Important Events From Today in History – 22 September

Today in History

• 1980 Iran-Iraq War begins with Iraq invading Iran

  It is regarded as one of the deadliest and longest conventional wars of the twentieth century. It ended 7 years later with no decisive victory and massive losses on both sides in terms of human lives and economic losses.

• 1979 The American-run Vela satellite detects a series of bright flashes over the Indian Ocean

  The flashes were thought to be caused by nuclear explosions in the atmosphere. Some experts speculated that joint nuclear exercises between Israel and South Africa caused them. Both governments denied this, and whether nuclear explosions caused the flashes or who was responsible for them is still unknown.

• 1975 Assassination attempt on US President Gerald Ford is foiled

  FBI informant Sara Jane Moore’s attempt to assassinate the president in San Francisco failed due to a faulty gun and the efforts of ex-FBI agent Oliver Sipple who tackled her.

• 1960 Mali Federation becomes Mali

  In August 1960, Senegal opted out of the Mali Federation, allowing the federation to take on the name of Mali.

• 1869 Richard Wagner’s opera Das Rheingold or The Rhine Gold is heard for the first time

  Das Rheingold, the first of four musical works that comprise Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, was performed at Munich’s National Theatre. Die Walküre or The Valkyrie, Siegfried, Götterdämmerung, or Twilight of the Gods are the other three music dramas.