&w=3840&q=100)
History Today: When the French Revolution started with the Storming of the Bastille
A watercolour painting of the 'Storming of Bastille' which shows the arrest of Bernard René Jourdan, marquis de Launay, the governor of Bastille. Wikimedia Commons
The French Revolution is an important part of the world history. And the revolution began with Storming of the Bastille by thousands of Parisians on July 14, 1789. The event marked the end of absolute monarchy and the rise of the people's power in France.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
On this day in 1958, Iraq's monarchy was overthrown in a military coup led by General Abd al-Karim Qasim and Colonel Abdul Salam Arif.
Here is all that happened on this day.
Storming of the Bastille
A huge crowd of Parisians and mutinous troops stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress. The Bastille had become a symbol of the oppressive and arbitrary rule of King Louis XVI's regime.
Amid growing unrest over rising bread prices, heavy taxation, and political inequality, Paris was on edge. Rumours spread that the king was planning to crush the National Assembly, formed by the Third Estate to represent the common people. Citizens, fearing a royal crackdown, began to arm themselves.
An etching of the storming of the Bastille. Wikimedia Commons
On the morning of July 14, a large crowd of Parisians marched to the Bastille, which was believed to hold ammunition and political prisoners. Though the fortress only held seven inmates at the time, its fall was deeply symbolic. After hours of tense negotiation and fighting, the crowd overwhelmed the defenders and seized control of the fortress.
The event sent shockwaves across France and Europe. It demonstrated that the monarchy was vulnerable and that ordinary citizens could influence the future of the nation. In the days that followed, King Louis XVI was forced to recognise the authority of the National Assembly, and the revolution gained unstoppable momentum.
The Storming of the Bastille is now celebrated every year in France as Bastille Day, a national holiday and a symbol of liberty, democracy, and the fight against oppression.
1958 Coup in Iraq
On this day in 1958, a similar situation arose in another part of the world. Iraq experienced a seismic shift in its political landscape with a military coup d'état that violently overthrew the Hashemite monarchy. The military was led by General Abd al-Karim Qasim and Colonel Abdul Salam Arif. This event marked the beginning of a republican era in the country.
The coup was triggered by growing public dissatisfaction with King Faisal II's pro-Western policies, rising nationalism, and the influence of the Baghdad Pact, which aligned Iraq with the UK and other Western powers. Many Iraqis, particularly within the military, resented these foreign ties and desired a government that prioritised Arab unity and independence.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Revolutionary soldiers in a street of Baghdad, Iraq, July 14, 1958. File image/AP
On the morning of July 14, troops loyal to Qasim and Arif seized key installations in Baghdad. The royal family, including King Faisal II and Prime Minister Nuri al-Said, were executed. The monarchy was abolished, and the Republic of Iraq was declared, with Qasim becoming Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
The revolution shocked the Arab world and signalled a significant geopolitical shift. Iraq withdrew from the Baghdad Pact and began aligning more closely with neutral and Soviet-leaning nations. It also inspired other Arab nationalist movements, particularly in Egypt and Syria.
The revolution was met with mixed reactions. Many Iraqis, who viewed the monarchy as a relic of foreign control, welcomed the change. However, it also ushered in a period of intense political instability, marked by subsequent coups, assassinations, and ideological struggles between various factions, including pan-Arab nationalists, communists, and later, the Ba'ath Party. The 1958 coup fundamentally reshaped Iraq's destiny, pulling it away from its Western alignment and setting the stage for decades of turbulent republican rule.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
This Day, That Year
The world's last telegram was sent as India's state-run telecommunications company ended its telegraph service on this day in 2013.
In 1881, American gunfighter Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
19 hours ago
- First Post
History Today: When the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia
Troops from the Soviet Union, along with other members of the Warsaw Pact, invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968. This came as a result of the Prague Spring, a liberal uprising that planned to introduce reforms like greater freedom of the press, speech, and travel in the region. On this day in 1944, former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was born into India's most prominent political family During the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovaks carry their national flag past a burning tank in Prague. Wikimedia Commons August 20 is an important day in history as several notable events took place across the world. The Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, effectively crushing the liberal reforms of the Prague Spring. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. In 1975, Nasa launched its ambitious Viking missions designed to explore Mars and search for signs of life. On this day in 1944, former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was born. His birth anniversary is celebrated as Sadbhavana Diwas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here is all that happened on this day. Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia It was on this day in 1968 that the Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia, crushing the liberal reforms of the Prague Spring and reasserting Moscow's control over the Eastern Bloc. The invasion marked one of the most dramatic confrontations of the Cold War. Led by Communist Party leader Alexander Dubcek, the Prague Spring sought to create 'socialism with a human face' by introducing reforms like greater freedom of the press, speech, and travel, as well as a partial decentralisation of the economy. These changes were wildly popular among the Czechoslovakian people but were viewed with alarm by Moscow and other hardline communist regimes. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and his allies feared that the reforms would undermine communist rule and threaten the stability of the entire Eastern Bloc. Czech youngsters holding Czechoslovakian flags stand atop of an overturned truck as other Prague residents surround Soviet tanks in downtown Prague on August 21, 1968. File image/AP On the night of August 20–21, approximately 200,000 soldiers and 5,000 tanks from the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany, Hungary, and Bulgaria crossed into Czechoslovakia. The operation was swift and overwhelming. Despite massive protests and passive resistance, Czechoslovak forces were ordered not to resist militarily, preventing a full-scale war but leaving citizens vulnerable. At least 137 civilians were killed and hundreds were injured during the occupation. Dubcek and other leaders were arrested and taken to Moscow, where they were pressured into rolling back reforms. A new pro-Soviet leadership soon replaced him, and strict censorship returned. The invasion became a turning point in the Cold War, symbolising the limits of freedom within the Soviet bloc. Globally, the move sparked outrage. Western nations condemned the action, though they stopped short of intervention. The event also led to the formulation of the Brezhnev Doctrine, under which the USSR claimed the right to intervene in any socialist state deemed to be straying from orthodoxy. Nasa launches its ambitious Viking 1 mission The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) launched its most ambitious mission, Viking 1, on August 20, 1975. The launch from Cape Canaveral aboard a Titan IIIE-Centaur rocket marked a bold step in planetary exploration, combining advanced engineering with unprecedented scientific goals. The Viking program, costing nearly $1 billion, was one of Nasa's most complex interplanetary undertakings. Viking 1 consisted of two parts: an orbiter to map Mars from above and a lander to conduct on-site experiments. After an 11-month journey covering nearly 500 million kilometres, Viking 1 entered Mars' orbit in June 1976. On July 20, 1976, exactly seven years after the Apollo 11 Moon landing, the lander touched down on Chryse Planitia, becoming the first successful US spacecraft to land and operate on Mars. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Launch of Viking 1 from Launch Pad 41 at the Cape The mission's goals were groundbreaking - to analyse the Martian soil for biological activity, study the atmosphere, and capture high-resolution images of the surface. Viking 1 sent back stunning photographs of barren landscapes, red deserts, and rocky plains, giving humanity its first close-up view of Mars. Its experiments revealed intriguing but inconclusive chemical reactions in the soil. While not definitive proof of life, these findings shaped decades of debate about the planet's habitability. Birth of Rajiv Gandhi Every year, August 20 is celebrated as Sadbhawana Diwas or Harmony Day, a day when Rajiv Gandhi, the eldest son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi, was born. As the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv grew up surrounded by politics but initially showed little inclination toward it. Educated at Doon School, Dehradun, he later went abroad to study at Trinity College, Cambridge, and then Imperial College, London. Unlike his mother and younger brother, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv preferred a quiet life. He trained as a commercial pilot and worked with Indian Airlines, enjoying a career away from the political spotlight. However, destiny drew him into politics after the tragic death of his brother, Sanjay, in a plane crash in 1980. Pressured by party members and his mother, Rajiv reluctantly entered public life and contested elections from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. He quickly gained popularity for his soft-spoken demeanour and modern outlook. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October 1984, Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as India's youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40. His tenure was marked by efforts to modernise India, particularly through technology, computers, and telecommunications. He was also instrumental in strengthening India's relations abroad and pushing for economic reforms. This Day, That Year Senegal seceded from the Mali Federation, declaring its full independence on this day in 1960. In 1920, the National Football League was formed at a meeting in Canton, Ohio. Labour activists closed the entire Port of London in the London Dock Strike in 1889. With inputs from agencies
The Print
a day ago
- The Print
Pak amends anti-terror law to allow agencies to detain ‘suspicious' persons for up to 3 months
This power was initially provided by an amendment in 2014 to conduct preventive detention of individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities, but the amendment was subject to a sunset clause and expired after two years in 2016. The National Assembly on Wednesday passed an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, to change Section 11 EEEE (preventive detention for inquiry). Islamabad, Aug 14 (PTI) Pakistan has amended its anti-terrorism law to augment the powers of security agencies and the armed forces to detain 'suspicious' individuals for up to three months. In November 2024, the government quietly introduced the bill in the National Assembly when Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Tallal Chaudhry moved it, seeking to grant military and civil armed forces the authority to keep individuals facing terrorism charges in 'preventive' detention for up to three months. State-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency reported that the assembly passed the bill through a clause-by-clause reading. The main opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party opposed the amendment, terming it against basic rights. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan branded it a violation of 'fundamental human rights'. 'The Supreme Court said these laws were contrary to fundamental rights,' Gohar said. 'You cannot touch a single person in the world without a solid reason.' Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar assured the House that this law would only be used in specific circumstances. 'A clause is being added to the bill stating that there are solid reasons for arrest,' Tarar stated. 'The arrested person will have to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours, (and) a clause has also been included to be enforceable for a specific period.' But the PTI and other opposition groups fear that it could be used to silence dissent and opposition in the country. PTI SH ZH ZH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a day ago
- First Post
Trump announced $50 mn bounty for his arrest. Now, Maduro responds with 4.5 mn militia and armed peasants
Venezuelan President Maduro has ordered nationwide militia activation after the US doubled bounty for his arrest and intensified anti-drug operations in the Caribbean Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks as he presents a proposal to reform the constitution in a session of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela on February 15, 2025. Reuters File Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced that he will deploy 4.5 million members of the country's civilian militia, citing what he called renewed threats from the United States. The move comes after Washington increased the bounty for Maduro's arrest and launched new anti-drug operations in the Caribbean — actions Caracas has condemned as hostile and provocative. 'This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to ensure coverage of the entire national territory - militias that are prepared, activated and armed,' Maduro announced on state television. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The militia, originally established by former President Hugo Chávez, is officially reported to number around five million members, although independent estimates suggest the actual figure is significantly lower, reported Times of India. Venezuela's total population stands at approximately 30 million. In a televised address, President Maduro condemned what he described as 'the renewal of extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish threats' from the US, following a series of moves by Washington that have further strained bilateral relations. Earlier this month, President Trump's administration doubled the reward for Maduro's capture to $50 million. The Venezuelan leader faces drug trafficking charges in the United States, where officials accuse him of heading the so-called Cartel de los Sole_s_, a criminal network allegedly responsible for large-scale cocaine smuggling. In addition to increasing the bounty, the Trump administration imposed fresh sanctions on both the cartel and the Venezuelan government. The US military has also reportedly deployed several naval vessels to the southern Caribbean as part of its broader anti-narcotics campaign in the region. 'We are also deployed throughout the Caribbean… in our sea, our property, Venezuelan territory,' Times of India quoted Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello as saying. Although he did not explicitly mention the recent actions by the United States, President Maduro expressed gratitude to Venezuela's international allies for standing with the country against what he described as a 'rotten refrain' of ongoing threats. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Maduro also called for the expansion of worker and peasant militias across all sectors of the economy, urging broader participation in what he framed as a national defence effort. 'Rifles and missiles for the peasant force! To defend the territory, sovereignty, and peace of Venezuela,' declared Maduro. With inputs from agencies
