475day.year
The Roman general Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his capital city, Ravenna.
In 475, General Orestes overthrew Emperor Julius Nepos, forcing him to abandon Ravenna.
In AD 475, Orestes, a powerful Roman general, rose against Emperor Julius Nepos.
He led his troops into Ravenna and compelled the young emperor to flee the city.
This coup marked the erosion of central authority in the Western Roman Empire.
Orestes installed his son, Romulus Augustulus, as a puppet ruler.
The event paved the way for the final fall of the Western Empire in 476.
Historians view this as a key turning point in late antiquity.
475
Roman
Orestes
Roman Emperor
Julius Nepos
capital city
Ravenna
1619day.year
Election of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor.
On 28 August 1619, Ferdinand II was elected Holy Roman Emperor, initiating his long and contentious reign.
The prince-electors convened and chose Ferdinand II as Emperor, succeeding Matthias in a pivotal moment for the Habsburg dynasty. His staunch Catholic convictions and centralizing policies fueled tensions with Protestant states. Ferdinand faced the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War shortly after his accession. His reign shaped the religious and political landscape of Central Europe for decades. The election underscored the fragile balance of power within the Holy Roman Empire.
1619
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
1709day.year
Meidingnu Pamheiba is crowned King of Manipur.
In 1709, Meidingnu Pamheiba was crowned King of Manipur, beginning a transformative reign in the region.
Pamheiba's coronation as Meidingnu (King) marked the start of a significant period in Manipuri history. He consolidated power by reforming administrative structures and military forces. Under his rule, Manipur saw the adoption of Hinduism as the state religion, reshaping cultural and religious life. Pamheiba introduced new art, dance, and literary traditions, leaving a lasting legacy. His reign strengthened the kingdom's identity amid regional challenges.
1709
Meidingnu Pamheiba
Manipur
1867day.year
The United States takes possession of the (at this point unoccupied) Midway Atoll.
The United States formally claimed Midway Atoll, extending American reach into the central Pacific and setting the stage for its strategic significance.
On August 28, 1867, the United States took official possession of Midway Atoll under the provisions of the Guano Islands Act.
Although uninhabited at the time, the atoll’s strategic position in the North Pacific attracted naval and commercial interest.
Midway would later serve as a critical telegraph cable station, coaling stop, and military base.
This acquisition represented an early expansion of American presence beyond the North American continent.
The island’s remote location also made it ideal for scientific and ecological studies.
Midway’s role in World War II would later cement its place in American military history.
1867
Midway Atoll
1909day.year
A group of mid-level Greek Army officers launches the Goudi coup, seeking wide-ranging reforms.
Reformist Greek officers staged the Goudi coup to pressure the monarchy into political modernization and social reform.
On August 28, 1909, a faction of mid-ranking officers in the Hellenic Army detained government officials in Athens to demand sweeping reforms.
Known as the Goudi coup, the movement sought to modernize Greece’s military and political institutions.
Under the banner of the Military League, they opposed corruption and advocated constitutional changes.
Their actions paved the way for the rise of statesman Eleftherios Venizelos, who carried out significant legislative and military reforms.
While the monarchy endured, the coup marked a shift toward parliamentary governance.
Goudi’s legacy influenced Greece’s trajectory in the turbulent years leading up to the Balkan Wars.
1909
Greek Army
Goudi coup
1913day.year
Queen Wilhelmina opens the Peace Palace in The Hague.
Queen Wilhelmina inaugurated the Peace Palace in The Hague, establishing an enduring symbol of international law and justice.
On August 28, 1913, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands officially opened the Peace Palace, designed by French architect Louis M. Cordonnier.
Funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the palace hosted the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Its majestic architecture and grand halls embodied ideals of peace and dialogue.
The building also housed the Peace Palace Library, a leading repository for legal scholarship.
Over time, it became home to the International Court of Justice and other judicial bodies.
The inauguration cemented The Hague’s role as a global center for diplomacy and peaceful dispute resolution.
1913
Queen Wilhelmina
Peace Palace
The Hague
1936day.year
Nazi Germany begins its mass arrests of Jehovah's Witnesses, who are interned in concentration camps.
Under Nazi rule, Jehovah's Witnesses face mass arrests and internment for their refusal to pledge loyalty to the regime.
On August 28, 1936, the Gestapo launched a crackdown on Jehovah's Witnesses across Nazi Germany for refusing to take oaths of allegiance.
Thousands were arrested and transported to prisons or directly to concentration camps such as Dachau and Buchenwald.
In the camps, they suffered forced labor, beatings, and attempts at ideological re-education.
Their steadfast refusal to renounce their faith or salute the swastika marked them as persistent dissidents.
This campaign represented one of the earliest systematic persecutions of a religious minority by the Nazi regime.
Despite brutal treatment, many Witnesses remained devoted to their beliefs, drawing international attention to Nazi atrocities.
1936
Nazi Germany
mass arrests
Jehovah's Witnesses
concentration camps
1943day.year
Denmark in World War II: German authorities demand that Danish authorities crack down on acts of resistance. The next day, martial law is imposed on Denmark.
German forces demand a crackdown on Danish resistance, and martial law is imposed, ending cooperative governance in occupied Denmark.
On August 28, 1943, German occupation authorities issued an ultimatum to the Danish government, demanding harsh measures against the resistance movement.
When Danish officials hesitated, Germany responded by declaring martial law the following day.
Danish police forces were dissolved, and civil administration was replaced by direct military rule.
Curfews and strict controls on movement and assembly were enforced nationwide.
The imposition of martial law galvanized public support for underground networks and sabotage operations.
Many Danes began sheltering Jews and aiding resistance fighters in defiance of German orders.
This decisive shift marked the end of the government's policy of cooperation and the start of active resistance in Denmark.
1943
Denmark in World War II
martial law
1946day.year
The Workers' Party of North Korea, predecessor of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, is founded at a congress held in Pyongyang, North Korea.
The Workers' Party of North Korea is established at a congress in Pyongyang, marking the beginning of the ruling party in North Korea.
On August 28, 1946, delegates gathered in Pyongyang to found the Workers' Party of North Korea. This group would evolve into the Workers' Party of Korea, the central force in North Korean politics. The congress brought together key leftist elements under a unified leadership. It set the ideological and organizational foundations for the future state. The party's formation reflected the Soviet influence in northern Korea after WWII. Over subsequent decades, it solidified its control over all aspects of North Korean life. Today, it remains the sole governing party of the DPRK.
1946
Workers' Party of North Korea
Workers' Party of Korea
congress
Pyongyang
North Korea
1957day.year
U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond begins a filibuster to prevent the United States Senate from voting on the Civil Rights Act of 1957; he stopped speaking 24 hours and 18 minutes later, the longest filibuster ever conducted by a single Senator.
Senator Strom Thurmond begins a record-breaking filibuster in the U.S. Senate to block the Civil Rights Act of 1957, speaking for over 24 hours.
On August 28, 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond launched a filibuster in the United States Senate to prevent a vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Over the course of 24 hours and 18 minutes, he delivered the longest solo speech in Senate history. His marathon address detailed his opposition to federal civil rights legislation, reflecting the broader resistance to racial equality in the Southern states. Despite his efforts, Senate rules required unanimous consent to end debate, and Thurmond held firm. The filibuster delayed the bill but ultimately failed to defeat it. When the Civil Rights Act passed, it became the first federal civil rights law since Reconstruction. Thurmond's record would stand for decades as the benchmark for lone senatorial filibusters.
1957
U.S. Senator
Strom Thurmond
a filibuster
United States Senate
Civil Rights Act of 1957
filibuster
1993day.year
Singaporean presidential election: Former Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong is elected President of Singapore. Although it is the first presidential election to be determined by popular vote, the allowed candidates consist only of Ong and a reluctant whom the government had asked to run to confer upon the election the semblance of an opposition.
In 1993, former Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong won Singapore's first popular presidential election, becoming the country's President.
On August 28, 1993, Singapore held its inaugural presidential election decided by popular vote, a milestone in the city-state's political evolution.
Out of the eligible candidates, only two were approved to run: the widely supported Ong Teng Cheong and a reluctant opponent nominated to maintain a façade of competition.
Ong Teng Cheong, who had served as Deputy Prime Minister, campaigned on themes of national unity and continuity.
He secured a decisive victory, marking the first time Singaporeans voted directly for their head of state.
His presidency emphasized community engagement and bolstered the ceremonial role of the office.
This election set a precedent for subsequent presidential contests in Singapore's tightly regulated political landscape.
Singaporean presidential election
Ong Teng Cheong
President of Singapore
1993day.year
The autonomous Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia in Bosnia and Herzegovina is transformed into the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia.
In 1993, the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia declared itself the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia amid the Bosnian War.
On August 28, 1993, the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia, an autonomous region within Bosnia and Herzegovina, formally reconstituted itself as the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia.
This political move occurred during the tumultuous backdrop of the Bosnian War, reflecting ethnic tensions and shifting alliances.
The declaration aimed to assert greater self-governance and territorial control for Bosnian Croats.
International reactions were mixed, with some viewing it as an internal administrative change while others saw it as a step toward secession.
The transformation intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict through peace talks.
Ultimately, the republic's status was addressed in the Dayton Accords, which ended the war and restructured Bosnia and Herzegovina's political framework.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia