This Day In History, August 11th.

Five Historical Events That Happened on August 11th

• 1929: Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 500 home runs in his career.

• 1942: During World War II, the Allies launch the Dieppe Raid on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in France, which ultimately ended in disaster and heavy losses for the Allies.

• 1954: The formal surrender of Japan takes place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, effectively ending World War II in Asia.

• 1965: The Watts riots, a series of violent clashes between African-American residents and police officers in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, begin and last for six days.

• 1999: A total solar eclipse takes place, visible from Europe and parts of Asia, and it was the first total eclipse visible from Europe since 1991.

1929: Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 500 home runs in his career.

Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run on August 11, 1929, at Cleveland's League Park, becoming the first player in baseball history to do so. Ruth was a member of the New York Yankees at the time, and his historic home run was hit against Willis Hudlin of the Cleveland Indians. Ruth's 500th home run was a remarkable accomplishment that cemented his place as one of baseball's best performers. Ruth went on to smash 714 home runs throughout his career, a record that stood for 39 years until Hank Aaron shattered it in 1974.

1942: During World War II, the Allies launch the Dieppe Raid on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in France, which ultimately ended in disaster and heavy losses for the Allies.

During World War II, on August 11, 1942, the Allies launched a huge amphibious assault on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in France. The operation, principally carried out by Canadian and British forces, was meant to test the viability of an invasion of German-occupied France as well as acquire practical experience in amphibious assault methods.

The Dieppe Raid, on the other hand, was a disaster for the Allies because the German forces were well-prepared and highly defended. Over 3,600 of the 6,000 troops involved were killed, wounded, or captured as a result of the Allied troops' fierce resistance. The mission was severely panned due to poor preparation, insufficient information, and a lack of air and naval backup. Despite its failure, the Dieppe Raid taught future Allied operations important lessons, including the importance of proper intelligence, air support, and adequate training and equipment for troops involved in amphibious assaults.

1954: The formal surrender of Japan takes place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, effectively ending World War II in Asia.

On August 11, 1954, Japan formally surrendered aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, thereby ending World War II in Asia. Representatives from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand were present at the signing ceremony.

Following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the Soviet Union's entry into the war against Japan, Japan surrendered after several months of negotiations with the Allied powers. Japan's surrender terms included renunciation of all land conquered during the war, disarming of its military forces, and the formation of a democratic government. The signing of the surrender agreement onboard the USS Missouri was a momentous event that marked the conclusion of one of history's most terrible battles.

1965: The Watts riots, a series of violent clashes between African-American residents and police officers in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, begin and last for six days.

The Watts riots occurred on August 11, 1965, in the Watts district of Los Angeles, California. The six-day riots were a series of violent fights between African-American citizens and police officers, precipitated by an event in which a white California Highway Patrol officer pulled up and detained a young black man, Marquette Frye, for drunk driving.

The arrest of Frye, and the following use of force by the police, drew a huge crowd, which quickly degenerated into a brawl. The unrest erupted over the following six days, with extensive looting, burning, and fights between police and protestors. The riots claimed 34 lives, injured over 1,000 others, and resulted in over 3,000 arrests.

The Watts riots were one of the largest and most destructive urban uprisings in American history, bringing to light many of the social and economic issues that African-American communities face in the United States, such as poverty, unemployment, police brutality, and racial discrimination. The riots fueled the Civil Rights Movement and resulted in substantial improvements in policing and social policy.

1999: A total solar eclipse takes place, visible from Europe and parts of Asia, and it was the first total eclipse visible from Europe since 1991.

A complete solar eclipse occurred on August 11, 1999, which was visible from areas of Europe and Asia. The complete eclipse was visible from Europe for the first time since 1991, and it was enthusiastically seen and praised by scientists and skywatchers around the area.

The eclipse started in the Atlantic Ocean and traveled over the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and portions of the Middle East and Asia until concluding in the Bay of Bengal. The totality path, in which the sun was entirely blocked by the moon, was around 100 miles wide and lasted approximately two minutes and 23 seconds.

The 1999 eclipse was remarkable not only for its visibility from highly populated portions of Europe, but also for the enormous scientific and cultural events held in conjunction with it. Many astronomical societies and research organizations took advantage of the eclipse to conduct research and experiments, while cultural events and festivals were held in many towns and cities along the eclipse's totality path.