May 13 in History

Historical Events on May 13

1830 Ecuador gains its independence from Gran Colombia.

1846 Mexican-American War: The United States declares war on Mexico.

1861 American Civil War: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom issues a "proclamation of neutrality" which recognizes the breakaway states as having belligerent rights.

1940 World War II: Germany's conquest of France begins as the German army crosses the Meuse. Winston Churchill makes his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech to the House of Commons.

1941 World War II: Yugoslav royal colonel Dragoljub Mihailović starts fighting with German occupation troops, beginning the Serbian resistance.

1948 Arab-Israeli War: The Kfar Etzion massacre is committed by Arab irregulars, the day before the declaration of independence of the state of Israel on May 14.

1960 Hundreds of University of California, Berkeley students congregate for the first day of protest against a visit by the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

1972 The Troubles: A car bombing outside a crowded pub in Belfast sparks a two-day gun battle involving the Provisional IRA, Ulster Volunteer Force and British Army. Seven people are killed and over 66 injured.

1989 Large groups of students occupy Tiananmen Square and begin a hunger strike.

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Famous Birthdays on May 13

1930 Mike Gravel

1952 John Kasich

1964 Stephen Colbert

1968 Scott Morrison

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Famous Deaths on May 13

1832 Georges Cuvier

1930 Fridtjof Nansen

1961 Gary Cooper

2002 Valeriy Lobanovskyi

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