania, Yugoslavia).

  • The Holocaust

    1941

    The Holocaust: Under instructions from Adolf Hitler, Nazi official Hermann Göring, orders SS General Reinhard Heydrich to "submit to me as soon as possible a general plan of the administrative material and financial measures necessary for carrying out the desired Final Solution of the Jewish question."

  • John F. Kennedy International Airport

    1948

    At Idlewild Field in New York, New York International Airport (later renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport) is dedicated.

  • The Troubles

    1972

    The Troubles: In Operation Motorman, the British Army re-takes the urban no-go areas of Northern Ireland. It is the biggest British military operation since the Suez Crisis of 1956, and the biggest in Ireland since the Irish War of Independence. Later that day, nine civilians are killed by car bombs in the village of Claudy.

  • Soviet Union

    1991

    The United States and Soviet Union both sign the START I Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the first to reduce (with verification) both countries' stockpiles.

  • Georgia (country)

    1992

    The nation of Georgia joins the United Nations.

  • Fidel Castro

    2006

    Fidel Castro hands over power to his brother, Raúl.

  • Michael Phelps

    2012

    Michael Phelps breaks the record set in 1964 by Larisa Latynina for the most medals won at the Olympics.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on July 31

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on July 31

30. July

01. August