March 16: Historical Events, Famous Birthdays and Deaths On This Day

597 BC

Babylonians capture Jerusalem, and replace Jeconiah with Zedekiah as king.
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1782

American Revolutionary War: Spanish troops capture the British-held island of Roatán.
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1917

World War I: A German auxiliary cruiser is sunk in the Action of 16 March 1917.
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1935

Adolf Hitler orders Germany to rearm herself in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Conscription is reintroduced to form the Wehrmacht.
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1945

World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ended, but small pockets of Japanese resistance persisted.
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1968

Vietnam War: My Lai Massacre occurs; between 347 and 500 Vietnamese villagers (men, women, and children) are killed by American troops.
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1989

In Egypt, a 4,400-year-old mummy is found near the Pyramid of Cheops.
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2005

Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control.
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2014

Crimea votes in a controversial referendum to secede from Ukraine to join Russia.
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