This Day In History, August 19th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on August 19th
Caesar Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, died in 14 AD. Tiberius, his stepson, succeeded him.
During the War of 1812, the USS Constitution beat the British frigate HMS Guerriere in a naval combat. After the victory, the USS Constitution was dubbed "Old Ironsides."
The inaugural All-American Soap Box Derby was staged in Dayton, Ohio in 1934. During the Great Depression, the race was intended to give a positive outlet for young males.
Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh is deposed in a coup organized by the CIA and British intelligence in 1953. The coup was viewed as a major Cold War win for Western countries.
Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1991, essentially bringing the Soviet Union's 74-year existence to an end. The Russian flag was hoisted over the Kremlin for the first time in history the next day.
14 AD - Caesar Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, died. He was succeeded by his stepson Tiberius.
Caesar Augustus, sometimes known as Octavian, was the first Roman Emperor and was born Gaius Octavius. In 27 BC, he ascended to power after defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra in a civil war, and he controlled the Roman Empire for more than 40 years. On August 19, 14 AD, Augustus died, and his stepson Tiberius succeeded him as the second Roman Emperor.
1812 - The USS Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere in a naval battle during the War of 1812. The victory earned the USS Constitution the nickname "Old Ironsides."
During the War of 1812, the USS Constitution, a three-masted wooden-hulled frigate of the United States Navy, fought the British frigate HMS Guerriere in a naval combat on August 19, 1812. Despite extensive damage to her hull, the Constitution defeated the Guerriere, earning her the moniker "Old Ironsides" because cannonballs from the British ship rebounded off her thick oak hull. During the early phases of the war, the win was a vital morale booster for the United States.
1934 - The first All-American Soap Box Derby was held in Dayton, Ohio. The race was designed to provide a positive outlet for young boys during the Great Depression.
On August 19, 1934, Dayton, Ohio hosted the inaugural All-American Soap Box Derby. Myron Scott, a photographer for the Dayton Daily News, founded the event to give a constructive outlet for young boys during the Great Depression. Young boys competed in the race by building and racing homemade soapbox cars powered solely by gravity. Robert Turner of Muncie, Indiana, won the first race, and the event became an annual tradition, attracting racers from all around the United States. The Soap Box Derby is still conducted annually and is open to both boys and girls.
1953 - The Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the CIA and British intelligence. The coup was seen as a major victory for Western powers in the Cold War.
On August 19, 1953, the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadegh, was deposed in a coup sponsored by the Central espionage organization (CIA) of the United States and the British espionage organization MI6. Mossadegh staged the coup after nationalizing Iran's oil sector, which had previously been controlled by British interests. The coup was viewed as a major Cold War win for Western powers, as it maintained sustained Western dominance over Iran's oil riches and prevented communism from spreading in the area. The coup, however, had long-term bad effects for Iran, as it prepared the way for the dictatorial rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was first supported by the West but became increasingly unpopular and was finally toppled in the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
1991 - Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, effectively ending the Soviet Union's 74-year-long existence. The following day, the Russian tricolor was raised over the Kremlin for the first time in history.
Mikhail Gorbachev, the final General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, resigned on August 19, 1991, following a failed coup attempt by hardline Communist Party members opposed to his reforms. Gorbachev's retirement officially ended the Soviet Union's 74-year-long existence as a communist state, and the Russian tricolor flag was hoisted above the Kremlin for the first time in history the following day, August 20, 1991. The fall of the Soviet Union had far-reaching political, economic, and social ramifications not just for Russia, but also for the other former Soviet republics and the rest of the globe. It signaled the end of the Cold War and the start of a new epoch in world affairs.