This Day in History: August 23

1990 Armenia Declares Independence From the Soviet Union

The Western Asian country, known as Armenia, had been under the control of the USSR since 1922. It was a constituent republic of the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (TSFSR) alongside Azerbaijan and Georgia until 1936. After the disintegration of the TSFSR, it was named the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. Interestingly, on August 23, 1990, it began its separation process from the USSR, and by September 21, 1991, it succeeded in gaining complete independence.

1966 First Photograph of the Earth Taken From the Orbit of the Moon

The Lunar Orbiter 1 from NASA, the first American unmanned spacecraft to orbit the Moon, broke new ground by capturing the first-ever image of Earth from the Moon's orbit. However, snapping black and white photographs of the Earth wasn't its chief mission. It was primarily tasked with surveying potential landing sites on the Moon for future explorations.

1944 Romania Switches Sides in World War II

A pivotal moment in World War II occurred when a coup in Romania shifted the nation's allegiance from the Axis powers to the Allies. Initially, as the war erupted, Romania endeavored to maintain neutrality but later joined Nazi Germany and Axis powers under external pressures. However, all of that changed when King Michael I dissolved the government of Ion Antonescu and pledged Romania's support to the Allies. Many historians argue that Romania's side-switch potentially expedited the end of the war by several months.

1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact is signed

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union, was signed in Moscow. Representing their respective countries, Joachim von Ribbentrop and Vyacheslav Molotov, the German and Soviet foreign ministers, took part in this momentous event. As per the pact's provision, the USSR pledged to abstain from any military engagement in Europe.

1904 Snow Chains Patented

Harry D. Weed from New York was conferred a patent for his ingenious creation, snow chains, by the United States Patent Office. Snow chains, which can be easily attached to a vehicle's tires, significantly enhance traction on snow-clad and icy roads.

79 Mount Vesuvius begins stirring, on feast day of Vulcan, Roman god of fire

On the feast day of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, a stir in Mount Vesuvius signals the upcoming catastrophic eruption that would end up wiping out the entire city of Pompeii.

1305 Scottish patriot William Wallace is executed

On charges of high treason, Scottish patriot William Wallace was executed by Edward I of England at Smithfield, London.

1542 Rabbi Joseph Caro completes his commentary of Tur Code

Rabbi Joseph Caro, an eminent scholar, accomplished an impressive feat by completing his comprehensive commentary on the Tur Code.

1850 1st US National Women's Rights Convention convenes

In a landmark event, the First US National Women's Rights Convention was held in Worcester, Massachusetts. The gathering marked a significant milestone in the fight for women's rights.

1942 Battle of Stalingrad: 600 Luftwaffe planes bomb Stalingrad

During the Battle of Stalingrad, a massive bombardment was carried out by 600 Luftwaffe planes, leading to the death of around 40,000 people.

1943 50th day of Battle of Kursk, USSR

The Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history, ended on the 50th day, resulting in Russia's victory over Germany. The catastrophic battle saw the participation of over 10,000 tanks and caused nearly 250,000 military fatalities.

1996 Osama bin Laden issues message against the Americans

Osama bin Laden, the notorious terrorist, issues what he titled "A declaration of war against the Americans occupying the land of the two holy places".

2005 Hurricane Katrina forms over the Bahamas

Hurricane Katrina took shape over the Bahamas. The storm progressed rapidly and ultimately reached category 5, resulting in one of the deadliest hurricanes in recent US history.