King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia abdicates.

The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan begins with an air assault and covert operations on the ground.

Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, is found tied to a fence after being savagely beaten by two young adults in Laramie, Wyoming.

The Great Flood of 1993 ends at St. Louis, Missouri, 103 days after it began, as the Mississippi River falls below flood stage.

Bombing of Banski dvori in Zagreb.

The Mameyes landslide kills close to 300 in the worst landslide in North American history.

The ''Achille Lauro'' is hijacked by Palestine Liberation Organization.

''Cats'' opens on Broadway and runs for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000.

The adoption of the Fourth Soviet Constitution.

Oman joins the United Nations.

John F. Kennedy signs the ratification of the Partial Test Ban Treaty.

U.S.S.R. performs a nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya, U.S.S.R.

Nigeria joins the United Nations.

U.S.S.R. probe Luna 3 transmits the first ever photographs of the far side of the Moon.

The U.S. manned space-flight project is renamed Project Mercury.

President of Pakistan Iskander Mirza, with the support of General Ayub Khan and the army, suspends the 1956 constitution, imposes martial law, and cancels the elections scheduled for January 1959.

The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) is formed.

World War II: Uprising at Birkenau concentration camp, Jewish prisoners burn down the crematoria.

World War II: The October Matanikau action on Guadalcanal begins as United States Marine Corps forces attack Imperial Japanese Army units along the Matanikau River.

World War II: the McCollum memo proposes bringing the United States into the war in Europe by provoking the Japanese to attack the United States.

Air France is inaugurated, after being formed by a merger of 5 French airlines.

The Suwalki Agreement between Poland and Lithuania is signed.

KLM, the flag carrier of the Netherlands, is founded. It is the oldest airline still operating under its original name.

Georgia Tech defeats Cumberland University 222-0 in the most lopsided college football game in American history.

The Helsinki Stock Exchange sees its first transaction.

Germany and Austria-Hungary sign the "Twofold Covenant" and create the Dual Alliance.

Franco-Prussian War

Cornell University holds opening day ceremonies; initial student enrollment is 412, the highest at any American university to that date.

American Civil War: {{USS|Wachusett||}} captures the {{Ship|CSS|Florida|cruiser|6}} Confederate raider while in port in Bahia, Brazil.

American Civil War: Battle of Darbytown Road: the Confederate forces' attempt to regain ground that had been lost around Richmond is thwarted.

Willem II becomes King of the Netherlands.

The city of Patras, Greece, is liberated by the French expeditionary force in the Peloponnese under General Maison.

The Granite Railway begins operations as the first chartered railway in the U.S.

French corsair Robert Surcouf, commander of the 18-gun ship ''La Confiance'', captures the British 38-gun ''Kent'' inspiring the traditional French song ''Le Trente-et-un du mois d'août''.

American Revolutionary War: Battle of Kings Mountain American Patriot militia defeat Loyalist irregulars led by British colonel Patrick Ferguson in South Carolina.

American Revolutionary War: The Americans defeat the British in the Second Battle of Saratoga, also known as the Battle of Bemis Heights.

Crown Prince Paul of Russia marries Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg.

George III of Great Britain issues British Royal Proclamation of 1763, closing aboriginal lands in North America north and west of Alleghenies to white settlements.

Because of the implementation of the Gregorian calendar, this day is skipped in Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

The Battle of Lepanto is fought, and the Holy League (Spain and Italy) destroys the Turkish fleet.

Explorer Cabrillo discovers Santa Catalina Island off the California coast.

Battle of La Motta: Spanish troops under Ramón de Cardona defeat the Venetians.

Pope Mark dies, leaving the papacy vacant.