On This Day: 5 June

5 June in Indian history

• 2003A severe heat wave across Pakistan and India reaches its peak, as temperatures exceed 50 °C (122 °F) in the region.India
• 1984Operation Blue Star: Under orders from India's prime minister, Indira Gandhi, the Indian Army begins an invasion of the Golden Temple, the holiest site of the Sikh religion.India

5 June in world history

• 2017Six Arab countries—Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates—cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region.
• 2002Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-111, carrying the Expedition 5 crew to the International Space Station to replace the Expedition 4 crew. Astronaut Franklin Chang-Díaz becomes the second person to have flown on seven spaceflights.
• 2001Tropical Storm Allison, the costliest Atlantic tropical cyclone that was never a hurricane, made landfall in Texas, causing approximately $8.5 billion in damage.
• 1991Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-40, the fifth spacelab mission.
• 1981The first clinical cases of AIDS were published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• 1968U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot by Palestinian immigrant Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
• 1967Following Israel's initiation of Operation Focus with the goal to neutralise the Egyptian Air Force, Syrian Air Force, and the Royal Jordanian Air Force, the Six-Day War begins.
• 1963British politician John Profumo admitted that he had lied to the House of Commons about his involvement in a sex scandal with Christine Keeler, and resigned from government.
• 1963Movement of 15 Khordad: Protests against the arrest of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini by the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In several cities, masses of angry demonstrators are confronted by tanks and paratroopers.
• 1947Cold War: Marshall Plan: In a speech at Harvard University, the United States Secretary of State George Marshall calls for economic aid to war-torn Europe.
• 1941Second Sino-Japanese War: About 4,000 people died of asphyxiation in Chongqing when the tunnel in which they were hiding became blocked during a raid in the five-year bombing campaign.
• 1864American Civil War: Battle of Piedmont: Union forces under General David Hunter defeat a Confederate army at Piedmont, Virginia, taking nearly 1,000 prisoners.
• 1851Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery serial, Uncle Tom's Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly, starts a ten-month run in the National Era abolitionist newspaper.
• 1829HMS Pickle captures the armed slave ship Voladora off the coast of Cuba.
• 1610The masque Tethys' Festival was performed at the Palace of Whitehall to celebrate the investiture of Henry Frederick as Prince of Wales.
• 663The Daming Palace in Chang'an became the seat of government and the royal residence of the Tang dynasty during the reign of Emperor Gaozong.

Born on 5 June

• 1983Marques Colston, American football player
• 1972Yogi Adityanath, Indian priest and politicianIndia
• 1961Ramesh Krishnan, Indian tennis player and coachIndia
• 1943Abraham Viruthakulangara, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India (died 2018)India
• 1878Pancho Villa, Mexican general and politician, Governor of Chihuahua (died 1923)
• 1341Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, son of King Edward III of England and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (died 1402)

Died on 5 June

• 2023Astrud Gilberto, Brazilian singer (born 1940)
• 1996Acharya Kuber Nath Rai, Indian poet and scholar (born 1933)India
• 1920Rhoda Broughton, Welsh-English author (born 1840)
• 1791Frederick Haldimand, Swiss-Canadian general and politician, 22nd governor of Quebec (born 1718)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 5 June in history?

2017: Six Arab countries—Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates—cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region. 2003: A severe heat wave across Pakistan and India reaches its peak, as temperatures exceed 50 °C (122 °F) in the region. 2002: Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-111, carrying the Expedition 5 crew to the International Space Station to replace the Expedition 4 crew. Astronaut Franklin Chang-Díaz becomes the second person to have flown on seven spaceflights. 2001: Tropical Storm Allison, the costliest Atlantic tropical cyclone that was never a hurricane, made landfall in Texas, causing approximately $8.5 billion in damage.

What happened on 5 June in Indian history?

2003: A severe heat wave across Pakistan and India reaches its peak, as temperatures exceed 50 °C (122 °F) in the region. 1984: Operation Blue Star: Under orders from India's prime minister, Indira Gandhi, the Indian Army begins an invasion of the Golden Temple, the holiest site of the Sikh religion.

Which famous people were born on 5 June?

Marques Colston, American football player (1983); Yogi Adityanath, Indian priest and politician (1972); Ramesh Krishnan, Indian tennis player and coach (1961); Abraham Viruthakulangara, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India (died 2018) (1943).

Which day is observed on 5 June?

World Environment Day; Arbor Day (New Zealand); Constitution Day (Denmark); Father's Day (Denmark); Indian Arrival Day (Suriname).