All Events

Historical Events on May 8

  • Siege of Orléans

    1429

    Joan of Arc lifts the Siege of Orléans, turning the tide of the Hundred Years' War.

  • Richmond, Virginia

    1861

    American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is named the capital of the Confederate States of America.

  • Mohandas Gandhi

    1933

    Mohandas Gandhi begins a 21-day fast of self-purification and launched a one-year campaign to help the Harijan movement.

  • Battle of the Kerch Peninsula

    1942

    World War II: The Battle of the Kerch Peninsula: The German 11th Army begins Operation Trappenjagd (Bustard Hunt) and destroys the bridgehead of the three Soviet Armies (44th, 47th, and 51st) defending the Kerch Peninsula, in the eastern part of the Crimea.

  • Bronze Soldier of Tallinn

    1946

    Estonian schoolgirls Aili Jõgi and Ageeda Paavel blow up the Soviet memorial which stood in front of the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn.

  • Davao (province)

    1967

    The Philippine province of Davao is split into three: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.

  • Richard Nixon

    1972

    Vietnam War: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces his order to place mines in major North Vietnamese ports in order to stem the flow of weapons and other goods to that nation.

  • Reinhold Messner

    1978

    The first ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.

  • Smallpox

    1980

    The World Health Organization confirms the eradication of smallpox.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on May 8

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on May 8

07. May

09. May