This Day In History, January 31st.
Five Historical Events That Happened on January 31st.
Guy Fawkes was put to death in England in 1606 for his participation in the Gunpowder Plot.
1865: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which outlaws slavery, is adopted by the US Congress.
Glasgow, Scotland witnessed the Battle of George Square in 1919 when police struggle with striking workers calling for a reduced workweek.
The sole American service member killed for deserting during World War II was Private Eddie Slovik in 1945.
1968: During the Vietnamese New Year holiday, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces conduct the Tet Offensive, a coordinated series of surprise assaults against South Vietnamese cities and military outposts.
Guy Fawkes is executed for his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot in England.
Guy Fawkes belonged to a gang of English Catholics who intended to blow up the House of Lords on November 5, 1605, during the State Opening of Parliament. The explosives' fuse had to be lit, and Fawkes was in charge of that. Fawkes was apprehended in the House of Lords cellar with 36 barrels of gunpowder after an anonymous letter to the authorities exposed the scheme. He was finally given a death by hanging, drawing, and quartering punishment after being tortured into disclosing the identities of his accomplices. On January 31, 1606, he was put to death in London.
The United States Congress passes the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolishes slavery.
The United States Senate approved the 13th Amendment to the Constitution on April 8, 1864, and the U.S. House of Representatives did the same on January 31, 1865. This amendment outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude. Eight months after the American Civil War's conclusion, on December 6, 1865, it was adopted after being sent to the states for ratification. The amendment was a key step in the United States' effort to abolish slavery and institutionalized racism.
The Battle of George Square takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, as police clash with striking workers demanding a shorter workweek.
Glasgow, Scotland saw the Battle of George Square, sometimes referred to as "Bloody Friday," on January 31, 1919. The police's attempt to stop the workers from holding a protest in George Square caused tensions between the strikers and the police to rise as thousands of workers went on strike to seek a reduced workweek. The situation descended into violence when the police used horses and batons to scatter the gathering and the strikers fired rocks and projectiles in return. Numerous people were hurt during the lengthy confrontation, including police officers and strikers. In Scotland and the UK, the episode had a big impact on the development of the labor movement.
Private Eddie Slovik becomes the only American soldier to be executed for desertion during World War II.
During World War II, Private Eddie Slovik served in the American Army. He left his regiment shortly after being sent to France in August 1944, citing his aversion to fighting as the cause. In October 1944, he turned himself in to military police, and a court-martial followed. Slovik was found guilty of desertion and given the death penalty in spite of the efforts of his defense attorney. On January 31, 1945, he was beheaded by firing squad not far from the French town of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. Since other soldiers who had deserted during the war had received lesser sentences, several people in Slovik's case claimed that his death was excessive for his crime.
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launch the Tet Offensive, a coordinated series of surprise attacks on cities and military bases throughout South Vietnam during the Vietnamese New Year holiday.
During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces mounted a significant military operation known as the Tet Offensive. The attack started on January 31, 1968, the first day of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. More than 100 towns and military facilities in South Vietnam, including the country's capital Saigon, were the target of the unexpected strikes. The attack signaled a turning point in the conflict because it revealed the power and tenacity of the communist troops and reduced popular support for the war effort in the United States. The Tet Offensive is commonly seen as a military and psychological success for the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong, despite the fact that the U.S. and South Vietnamese forces ultimately resisted the onslaught.