Important Events From This day in History – 17th January

Today in History

• 1995 The Great Hanshin earthquake hits Kobe, Japan

  According to estimates, 6,434 people died in the earthquake.

• 1991 The Gulf War in Iraq begins

  “Operation Desert Storm”, launched in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, resulted in about 100,000 civilian deaths.

• 1961 Patrice Lumumba is murdered with support from western governments

  An independent commission concluded that Lumumba, the Congo’s first democratically elected leader, was murdered by his domestic opponents with the help of the Belgian government and the CIA.

• 1946 The UN Security Council holds its first session

  The UN Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations, tasked with maintaining international peace and security.

• 1945 Soviet and Polish forces liberate Warsaw during World War II

  About 85% of the city was destroyed at that point.