This Day In History : August 9

1965 Singapore

Singapore gains its independence

Singapore gained its independence on August 9, 1965. This occurred when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia, becoming a sovereign nation. The separation was peaceful and marked the beginning of Singapore's journey as an independent city-state.

Also on This Day in History August 9

Discover what happened on August 9 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, August 9
  • 1927 Marvin Minsky

    American artificial intelligence computer scientist and the founder of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Project

  • 1897 Ralph Wyckoff

    American scientist and pioneer of X-ray crystallography

  • 1819 Jonathan Homer Lane

    American astrophysicist who mathematically analyzed the Sun as a gaseous body

  • 1896 Jean Piaget

    Swiss pioneer developmental psychologist and zoologist

  • 1925 David A. Huffman

    American computer scientist, creator of Huffman coding

Deaths on This Day, August 9
  • 2006 James Alfred Van Allen

    American physicist (discovered Van Allen radiation belts)

  • 2007 Akutsu Tetsuzo

    Japanese surgeon who built the first artificial heart

  • 1949 Edward L. Thorndike

    American psychologist (father of modern educational psychology)

  • 1919 Ernst Haeckel

    German biologist (Causes of Evolution) and philosopher (Social Darwinism)

  • 1899 Edward Frankland

    British structural chemist who co-discovered helium and developed the theory of valence

1973

The USSR launches Mars 7

The USSR launched Mars 7 on August 9, 1973. Mars 7 was an uncrewed space probe designed to study Mars as part of the Soviet Mars program. The spacecraft was intended to deliver a lander to the Martian surface, but due to a malfunction, the lander separated prematurely and missed the planet, continuing into heliocentric orbit. Despite this failure, the mission provided valuable data and contributed to the development of later Mars exploration missions.
1945

In 1945, during WW II, an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, by the Americans

During World War II, on August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. This devastating event resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, most of whom were civilians. The bombings of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain the only instances of nuclear weapons being used in armed conflict. Japan’s unconditional surrender followed shortly after these bombings, effectively ending the war.
1831

1st US steam engine train run

The first steam-powered train run in the United States occurred on August 9, 1831, traveling between Albany and Schenectady in New York. This historic journey marked a significant milestone in transportation history, showcasing the potential of steam locomotives to revolutionize travel and commerce across the country.
1842

The United States and Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains is established with the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty

The Webster-Ashburton Treaty, signed on August 9, 1842, established the border between the United States and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. It resolved several longstanding disputes between the two countries, including the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick, and helped to solidify peaceful relations between the United States and the British Empire.
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