On This Day - What Happened On March 19 - Encyclopedia Britannica

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2003 Iraq War begins On this day in 2003, U.S. President George W. Bush ordered air strikes on Baghdad, thus launching the Iraq War to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, who was believed (wrongly) to be manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. Ali Heider/AP Images

Featured Biography

Glenn Close American actress bornMarch 19, 1947 (age 78)Greenwich, Connecticut(Birthday in 3 days)© Axelle/Bauer-Griffin—FilmMagic/Getty Images 1955 Bruce Willis American actor 1947 Glenn Close American actress 1906 Adolf Eichmann German military official 1905 Albert Speer German architect and Nazi official 1860 William Jennings Bryan American politician See All Biographies On This Day

More Events On This Day

2014 American church leader Fred Phelps—who founded (1955) the Westboro Baptist Church, which became known for its strident opposition to homosexuality and the gay rights movement, as expressed on picket signs carried by church members at funerals and other events—died at age 84.© Jzehnder1/Dreamstime.com 2008 English writer Arthur C. Clarke—who was best known for his visionary science-fiction novels and for his work on Stanley Kubrick's hugely successful motion picture 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)—died at age 90. Test your knowledge of the names behind famous books in this quizAmy Marash 1997 Dutch American artist Willem de Kooning, a major exponent of Abstract Expressionism and Action painting, whose series Woman I–VI caused a stir with its violent images and impulsive technique, died at the age of 92. Take our ultimate art quiz© Luiz Alberto—Archive Photos/Getty Images 1996 One of the worst fires in the history of the Philippines swept through a Manila discotheque, killing 159 of the 400 people in the nightclub, which was intended to hold no more than 35. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about Southeast AsiaEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1982 Argentine forces mobilized after a dispute between Argentine workers and British scientists on British-controlled South Georgia island, leading to Argentina's invasion of the Falklands two weeks later. Take our quiz about the history of warEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1962 American musician Bob Dylan released his eponymous debut album to mixed reviews. Test your knowledge of songwritersEverett Collection Historical/Alamy 1954 American journalist Jill Abramson, who was the first woman to serve as executive editor (2011–14) of The New York Times, was born. How much do you know about newspapers?Donald Bowers/Getty Images 1931 Nevada legalized gambling, which paved the way for casinos in the state, most notably in Las Vegas. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about U.S. states© Digital Vision/Getty Images 1920 Józef Piłsudski was named marshal of Poland. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about famous EuropeansLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C. (digital file no. 3b35372) 1918 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act, which established Daylight Saving Time in the United States; the legislation also gave the federal government oversight of the country's time zones. Discover the answers to 22 questions about time and timekeepingEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1911 The first International Women's Day was observed.International Women's Day 1860 William Jennings Bryan, a Democratic and Populist leader and a magnetic orator who ran unsuccessfully three times for the U.S. presidency (1896, 1900, 1908), was born. Test your knowledge of U.S. presidential electionsLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C. 1687 While on an expedition to find the mouth of the Mississippi River, French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, was murdered by his men in what is now Texas; La Salle had previously claimed a large region around the river for Louis XIV of France, naming it Louisiana. Take our quiz about exploration and discoveryEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1560 In the Conspiracy of Amboise, French Huguenot aristocrats failed to overthrow the Roman Catholic house of Guise. How much do you know about French history? 1452 Frederick III became the last Holy Roman emperor to be crowned by a pope, Nicholas V. Test your knowledge of kings and emperorsCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1957.14.843.a) SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.