On This Day: 3 June

3 June in Indian history

• 1984Operation Blue Star, a military offensive, is launched by the Indian government at Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs, in Amritsar. The operation continues until June 6, with casualties, most of them civilians, in exIndia
• 1621The Dutch West India Company receives a charter for New Netherland.India

3 June in world history

• 2025Prime minister of Mongolia Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned after weeks of protests.
• 2019Khartoum massacre: In Sudan, over 100 people are killed when security forces accompanied by Janjaweed militiamen storm and open fire on a sit-in protest.
• 1973A Soviet supersonic Tupolev Tu-144 crashes near Goussainville, France, killing 14, the first crash of a supersonic passenger aircraft.
• 1969During a SEATO exercise in the South China Sea, a collision between HMAS Melbourne and USS Frank E. Evans resulted in the latter vessel being cut in two and the deaths of 74 personnel.
• 1963Buddhist crisis: South Vietnamese soldiers attacked Buddhist protesters in Huế with liquid chemicals from tear gas grenades, causing 67 people to be hospitalised.
• 1943In Los Angeles, California, white U.S. Navy sailors and Marines attack Latino youths in the five-day Zoot Suit Riots.
• 1942World War II: Japan begins the Aleutian Islands Campaign by bombing Unalaska Island.
• 1941World War II: In reprisal for the participation of the local population in the Battle of Crete, the German Wehrmacht destroyed the village of Kandanos, Greece, and killed about 180 of its inhabitants.
• 1940World War II: During the Battle of France, the Luftwaffe bombs Paris.
• 1917A socialist convention in Leeds, United Kingdom, called for an end to the First World War and the establishment of Workers' and Soldiers' Delegates across the country.
• 1885In the last military engagement fought on Canadian soil, the Cree leader, Big Bear, escapes the North-West Mounted Police.
• 1861American Civil War: Battle of Philippi (also called the Philippi Races): Union forces rout Confederate troops in Barbour County, Virginia, now West Virginia.
• 1781American Revolutionary War: Jack Jouett rode 40 miles (64 km) to warn Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature of British cavalry who had been sent to capture them.
• 1770Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, a historic Catholic mission church in present-day Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, and the site of the first Christian confirmation in Alta California, was established.
• 1602Anglo-Spanish War: The English navy defeated a Spanish–Portuguese fleet off Sesimbra, Portugal, and captured a carrack.
• 1098After a five-month siege during the First Crusade, the Crusaders seize Antioch.

Born on 3 June

• 1960Jeff Colyer, American politician, 47th Governor of Kansas
• 1930George Fernandes, Indian journalist and politician, Minister of Defence for India (died 2019)India
• 1926Flora MacDonald, Canadian banker and politician, 10th Canadian Minister of Communications (died 2015)
• 1924Karunanidhi, Indian screenwriter and politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (died 2018)India
• 1924Colleen Dewhurst, Canadian-American actress (died 1991)
• 1890Baburao Painter, Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1954)India

Died on 3 June

• 2025Shigeo Nagashima, Japanese baseball player and manager (born 1936)
• 2014Gopinath Munde, Indian politician, 3rd Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (born 1949)India
• 2011Bhajan Lal, Indian politician, 6th Chief Minister of Haryana (born 1930)India
• 1861Stephen A. Douglas, American lawyer and politician, 7th Secretary of State of Illinois (born 1813)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 3 June in history?

2025: Prime minister of Mongolia Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned after weeks of protests. 2019: Khartoum massacre: In Sudan, over 100 people are killed when security forces accompanied by Janjaweed militiamen storm and open fire on a sit-in protest. 1984: Operation Blue Star, a military offensive, is launched by the Indian government at Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs, in Amritsar. The operation continues until June 6, with casualties, most of them civilians, in ex. 1973: A Soviet supersonic Tupolev Tu-144 crashes near Goussainville, France, killing 14, the first crash of a supersonic passenger aircraft.

What happened on 3 June in Indian history?

1984: Operation Blue Star, a military offensive, is launched by the Indian government at Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs, in Amritsar. The operation continues until June 6, with casualties, most of them civilians, in ex. 1621: The Dutch West India Company receives a charter for New Netherland.

Which famous people were born on 3 June?

Jeff Colyer, American politician, 47th Governor of Kansas (1960); George Fernandes, Indian journalist and politician, Minister of Defence for India (died 2019) (1930); Flora MacDonald, Canadian banker and politician, 10th Canadian Minister of Communications (died 2015) (1926); Karunanidhi, Indian screenwriter and politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (died 2018) (1924).

Which day is observed on 3 June?

Confederate Memorial Day (Kentucky, and Tennessee, United States); Economist day (Buenos Aires, Argentina); Mabo Day (Australia); Opium Suppression Movement Day (Taiwan); World Bicycle Day.