John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States. At age 43, he became the youngest elected president and the first Roman Catholic to hold the office. His inaugural address is remembered for the famous line, 'Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,' which inspired a generation toward public service, idealism, and a renewed sense of civic duty during a time of Cold War tension.

The United States, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the Viet Cong signed the Paris Peace Accords, formally ending direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. The agreement called for a ceasefire, withdrawal of American troops, the return of prisoners of war, and political negotiations between North and South Vietnam. Although it temporarily halted American participation, fighting continued in Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in 1975.

After spending 27 years behind bars, mostly on Robben Island, anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was finally released from Victor Verster Prison in South Africa. His release marked a pivotal moment in the dismantling of apartheid, symbolizing hope for racial reconciliation and democracy. Mandela would go on to lead negotiations to end apartheid and later become South Africa’s first Black president in 1994.

During World War II, U.S. Marines launched a major amphibious assault on Iwo Jima, a heavily fortified Japanese island critical for its airfields and strategic location near Japan. The battle, lasting over a month, was one of the bloodiest in the Pacific Theater, with fierce fighting and high casualties on both sides. It is most famously remembered for the iconic photograph of Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi.

Four African American college students from North Carolina A&T State University sat at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, refusing to leave after being denied service. Their peaceful protest sparked a wave of sit-ins across the South, becoming a powerful tactic of the Civil Rights Movement. The Greensboro sit-ins led to the eventual desegregation of lunch counters and inspired broader activism against racial segregation.

In Chicago during Prohibition, seven members and associates of the North Side Gang, led by George 'Bugs' Moran, were gunned down in a garage by men associated with rival mob boss Al Capone. Disguised as police officers, the attackers lined up the victims against a wall before shooting them with Thompson submachine guns. The massacre shocked the nation, highlighting the brutality of organized crime and fueling the public’s demand for stronger law enforcement against gang violence.

On the Ides of March, Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators led by Brutus, Cassius, and others, who feared his growing power threatened the Republic. Caesar was stabbed 23 times inside the Theatre of Pompey. His death triggered a series of civil wars that ultimately ended the Roman Republic and paved the way for the rise of the Roman Empire under his adopted heir, Octavian (later Augustus).

The World Health Organization officially declared the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. This announcement acknowledged the rapid worldwide spread of the virus, which had already infected over 100,000 people across multiple continents. The declaration led to drastic public health measures, lockdowns, and economic disruptions on a global scale, marking the beginning of one of the most significant health crises in modern history.

During a peaceful march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama, civil rights activists were brutally attacked by state troopers and local law enforcement on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The violence, broadcast on national television, shocked Americans and drew widespread support for the Civil Rights Movement. The events of 'Bloody Sunday' directly influenced the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark piece of U.S. civil rights legislation.

In World War I, Germany launched the Spring Offensive, also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, on the Western Front. It was Germany’s last major attempt to break the stalemate before American forces could arrive in large numbers. Using new infiltration tactics and overwhelming artillery, German forces initially made significant gains. However, supply issues and Allied counterattacks eventually halted the advance, setting the stage for Germany’s ultimate defeat later that year.

President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was shot by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. Lincoln died the following morning, becoming the first U.S. president to be assassinated. His death came just days after the Civil War effectively ended, plunging the nation into mourning and shaping the course of Reconstruction.

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history by becoming the first human to travel into space and orbit the Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. His successful 108-minute flight marked a major milestone in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union, boosting Soviet prestige and accelerating global interest in space exploration.

Millions of Americans participated in the first Earth Day, a nationwide demonstration calling for environmental protection and awareness. Organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson, the event brought together activists, students, and communities to protest pollution, oil spills, and the destruction of natural habitats. Earth Day is credited with helping to launch the modern environmental movement and led to the creation of landmark U.S. legislation such as the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The British luxury liner RMS Titanic, the largest and most advanced passenger ship of its time, struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. The ship sank in the early hours of April 15, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew on board. The disaster exposed serious flaws in maritime safety practices and led to major reforms, including requirements for sufficient lifeboats and the establishment of the International Ice Patrol.

The German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed while attempting to dock at Lakehurst, New Jersey. The disaster killed 36 people and was famously captured on film and radio, including Herbert Morrison’s anguished broadcast. The tragedy ended the era of passenger airships and cemented airplanes as the future of long-distance travel.

Nazi Germany formally surrendered to the Allied powers, marking the end of World War II in Europe. Celebrations erupted across Europe and the United States as millions rejoiced at the downfall of Hitler’s regime. While the war in the Pacific continued until Japan’s surrender in September, VE Day remains one of the most significant milestones in modern history.

David Ben-Gurion, head of the Jewish Agency, proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel as the British mandate in Palestine ended. Within hours, the new nation was recognized by the United States and the Soviet Union. The declaration immediately triggered the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, as neighboring Arab states invaded, beginning decades of conflict in the region.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, declaring that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine from Plessy v. Ferguson, the decision became a cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement and a critical step toward ending legalized segregation in the United States.

In a speech before a joint session of Congress, President John F. Kennedy declared the ambitious goal of landing an American on the moon and returning them safely to Earth before the end of the 1960s. This bold commitment galvanized NASA’s Apollo program and became a defining moment of the Space Race, culminating in the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

During a protest against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed students at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine others. The shootings shocked the nation, intensifying opposition to the Vietnam War and sparking student strikes across hundreds of campuses. The tragedy remains a symbol of the deep divisions of the era.

Hungary began dismantling its fortified border fence with Austria, becoming the first Eastern Bloc nation to physically open a border with the West. This act provided a path for thousands of East Germans to flee to the West and set off a chain of events that accelerated the collapse of communist regimes across Eastern Europe, ultimately leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall later that year.

In a covert nighttime raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, U.S. Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The mission, ordered by President Barack Obama, ended a nearly decade-long manhunt and was seen as a major victory in the fight against terrorism, though it also sparked international debate over sovereignty and counterterrorism tactics.

On D-Day, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious invasion in history, landing on the beaches of Normandy, France. More than 156,000 American, British, Canadian, and other Allied troops stormed five heavily fortified beaches under intense German fire. The invasion marked the turning point in World War II in Europe, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control.

Chinese military forces violently suppressed pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Students and citizens had gathered for weeks demanding political reform, freedom of speech, and an end to corruption. The government declared martial law and sent in tanks and troops, resulting in a massacre that killed hundreds, possibly thousands. Images such as the lone 'Tank Man' standing in defiance became powerful symbols of resistance to authoritarianism.

Israel launched preemptive air strikes against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, beginning the Six-Day War. In less than a week, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights. The war drastically altered the political landscape of the Middle East, expanding Israel’s territory and setting the stage for decades of conflict and negotiations over land, refugees, and regional power.