August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 130 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about August 23rd, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about August 23rd in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Ride the Wind Day
- National Cuban Sandwich Day
- National Sponge Cake Day
- National Valentino Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – August 23
1990: Armenia Declares Independence From the Soviet Union
The Western Asian country had been part of the USSR since 1922. Until 1936, the country was part of the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (TSFSR), along with Azerbaijan and Georgia. In 1936, the TSFSR was broken up and Armenia was renamed the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. The country declared itself independent of the USSR on the 23rd of August, 1990, and finally achieved independence a year later on September 21, 1991.
1966: First Photograph of the Earth Taken From the Orbit of the Moon
NASA’s Lunar Orbiter 1 was the first American unmanned spacecraft to orbit the Moon. Taking black and white pictures of the Earth was not the Orbiter’s main task. Its primary task was to scope out landing sites on the Moon for future spacecrafts.
1944: Romania Switches Sides in World War II
A coup in the Southeast European country moved its allegiance from the Axis powers to the Allies during the Second World War. In the early years of WW II, Romania had tried to remain neutral but in 1940, due to external pressures, the country joined Nazi Germany and the Axis powers. On this day, King Michael I removed the government of Ion Antonescu and declared Romanian support to the Allies. Some experts believe that by switching sides Romania helped shorten the war by several months.
1939: Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact is signed
The German foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, and the Soviet foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov signed a non-agression pact in Moscow. The pact stipulated that the USSR would not get involved in a war in Europe.
1904: Snow Chains Patented
Harry D. Weed of New York was awarded a patent for snow chains by the United States Patent Office. Snow chains are attached to tires of vehicles to improve their traction on snowy and icy roads.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, August 23
1988: Jeremy Lin, American basketball player
1978: Kobe Bryant, American basketball player
1926: Clifford Geertz, American anthropologist
1912: Gene Kelly, American dancer, actor
1864: Eleftherios Venizelos, Greek politician, Prime Minister of Greece
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, August 23
2006: Maynard Ferguson, Canadian trumpet player, bandleader
1926: Rudolph Valentino, Italian/American actor
1819: Oliver Hazard Perry, American naval officer
1305: William Wallace, Scottish knight, landowner
634: Abu Bakr, Arabian caliph
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