This Day In History, October 26th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on October 26th
During World War II, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands took place. It was a naval action between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States Navy that was won by the Japanese.
In Vienna, Austria, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955. The pact re-established Austria as a sovereign state and terminated the country's Allied occupation, which had been in effect since World War II's end.
Somalia reported the last natural incidence of smallpox in 1977. Smallpox was a devastating and extremely infectious illness that has killed millions of people throughout history. Smallpox was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980.
In reaction to the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, the United States approved the Patriot Act. The act expanded the authority of law enforcement authorities to investigate and prevent terrorism.
In a federal election in 2015, Justin Trudeau was elected as Canada's 23rd Prime Minister. Trudeau's Liberal Party defeated the incumbent Conservative Party to win a majority government.
1942: The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands took place during World War II. It was a naval battle fought between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States Navy, and resulted in a Japanese victory.
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands occurred on October 26, 1942, as part of the wider Guadalcanal campaign in World War II's Pacific theater. The combat took place between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States Navy, and the Japanese won. The Japanese, on the other hand, sustained substantial casualties, including the aircraft carrier Zuih and several planes, and the engagement was ultimately indecisive in terms of its strategic influence on the larger war.
1955: The Austria State Treaty was signed in Vienna, Austria. The treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state, and ended the Allied occupation of the country that had been in place since the end of World War II.
The Austria State Treaty, commonly known as the Austrian Independence Treaty, was signed in Vienna, Austria, on October 26, 1955. The pact re-established Austria as a sovereign and independent state, and it terminated the country's occupation by the four Allied countries (the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France) that had been in force since World War II's end. The pact also included conditions for the evacuation of all foreign soldiers from Austria, demilitarization, and assurances of the country's permanent neutrality. The signing of the Austria State Treaty was a watershed moment in Austrian postwar history, paving the way for the country's economic and political progress.
1977: The last natural case of smallpox was reported in Somalia. Smallpox was a highly contagious and deadly disease that had killed millions of people throughout history. The World Health Organization declared the eradication of smallpox in 1980.
On October 26, 1977, the last recorded spontaneous case of smallpox was reported in Somalia's Merca District. This marked the end of a long and bloody history of smallpox epidemics that had afflicted humanity for thousands of years. Smallpox was a highly contagious and frequently lethal illness that had killed millions of people throughout history, and efforts to control and eradicate it had been continuing since the late 18th century. In 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a global smallpox eradication campaign that included mass immunization campaigns and surveillance activities. On October 26, 1977, the last natural case of smallpox in Somalia was verified, and the WHO pronounced smallpox eradicable in 1980, making it the first disease in human history to be eradicated by a concerted worldwide effort.
2001: The United States passed the Patriot Act in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The act granted law enforcement agencies increased powers to investigate and prevent terrorism.
On October 26, 2001, President George W. Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act). The act was passed in reaction to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and it gave law enforcement agencies expanded authority to investigate and prevent terrorist crimes. The act enhanced law enforcement agencies' monitoring capabilities, authorized the detention and deportation of non-citizens suspected of terrorism, and raised punishments for terrorist-related offences. The measure was contentious, raising worries about civil liberties and the possibility of government misuse of authority. Since its initial passage in 2001, the act has been amended and reauthorized several times.
2015: Canada elected Justin Trudeau as its 23rd Prime Minister in a federal election. Trudeau's Liberal Party won a majority government, defeating the incumbent Conservative Party.
On October 19, 2015, Justin Trudeau was elected as Canada's 23rd Prime Minister in a federal election. Trudeau's Liberal Party gained a majority government, taking 184 seats in the House of Commons and beating Stephen Harper's Conservative Party. Trudeau ran on a progressive platform that included a pledge to combat climate change, more government expenditure on infrastructure and social services, and marijuana legalization. His victory signaled a fundamental turn in Canadian politics, ushering the country away from a decade of Conservative control and toward a more progressive and inclusive agenda.