This Day in History: April 11

1512 Battle of Ravenna: French forces defeat the Holy League

During the Italian Wars, French forces led by Gaston de Foix defeated the Holy League in a major battle near Ravenna. The battle was fought between the French and the Spanish papal troops, and it was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the Italian Wars.

1783 American Revolutionary War officially ends

Formal hostilities between Great Britain and the United States officially came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. The treaty recognized the independence of the United States and established the boundaries of the new nation.

1814 Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates and is exiled to Elba

After his defeat in the War of the Sixth Coalition, Napoleon Bonaparte was forced to abdicate the throne of France. He was sent into exile on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean, where he remained until his escape in 1815.

1868 Abolition of the Shogunate in Japan

After more than 250 years of rule, the shogunate was abolished in Japan, and power was restored to the emperor. This marked the beginning of the Meiji era and a period of rapid modernization and westernization in Japan.

1955 Failed assassination attempt on Zhou Enlai

A chartered Air India plane, the "Kashmir Princess," was bombed by a Kuomintang secret agent in a failed assassination attempt on Zhou Enlai, the Chinese Premier. The plot was uncovered, and the agent was arrested and executed.

1961 Trial of Adolf Eichmann begins

Adolf Eichmann, one of the main organizers of the Holocaust during World War II, went on trial in Israel for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The trial brought renewed attention to the atrocities committed during the war and led to a global reassessment of the Holocaust.

1968 Civil Rights Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act, which prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, or national origin.

1972 First episode of "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" airs

The first episode of the BBC's classic comedy show, "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue," aired, and it went on to become one of the longest-running British radio shows of all time. The show featured a panel of comedians and musicians who played humorous games and engaged in witty banter.

1979 Overthrow of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin

The Tanzanian army captured Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and forced dictator Idi Amin to flee into exile in Libya. Amin's eight-year rule was characterized by extensive human rights abuses and repression, and it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people were killed during his regime.