Historical events on January 2

JANUARY 2, 1963

Vietnam War: The Viet Cong won its first major victory at the Battle of Ap Bac.

The Vietnam War was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam and their allies. Read More

JANUARY 2, 2004

The Stardust space probe flew by the comet Wild 2 and collected particle samples from its coma, which were later returned to Earth.

Stardust was a 385-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on 7 February 1999. Its primary mission was to collect dust samples Read More

JANUARY 2, 1860

French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier (pictured) announced the putative discovery of the planet Vulcan at a meeting at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris.

Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier was a French astronomer and mathematician who specialized in celestial mechanics and is best known for predicting Read More

JANUARY 2, 533

Mercurius, a Roman priest, was elected Pope John II; he was apparently the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy.

Pope John II, born Mercurius, was the Bishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death. As a priest at St. Read More

JANUARY 2, 2009

Sri Lankan civil war: The Sri Lankan army captured the town of Kilinochchi from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, concluding the Battle of Kilinochchi.

The Sri Lankan civil war was a civil war fought in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. Beginning on 23 July 1983, Read More

JANUARY 2, 1777

American Revolutionary War: American forces under the command of George Washington repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek near Trenton, New Jersey.

The American Revolutionary War, also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the Read More

JANUARY 2, 1865

Uruguayan War: Brazilian and Colorado Party forces captured the city of Paysandú from its Uruguayan defenders.

The Uruguayan War was fought between Uruguay's governing Blanco Party and an alliance consisting of the Empire of Brazil and the Uruguayan Read More

JANUARY 2, 1991

Sharon Pratt Dixon was sworn in as the mayor of Washington, D.C., becoming the first African-American woman to hold the position.

Sharon Pratt, formerly Sharon Pratt Dixon and Sharon Pratt Kelly, is an American attorney and politician who was the mayor of the Read More

JANUARY 2, 1967

Ronald Reagan began his career in government when he was sworn in as the 33rd governor of California.

Ronald Wilson Reagan was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to Read More

JANUARY 2, 1680

Trunajaya rebellion: Amangkurat II of Mataram of Java and his courtiers stabbed Trunajaya to death a week after the rebel leader surrendered to VOC forces.

The Trunajaya Rebellion or Trunajaya War was the ultimately unsuccessful rebellion waged during the 1670s by the Madurese prince Trunajaya and fighters Read More

JANUARY 2, 1920

Under the leadership of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer (pictured), U.S. Department of Justice agents launched a series of raids against radical leftists and anarchists in more than 30 cities and towns across 23 states.

Alexander Mitchell Palmer was an American attorney and politician who served as the 50th United States attorney general from 1919 to 1921. Read More

JANUARY 2, 1976

An extratropical cyclone began affecting parts of western Europe, resulting in coastal flooding around the southern portions of the North Sea and leading to at least 82 deaths.

The Gale of January 1976, widely known as the "Capella" storm in Germany and the Ruisbroek flood in Belgium, was one in Read More

JANUARY 2, 1959

The Soviet Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon, was launched by a Vostok rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Luna 1, also known as Mechta, E-1 No.4 and First Lunar Rover, was the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of Earth's Read More

JANUARY 2, 1941

Second World War: Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff, Wales, was severely damaged by German bombing during the Cardiff Blitz.

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all Read More

JANUARY 2, 1944

World War II: United States and Australian forces successfully landed in Papua New Guinea in an attempt to cut off a Japanese retreat.

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all Read More

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