This Day In History, October 19th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on October 19th
The Libyan Civil War ceasefire deal is signed in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2020.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged by 22.68% in one day during the 1987 Black Monday stock market meltdown.
At Yorktown, Virginia, British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to American forces led by General George Washington, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War.
1973: US President Richard Nixon refuses to comply with an appeals court order to turn over the Watergate tapes, resulting in a constitutional crisis.
Italy is sanctioned economically by the League of Nations for its invasion of Ethiopia in 1935.
2020: The Libyan Civil War ceasefire agreement was signed in Geneva, Switzerland.
On October 19, 2020, a historic ceasefire deal aimed at ending the continuing Libyan Civil War was signed in Geneva, Switzerland. The agreement was mediated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and officials from both the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) attended the discussions. The ceasefire agreement called for the evacuation of all foreign combatants from Libya, the reopening of air and land links, and the formation of a Joint Military Commission to supervise the pact's implementation.
1987: Black Monday stock market crash, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 22.68% in one day.
The stock market underwent a spectacular meltdown known as "Black Monday" on October 19, 1987. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 22.68% in a single day, the greatest percentage drop in the index's history. Several factors contributed to the crash, including rising interest rates, overvalued stock prices, and computerized trading programs that exacerbated selling pressure. The crisis had a profound impact on the global economy and financial markets, prompting calls for increased stock market regulation.
1781: British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to the American forces led by General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War.
The American Revolutionary War was essentially ended on October 19, 1781, when British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to American troops headed by General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia. The victory at Yorktown was a watershed moment in the war, leading to the British government's declaration of American independence and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The capitulation at Yorktown was the result of a collaborative effort by American and French forces, with the French fleet delaying British reinforcements and the American and French army encircling and besieging the British troops.
1973: US President Richard Nixon rejected an appeals court decision that he turn over the Watergate tapes, leading to a constitutional crisis.
On October 19, 1973, US President Richard Nixon refused to give over the Watergate tapes, which had been subpoenaed by the Special Prosecutor investigating the Watergate affair. The incident concerned the Nixon administration's involvement in a break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in Washington, D.C.'s Watergate complex. Nixon's reluctance to comply with the court order triggered a constitutional crisis, with the Supreme Court eventually ruling that he had to turn up the recordings. Nixon was forced to resign from the president in August 1974 when the recordings proved that he had been complicit in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in.
1935: The League of Nations imposes economic sanctions on Italy for its invasion of Ethiopia.
The League of Nations imposed economic penalties on Italy for its invasion of Ethiopia on October 19, 1935. The Italian invasion, which began in October 1935, violated the League of Nations' treaty, and the League responded by implementing a series of penalties designed to cut Italy off from world trade and finance. However, the sanctions were largely symbolic because they were not enforced by all League members, allowing Italy to continue its military campaign in Ethiopia. The League's failure to halt Italian aggression contributed to its decline and eventual demise in the run-up to World War II.