Vintage News · Odd history for April 18

What Happened On April 18

Q: What happened on April 18?

1980: The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency. 1797: War of the First Coalition: The Peace of Leoben is signed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Maximilian, Count of Merveldt, creating an armistice between France and Austria, setting the stage for the Treaty of Campo Formio and ending the War of the First Coalition.[citation needed] 1783: Three-Fifths Compromise: The first instance of black slaves in the United States of America being counted as three-fifths of persons (for the purpose of taxation), in a resolution of the Congress of the Confederation. This was later adopted in the 1787 Constitution. 1521: Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication. 1506: The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid. 1980: Robert Mugabe became the first prime minister of Zimbabwe, beginning a 37-year period in power. 1938: Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster of DC Comics, made his debut in Action Comics #1, the first true superhero comic book. 1980: The town of Elmore City, Oklahoma holds its first dance in the town's history. 1955: Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference. 1946: Jackie Robinson makes his regular season debut for the Montreal Royals of the International League, to make them the first integrated modern professional baseball team.

47 events and 137 births, refreshed daily. OddlyTrue's own archive for 18 April →

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10 odd things that happened on April 18

1980 First ever
The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1797 First ever
War of the First Coalition: The Peace of Leoben is signed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Maximilian, Count of Merveldt, creating an armistice between France and Austria, setting the stage for the Treaty of Campo Formio and ending the War of the First Coalition.[citation needed]
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1783 First ever
Three-Fifths Compromise: The first instance of black slaves in the United States of America being counted as three-fifths of persons (for the purpose of taxation), in a resolution of the Congress of the Confederation. This was later adopted in the 1787 Constitution.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1521 Weird
Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1506 Oddly true
The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1980 First ever
Robert Mugabe became the first prime minister of Zimbabwe, beginning a 37-year period in power.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1938 First ever
Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster of DC Comics, made his debut in Action Comics #1, the first true superhero comic book.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1980 First ever
The town of Elmore City, Oklahoma holds its first dance in the town's history.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1955 First ever
Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1946 First ever
Jackie Robinson makes his regular season debut for the Montreal Royals of the International League, to make them the first integrated modern professional baseball team.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

2026Seven people are killed and fourteen others are injured in a mass shooting in Kyiv, Ukraine Wikipedia →
2019A redacted version of the Mueller report is released to the United States Congress and the public. Wikipedia →
2018King Mswati III of Swaziland announces that his country's name will change to Eswatini. Wikipedia →
2018Anti-government protests start in Nicaragua. Wikipedia →
1996The Israeli military commits the Qana massacre in a deliberate shelling of a United Nations compound near the village of Qana in southern Lebanon, killing 106 Lebanese civilians who were taking shelter there and wounding over 100 more. Wikipedia →
1988The United States launches Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the largest naval battle since World War II. Wikipedia →
1988In Israel John Demjanjuk is sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II, although the verdict is later overturned. Wikipedia →
1980The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency. Wikipedia →
1980The town of Elmore City, Oklahoma holds its first dance in the town's history. Wikipedia →
1978The Ba Chúc massacre begins, which precipitates the Cambodian–Vietnamese War the same year. Wikipedia →
1972East African Airways Flight 720 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 43. Wikipedia →
1955Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference. Wikipedia →
1954Gamal Abdel Nasser seizes power in Egypt. Wikipedia →
1949The Republic of Ireland Act comes into force, declaring Éire to be a republic and severing Ireland's "association" with the Commonwealth of Nations. Wikipedia →
1947The Operation Big Bang, the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion to that time, destroys bunkers and military installations on the North Sea island of Heligoland, Germany. Wikipedia →
1946The International Court of Justice holds its inaugural meeting in The Hague, Netherlands. Wikipedia →
1946Jackie Robinson makes his regular season debut for the Montreal Royals of the International League, to make them the first integrated modern professional baseball team. Wikipedia →
1945World War II: Over 1,000 bombers attack the small island of Heligoland, Germany. Wikipedia →
1945Italian resistance movement: In Turin, despite the harsh repressive measures adopted by Nazi-fascists, a great pre-insurrectional strike begins. Wikipedia →
1943World War II: Operation Vengeance, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is killed when his aircraft is shot down by U.S. fighters over Bougainville Island. Wikipedia →
1942World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya are bombed. Wikipedia →
1942Pierre Laval becomes Prime Minister of Vichy France. Wikipedia →
1939Robert Menzies, who became Australia's longest-serving prime minister, is elected as leader of the United Australia Party after the death of Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. Wikipedia →
1938Superman debuts in Action Comics #1 (cover dated June 1938). Wikipedia →
1930A fire kills 118 people at a wooden church in the small Romanian town of Costești, most of them schoolchildren, after starting during Good Friday services. Wikipedia →
1916World War I: During a mine warfare in high altitude on the Dolomites, the Italian troops conquer the Col di Lana held by the Austrian army. Wikipedia →
1915World War I: French pilot Roland Garros is shot down and glides to a landing on the German side of the lines. Wikipedia →
1912The Cunard liner RMS Carpathia brings 705 survivors from the RMS Titanic to New York City. Wikipedia →
1909Joan of Arc is beatified in Rome. Wikipedia →
1906The 7.9 Mwearthquake and fire destroy much of San Francisco, California, killing more than 3,000 people, making one of the worst natural disasters in American history. Wikipedia →
1902The 7.5 Mw Guatemala earthquake shakes Guatemala with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), killing between 800 and 2,000. Wikipedia →
1899The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria. Wikipedia →
1897The Greco-Turkish War is declared between Greece and the Ottoman Empire. Wikipedia →
1864Battle of Dybbøl: A Prussian-Austrian army defeats Denmark and gains control of Schleswig. Denmark surrenders the province in the following peace settlement. Wikipedia →
1857The Spirits Book by Allan Kardec is published, marking the birth of Spiritualism in France. Wikipedia →
1847American victory at the battle of Cerro Gordo opens the way for invasion of Mexico. Wikipedia →
1831The University of Alabama is founded in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Wikipedia →
1797War of the First Coalition: The Peace of Leoben is signed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Maximilian, Count of Merveldt, creating an armistice between France and Austria, setting the stage for the Treaty of Campo Formio and ending the War of the First Coalition.[citation needed] Wikipedia →
1783Three-Fifths Compromise: The first instance of black slaves in the United States of America being counted as three-fifths of persons (for the purpose of taxation), in a resolution of the Congress of the Confederation. This was later adopted in the 1787 Constitution. Wikipedia →
1775American Revolution: The British Army advances up the Charles River in Massachusetts to destroy supplies of American militias, while Paul Revere and other riders rapidly warn the countryside. Wikipedia →
1738Real Academia de la Historia ("Royal Academy of History") is founded in Madrid. Wikipedia →
1689Bostonians rise up in rebellion against Sir Edmund Andros. Wikipedia →
1521Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication. Wikipedia →
1518Bona Sforza is crowned as queen consort of Poland. Wikipedia →
1506The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid. Wikipedia →
1428Peace of Ferrara between Republic of Venice, Duchy of Milan, Republic of Florence and House of Gonzaga: ending of the second campaign of the Wars in Lombardy fought until the Treaty of Lodi in 1454, which will then guarantee the conditions for the development of the Italian Renaissance. Wikipedia →
796King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days. Wikipedia →

From The Guardian Archives — On This Day

2018The Guardian
Rogue landlords should have properties confiscated – MPs report
Committee calls on government to give local councils power to punish ‘most egregious offences’
Read on The Guardian →
2015The Guardian
Mike Leigh’s first opera goes to rescue of struggling ENO
Company in financial peril bets on Pirates of Penzance to lift its fortunes in battle with Covent Garden
Read on The Guardian →
1887The New York Times
A CATHOLIC MOTHERS' HOME.
A free Catholic Maternity, the first institution of the kind in the New-York Archdiocese, has recently been founded a…
Read on NYTimes.com →

Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform · Historic front pages via the NYT Archive API

Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Thumbnails CC BY-SA. Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform and the NYT Archive API. Historic pages via Library of Congress Chronicling America. Curated by OddlyTrue.