17th October 1943: The Thailand–Burma ‘Death’ Railway completed using forced labour including Allied prisoners of war
The Japanese used approximately 60,000 POWs, mainly British, Dutch, Australian, and American, to construct the railway alongside an estimated 180,000 to 250,000 Asian civilians. It is estimated that a...
17 Okt 20250s
16th October 1846: First public demonstration of ether anaesthesia
The first well-publicised public demonstration of inhaled ether anaesthesia was given at the Massachusetts General ...
16 Okt 20250s
15th October 1923: Rentenmark introduced in Weimar Germany in an attempt to stop the hyperinflation crisis
The new currency was backed by land that was used by businesses and agriculture, and was introduced at the rate of one Rentenmark to one trillion ...
15 Okt 20250s
14th October 1892: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle first published, containing 12 stories
The twelve stories that make up The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes were originally serialised between July 1891 and June 1892, and included cases such as “A Scandal in Bohemia,” and “The Adventure of t...
14 Okt 20250s
13th October 54: The Roman Emperor Claudius dies, supposedly after being poisoned
Ancient sources state that the Emperor Claudius as poisoned, although who administered the poison - and on whose orders - continues to be fiercely debated by ...
13 Okt 20250s
12th October 1915: British nurse Edith Cavell was executed by a German firing squad
British nurse Edith Cavell was executed by a German firing squad during the First World ...
12 Okt 20250s
11th October 1986: Reykjavík Summit takes place between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev
The Reykjavík Summit quickly developed into one of the most significant negotiations of the era, with both sides beginning to address the escalating nuclear arms race during the Cold ...
11 Okt 20250s
10th October 1957: Eisenhower apologises to Ghanaian minister for racism in Delaware restaurant
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower apologised to Ghanaian finance minister Komla Agbeli Gbedemah after he was refused service in a Delaware ...
10 Okt 20250s
