OTD:

In 1364, in France, the Battle of Auray took place during the Breton War of Succession. The forces of John de Montfort, backed by the English, defeated the Franco-Breton forces of Charles of Blois, effectively ending the war. This victory established de Montfort as the Duke of Brittany, securing the region’s autonomy from French control. The battle was a pivotal moment in the Hundred Years’ War, illustrating the complex alliances between England and France.

In 1829, in London, England, the Metropolitan Police Service was founded by then-Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel. This organization, later known simply as "Scotland Yard," was the first professional police force in London and became a model for modern policing worldwide. Peel’s vision emphasized crime prevention, patrols, and accountability, forming the foundation of contemporary law enforcement principles.

In 1923, in the British Mandate of Palestine, the British government officially proclaimed the establishment of the British mandate over the territory. This mandate was established after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, with Britain tasked with governing the region and preparing it for eventual independence.

In 1941, during World War II, the Babi Yar massacre began near Kyiv, Ukraine. Over the course of two days, Nazi forces and local collaborators systematically executed more than 33,000 Jewish men, women, and children in one of the largest mass shootings of the Holocaust. The massacre was part of a broader Nazi campaign to exterminate Jewish populations across Eastern Europe.

In 1954, in CERN (Geneva, Switzerland), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) was officially established. CERN became one of the world’s leading institutions for particle physics research, and its creation marked a milestone in postwar scientific collaboration in Europe. The organization has since made numerous groundbreaking discoveries, including the identification of the Higgs boson particle in 2012.

In 1913, in New York, Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, mysteriously disappeared from a ship traveling from Belgium to England. Diesel’s innovative engine design revolutionized transportation and industry by offering a more efficient and powerful alternative to gasoline engines. His disappearance sparked widespread speculation and conspiracy theories, though his body was later found in the North Sea.

In 1979, in the United States, Pope John Paul II began his first papal visit to the U.S., making stops in major cities including New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. The trip garnered massive crowds and attention, as the pope emphasized themes of peace, human rights, and the role of the church in addressing global issues. This historic visit helped strengthen the connection between the Vatican and the Catholic community in the U.S., with John Paul II emerging as one of the most visible and influential religious figures of the 20th century.

In 1988, in Seoul, South Korea, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100 meters at the Summer Olympics after testing positive for anabolic steroids. Johnson had set a world record in the race, but his disqualification became one of the biggest scandals in Olympic history.

In 1990, in Washington, D.C., the YF-22, a prototype of the F-22 Raptor, made its first official flight, marking a major milestone in the development of stealth and air superiority fighter jets. Developed by Lockheed Martin, the F-22 would later become the world’s premier air dominance fighter for the U.S. Air Force, designed to evade radar and operate in various combat environments. The flight of the YF-22 signified a new era in military aviation technology.

In 2008, in Iceland, the country experienced the collapse of its banking system during the global financial crisis. The three largest banks in Iceland—Glitnir, Landsbanki, and Kaupthing—collapsed, plunging the country into a deep financial crisis. This event had a devastating impact on the Icelandic economy, leading to mass protests and significant political changes, including the resignation of the government.