3 Ordibehesht 1373 | Saturday 23 April 1994

This day in four calendars

1918 (108 years ago) World War I: The British Royal Navy makes a raid in an attempt to neutralise the Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge.
1919 (107 years ago) The Estonian Constituent Assembly is held in Estonia, which marks the birth of the Estonian Parliament, the Riigikogu.
1941 (85 years ago) World War II: The Greek government and King George II evacuate Athens before the invading Wehrmacht.
1945 (81 years ago) World War II: Adolf Hitler's designated successor, Hermann Göring, sends him a telegram asking permission to take leadership of Nazi Germany. Martin Bormann and Joseph Goebbels advise Göring that the telegram is treasonous.
1971 (55 years ago) Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army and Razakars massacre approximately 3,000 Hindu emigrants in the Jathibhanga area of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
1990 (36 years ago) Namibia becomes the 160th member of the United Nations and the 50th member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
1993 (33 years ago) Eritreans vote overwhelmingly for independence from Ethiopia in a United Nations-monitored referendum.
1993 (33 years ago) Sri Lankan politician Lalith Athulathmudali is assassinated while addressing a gathering, approximately four weeks ahead of the Provincial Council elections for the Western Province.

1564 (462 years ago) William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet (died 1616)
1791 (235 years ago) James Buchanan, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 15th President of the United States (died 1868)
1858 (168 years ago) Max Planck, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1947)
1897 (129 years ago) Lester B. Pearson, Canadian historian and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Canada, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (died 1972)
1902 (124 years ago) Halldór Laxness, Icelandic author and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1998)
1928 (98 years ago) Shirley Temple, American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat (died 2014)
1954 (72 years ago) Michael Moore, American director, producer, and activist
1977 (49 years ago) John Cena, American professional wrestler and actor

303 (1723 years ago) Saint George, Roman soldier and martyr
1200 (826 years ago) Zhu Xi, Chinese philosopher (born 1130)
1605 (421 years ago) Boris Godunov, Russian ruler (born 1551)
1616 (410 years ago) William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet (born 1564)
1850 (176 years ago) William Wordsworth, English poet and author (born 1770)
1951 (75 years ago) Charles G. Dawes, American banker and politician, 30th Vice President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (born 1865)
1992 (34 years ago) Satyajit Ray, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1921)
2007 (19 years ago) Boris Yeltsin, Russian politician, 1st President of Russia (born 1931)