This Day in History: August 13

1997 South Park Makes its Debut on Comedy Central

The renowned American animated series, South Park, was introduced to audiences on Comedy Central. Masterminded by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the show trails the experiences and escapades of four boys—or notably, Eric Cartman, Kenny McCormick, Kyle Broflovski, and Stan Marsh—in the fictitious town known as South Park, Colorado. Although it earned popularity, the series has drawn substantial criticism for its obscenities and commentary on contentious topics.

1961 Construction of Berlin Wall starts

Initiation of the construction on the famed Berlin Wall commenced this year. This wall, built by the German Democratic Republic or East Germany, physically and ideologically split West Berlin from East Berlin.

1960 First Two-Way Telephonic Conversation With a Satellite

This landmark event in telecommunication history was made viable through NASA's Echo 1, a balloon satellite. The satellite went into space on August 12 and functioned as a reflector, reflecting signals sent to it back to Earth.

1960 Central African Republic Gains its Independence From France

Previously under French rule since the late 19th century, the landlocked African Country experienced a significant juncture this year. Barthélemy Boganda, a nationalist politician, announced the inception of an independent Central African Republic and took on the role of the country's first Prime Minister.

1918 First Woman enlists in the United States Marines

The Marine Corps witnessed a noteworthy event with the enlistment of the first woman, Opha May Johnson. Following her enlistment, she was designated a desk duty at the Marine Corps headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

1521 Spanish conquistadors under Hernán Cortés capture Aztec Emperor Cuauhtémoc in Tenochtitlan marking the end of the Aztec Empire

In a defining moment in history, Spanish conquerors under Hernán Cortés captured the Aztec Emperor Cuauhtémoc in Tenochtitlan. This marked the fall of the illustrious Aztec Empire.

1642 Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens discovers Mars' southern polar cap

Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens made a groundbreaking discovery this year, identifying the southern polar cap of Mars.

1788 Prussia joins Anglo-Dutch alliance to form Triple Alliance to prevent spread of Russo-Swedish War of 1788-90

Prussia teamed up with the Anglo-Dutch alliance to form the Triple Alliance, a strategic move designed to stave off the spread of the Russo-Swedish War of 1788-90.

1937 Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese forces begin the Battle of Shanghai

The onset of the Battle of Shanghai marked a crucial phase in the Second Sino-Japanese War. A severe conflict, it lasted three months and mobilized over a million troops.

1942 The 'Manhattan Project' commences, under the direction of US General Leslie Groves: its aim - to deliver an atomic bomb

The renowned 'Manhattan Project' was initiated under the stewardship of US General Leslie Groves. The objective of this project was the development of an atomic bomb.