August 2 - This Day in History

August 2: General Interest
1990: Iraq invades Kuwait

At about 2 a.m. local time, Iraqi forces invade Kuwait, Iraq's tiny, oil-rich neighbor. Kuwait's defense forces were rapidly overwhelmed, and those that were not destroyed retreated to Saudi Arabia. The emir of Kuwait... read more


American Revolution
1776 : Delegates sign Declaration of Independence
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/delegates-sign-declaration-of-independence


Automotive
1987 : Michael Andretti races to fast finish at Marlboro 500
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/michael-andretti-races-to-fast-finish-at-marlboro-500


Civil War
1865 : CSS Shenandoah learns the war is over
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/css-shenandoah-learns-the-war-is-over


Cold War
1945 : Potsdam Conference concludes
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/potsdam-conference-concludes


Crime
1942 : Man murdered near L.A. reservoir
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/man-murdered-near-la-reservoir


Disaster
1985 : Sudden thunderstorm causes plane crash
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sudden-thunderstorm-causes-plane-crash


General Interest
1923 : Harding dies before scandals break
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/harding-dies-before-scandals-break

1934 : Hitler becomes fuhrer
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-becomes-fuhrer

1939 : Einstein urges U.S. atomic action
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/einstein-urges-us-atomic-action


Hollywood
1939 : Freddy Krueger creator Wes Craven born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/freddy-krueger-creator-wes-craven-born


Literary
1869 : George Eliot begins Middlemarch
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-eliot-begins-middlemarch


Music
1983 : Legendary Motown bassist James Jamerson dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/legendary-motown-bassist-james-jamerson-dies


Old West
1876 : Wild Bill Hickok is murdered
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/wild-bill-hickok-is-murdered


Presidential
1943 : Japanese forces attack PT boat with Kennedy on board
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-forces-attack-pt-boat-with-kennedy-on-board


Sports
1992 : Jackie Joyner-Kersee wins gold in heptathlon, again
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jackie-joyner-kersee-wins-gold-in-heptathlon-again


Vietnam War
1964 : North Vietnamese torpedo boats attack U.S. destroyer
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/north-vietnamese-torpedo-boats-attack-us-destroyer

1971 : Nixon administration acknowledges secret army in Laos
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-administration-acknowledges-secret-army-in-laos


World War I
1917 : Mutiny breaks out on German battleship
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mutiny-breaks-out-on-german-battleship


World War II
1934 : President of the Weimar Republic Hindenburg dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-of-the-weimar-republic-hindenburg-dies