An 8.0-magnitude earthquake off the Pacific coast devastates Ica and various regions of Peru killing 514 and injuring 1,090.

Beni Ounif massacre in Algeria; some 29 people are killed at a false roadblock near the Moroccan border, leading to temporary tensions with Morocco.

Omagh bomb in Northern Ireland, the worst terrorist incident of The Troubles

In South Carolina, Shannon Faulkner becomes the first female cadet matriculated at The Citadel (she drops out less than a week later).

The PKK in Turkey starts a campaign of armed attacks upon the Turkish military

The Big Ear, a radio telescope operated by Ohio State University as part of the SETI project, receives a radio signal from deep space; the event is named the "Wow! signal" from the notation made by a volunteer on the project.

Miki Takeo makes the first official pilgrimage to Yasukuni Shrine by an incumbent prime minister on the anniversary of the end of World War II.

Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is killed along with most members of his family during a military coup.

Yuk Young-soo, First Lady of South Korea, is killed during an apparent assassination attempt upon President of South Korea, Park Chung-hee.

Vietnam War: The United States bombing of Cambodia ends.

Bahrain gains independence from the United Kingdom.

President Richard Nixon completes the break from the gold standard by ending convertibility of the United States dollar into gold by foreign investors.

The Woodstock Music and Art Festival opens.

The Beatles play to nearly 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City, in an event later seen as marking the birth of stadium rock.

President Fulbert Youlou is overthrown in the Republic of Congo, after a three-day uprising in the capital.

Execution of Henry John Burnett, the last man to be hanged in Scotland.

James Joseph Dresnok defects to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea after running across the Korean DMZ. Dresnok still resides in the capital, Pyongyang.

Conrad Schumann flees from East Germany while on duty guarding the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) becomes independent from France.

Alfredo Stroessner begins his dictatorship in Paraguay.

Devon, United Kingdom A flashflood drenches the town of Lynmouth, killing 34 people.

Srikakulam district is formed in Andhra Pradesh, India.

The Republic of Korea is established south of the 38th parallel north.

Founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah is sworn in as first Governor General of Pakistan in Karachi.

India gains Independence from the British Indian Empire and joins the Commonwealth of Nations.

World War II: Korean Liberation Day.

World War II: Victory over Japan Day

World War II: Operation Dragoon

World War II: Operation Pedestal

Corporal Josef Jakobs is executed by firing squad at the Tower of London at 7:12am, making him the last person to be executed at the Tower for treason.

An Italian submarine torpedoes and sinks the Greek cruiser ''Elli'' at Tinos harbour during peacetime, marking the most serious Italian provocation prior to the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War in October.

13 Stukas dive into the ground during a disastrous air-practice at Neuhammer. No survivors.

Will Rogers and Wiley Post are killed after their aircraft develops engine problems during takeoff in Barrow, Alaska.

Polish-Soviet War: Battle of Warsaw (1920)|Battle of Warsaw

The First Russian Army, led by Pavel Rennenkampf, enters Eastern Prussia.

The Panama Canal opens to traffic with the transit of the cargo ship Ancon.

A male servant of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright sets fire to the living quarters of the architect's Wisconsin home, Taliesin, murders seven people and burns the living quarters to the ground.

A group of mid-level Greek Army officers launches the Goudi coup, seeking wide-ranging reforms.

Ordination in Constantinople of Fr. Raphael Morgan, first African-American Orthodox priest, "Priest-Apostolic" to America and the West Indies.

San Sebastian Church in Manila, the first all-steel church in Asia, is officially inaugurated and blessed.

The Meiji government in Japan establishes six new ministries, including one for Shinto.

The Anglo-Satsuma War begins between the Satsuma Domain of Japan and the United Kingdom (Traditional Japanese date: July 2, 1863).

Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest still intact amusement parks in the world, opens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu, Hawaii is dedicated. Now the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, it is the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States.

Freed American slaves found Liberia.

Seven Years' War: Battle of Liegnitz (1760)|Battle of Liegnitz

French forces end the Bombardment of Brussels, leaving a third of the buildings in the city in ruins.

Nine Years War (Ireland)|Nine Years War: Battle of Curlew Pass

Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier comes ashore at Kagoshima (Traditional Japanese date: July 22, 1549).

Arequipa, Peru, is founded.

Asunción, Paraguay, is founded.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola and six classmates take initial vows, leading to the creation of the Society of Jesus in September 1540.

Panama City, Panama, is founded.

Seven Portuguese armed vessels led by Fernão Pires de Andrade meet Chinese officials at the Pearl River estuary.

Pope Sixtus IV consecrates the Sistine Chapel.

The Empire of Trebizond surrenders to the forces of Sultan Mehmet II. This is regarded by some historians as the real end of the Byzantine Empire. Emperor David is exiled and later murdered.

Francesco Sforza, lord of Milan, conquers Lucca.

The city of Rhodes surrenders to the forces of the Knights of St. John, completing their conquest of Rhodes. The knights establish their headquarters on the island and rename themselves the Knights of Rhodes.

Michael VIII Palaeologus is crowned Byzantine emperor in Constantinople.

The foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral, built to house the relics of the Three Wise Men, is laid. (Construction is eventually completed in 1880.)

The cave city of Vardzia is consecrated by Queen Tamar of Georgia.

King Macbeth is killed at the Battle of Lumphanan by the forces of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada.

King Duncan I is killed in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth. The latter succeeds him as King of Scotland.

Byzantine general Eustathios Daphnomeles blinds and captures Ibatzes of Bulgaria by a ruse, thereby ending Bulgarian resistance against Emperor Basil II's conquest of Bulgaria.

Holy Roman Emperor Otto II is defeated by the Saracens in the battle of Capo Colonna, in Calabria

The Saracens conquer and destroy Taranto.

The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed.