On This Day - What Happened On October 26 | Britannica

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1979 Park Chung Hee assassinated On this day in 1979, South Korean President Park Chung Hee was assassinated by his lifelong friend Kim Jae Kyu, head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, who was sentenced to death for his actions. Universal History Archive/REX/Shutterstock.com

Featured Biography

Hillary Rodham Clinton United States senator, first lady, and secretary of state bornOctober 26, 1947 (age 78)Chicago, IllinoisU.S. Department of State 1973 Seth MacFarlane American writer, animator, actor, and producer 1967 Keith Urban Australian singer, songwriter, and guitarist 1947 Hillary Clinton United States senator, first lady, and secretary of state 1919 Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi shah of Iran 1916 François Mitterrand president of France See All Biographies On This Day

More Events On This Day

2005 The Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros to win the team's first World Series title since 1917. How much do you know about baseball?© G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images 1984 The action thriller The Terminator was released in the United States; hugely successful, it made actor Arnold Schwarzenegger a star and established director James Cameron as a bankable filmmaker. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about films© 1984 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. 1970 Following an absence of more than three years, American boxer Muhammad Ali returned to the ring, defeating Jerry Quarry; Ali had been barred from fighting after he refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Test your knowledge of boxingAP Images 1958 America's first jet airliner, the Boeing 707, entered service for Pan American World Airways. Take our quiz about aircraft and air travel© icholakov/stock.adobe.com 1955 A constitutional law of perpetual neutrality in Austria was promulgated. Test your knowledge of European historyEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1918 Prussian General Erich Ludendorff was forced to resign by Emperor William II on Prince Maximilian's advice, in an effort to establish an armistice agreement. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about World War IArchiv für Kunst und Geschichte, Berlin 1916 François Mitterrand, who served two terms (1981–95) as president of France and was the country's first socialist to hold the office, was born. How much do you know about French history?SPC 5 James Cavalier/U.S. Department of Defense 1905 The St. Petersburg soviet (workers' council) was formed during the Russian Revolution of 1905. Test your knowledge of Russian history 1881 A feud between the Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan) and an outlaw gang led by Ike Clanton escalated into a celebrated gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. Take our criminality and famous outlaws quizNational Archives, Washington, D.C. 1825 After some eight years of construction, the Erie Canal, which connects the Great Lakes with New York City via the Hudson River at Albany, officially opened; its success propelled New York City into a major commercial centre and encouraged canal construction throughout the United States. Take our quiz about canals, straits, and other waterwaysEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1813 British and U.S. troops clashed in the Battle of Châteauguay during the War of 1812. Test your knowledge of famous world wars 1795 The National Convention, the assembly that governed France during a pivotal period of the Revolution, was dispersed. Take our quiz about French historyEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 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.