On This Day: 25 March

25 March in world history

• 2018Syrian civil war: Following the completion of the Afrin offensive, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) initiate an insurgency against the Turkish occupation of the Afrin District.
• 2008Invasion of Anjouan began as Comoros and African Union forces launched an assault to remove Mohamed Bacar from power in Anjouan.
• 1971The Army of the Republic of Vietnam abandon an attempt to cut off the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos.
• 1965Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King Jr. successfully complete their four-day 50-mile (80 km) march from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.
• 1957The European Economic Community is established with West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg as the first members.
• 1948The first successful tornado forecast predicts that a tornado will strike Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
• 1934Enrico Fermi published his discovery of neutron-induced radioactivity, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• 1924On the anniversary of Greek Independence, Alexandros Papanastasiou proclaims the Second Hellenic Republic.
• 1917The Georgian Orthodox Church restores its autocephaly abolished by Imperial Russia in 1811.
• 1915The appointment of Mehmed Reshid as governor of Diyarbekir, Turkey, intensified the genocide of Syriac Christians by pro-Ottoman forces.
• 1903The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition anchored in the South Orkney Islands with the intention of establishing the first weather station in Antarctic territory.
• 1865American Civil War: In Virginia during the Siege of Petersburg, Confederate forces temporarily capture Fort Stedman from the Union before being repulsed.
• 1821Greek War of Independence: Traditional date of the start of the Greek War of Independence. The war had actually begun on 23 February 1821 (Julian calendar).
• 1811Percy Bysshe Shelley is expelled from the University of Oxford for publishing the pamphlet The Necessity of Atheism.
• 1776American Revolutionary War: American Patriot forces in Georgia conducted a raid on Tybee Island, with the primary goal of capturing runaway slaves seeking refuge with the British.
• 1725Bach's chorale cantata Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern was first performed on the Feast of the Annunciation, which coincided that year with Palm Sunday.
• 1655Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens discovered Titan, the largest natural satellite of Saturn.
• 1458Wars of the Roses: A formal reconciliation ceremony between the Lancastrians and Yorkists led to a brief period of peace.

Born on 25 March

• 1952Antanas Mockus, Colombian mathematician, philosopher, and politician, Mayor of Bogotá
• 1925Kishori Sinha, Indian politician, social activist and advocate (died 2016)India
• 1921Nancy Kelly, American actress (died 1995)
• 1920Usha Mehta, Gandhian and freedom fighter of India (died 2000)India
• 1916S. M. Pandit, Indian painter and educator (died 1993)India
• 1881Béla Bartók, Hungarian pianist and composer (died 1945)

Died on 25 March

• 2020Floyd Cardoz, Indian-born American chef (born 1960)India
• 1951Eddie Collins, American baseball player and manager (born 1887)
• 1931Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, Indian journalist and politician (born 1890)India
• 1736Nicholas Hawksmoor, English architect, designed Easton Neston and Christ Church (born 1661)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 25 March in history?

2018: Syrian civil war: Following the completion of the Afrin offensive, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) initiate an insurgency against the Turkish occupation of the Afrin District. 2008: Invasion of Anjouan began as Comoros and African Union forces launched an assault to remove Mohamed Bacar from power in Anjouan. 1971: The Army of the Republic of Vietnam abandon an attempt to cut off the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos. 1965: Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King Jr. successfully complete their four-day 50-mile (80 km) march from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.

Which famous people were born on 25 March?

Antanas Mockus, Colombian mathematician, philosopher, and politician, Mayor of Bogotá (1952); Kishori Sinha, Indian politician, social activist and advocate (died 2016) (1925); Nancy Kelly, American actress (died 1995) (1921); Usha Mehta, Gandhian and freedom fighter of India (died 2000) (1920).

Which day is observed on 25 March?

Anniversary of the Arengo and the Feast of the Militants (San Marino); Christian Saints' days Ælfwold II of Sherborne; Christian Saints' days Blessed Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas; Christian Saints' days Omelyan Kovch (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church); Christian Saints' days Dismas, the "Good Thief".