Today In History – August 14 – Pakistan Gains Independence From Great Britain

1281 During Kublai Khan’s second Mongol invasion of Japan his invading Chinese fleet of 3,500 vessels disappears in a typhoon near Japan

1842 Second Seminole War declared over by Colonel Worth; Indians go on to be removed from Florida to Oklahoma

1945 V-J Day, Japan surrenders unconditionally to end WW II (also August 15 depending on time zone)

1947 Pakistan gains independence from Great Britain

1969 British Army deploys on the streets of Northern Ireland, marking the beginning of Operation Banner

1980 17,000 workers go on strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland, marking the beginning of the Solidarity movement

Today in Film & TV

1938 BBC’s 1st feature film on TV (Student of Prague)

Today in Music

1995 “Battle of Brit Pop” rival bands Oasis (Roll with It) and Blur (Country House) release singles on the same day

Today in Sport

1987 Oakland’s Mark McGwire sets rookie HR record at 39, en route to 49

Do you know this fact about today? Did You Know?

King Duncan I of Scotland killed in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth (not murdered in his sleep as in Shakespeare’s play). The latter does succeed him as King.