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Explore the historical events that shaped our world on March 24th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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A massive volcanic eruption, likely in Iceland, released immense amounts of ash and sulfate aerosols, c. March 536, CE, blocking sunlight and creating a dense "fog" covering Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia for almost two years causing temperatures to drop, agricultural failure and severe famine.
The Turko-Mongol conqueror Tamerlane captures the city of Damascus on March 24, 1401 from the Mamlukin Sultanate, subjecting the city to intense plunder and destruction with some estimates of up to 50,000 killed. His victory, weakened Mamluk authority in Syria and lead to Tamerlane’s subsequent victory over the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, at the Battle of Ankara in 1402. More
Queen Elizabeth I of England dies childless on March 24, 1603 and James VI of Scotland, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots becomes James I of England, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland under one monarch for the first time.
German scientist Robert Koch identifies the tubercle bacillus responsible for tuberculosis on March 24, 1882. He also determined how the disease spread, primarily through bodily fluids, like sputum. For this work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1905. More
German physician, Robert Koch publishes his findings on Tuberculosis on March 24, 1882, stating that the disease was infectious and caused by a bacterium. The believe at the time was that tuberculosis was an inherited disease.
His findings were presented before the German Physiological Society at Berlin, explaining that the causative agent of the disease was the slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. More
The Soviet Union announces on March 24, 1946, it will withdraw its troops from Iran within six weeks, after failing to meet the March 2 deadline.
The Soviet Union finally withdrew its troops from Iran on May 6, 1946. British and Soviet troops had entered Iran in 1941 to protect oil supplies, agreeing to leave within six months after the end of the war. British forces left by March 2, 1946. The UN played an important role in pressuring the Soviets to withdraw and for Iran to regain its territorial integrity.
The oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, spilling 11 million gallons of oil and causing one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history. More
NATO begins airstrikes against Yugoslavia, on March 24, 1999, marking the start of the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted 78 days.
The co-pilot of a German airliner deliberately flies the plane into the French Alps, March 24, 2015, killing himself and the other 149 people onboard. The Germanwings flight 9525 had been traveling from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany. More
Students worldwide participate in the "March for Our Lives" on March 24, 2018 in support of stricter gun control laws in the United States.
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, due to COVID-19 health concerns is announced on March 24, 2020. The games were held on 2021.
