On This Day in History – October 23

Major Events

• 1641 – The Irish Rebellion broke out.
• 1707 – The first Parliament of Great Britain met.
• 1812 – Napoleon’s army was devastated by disease in Moscow.
• 1911 – The first use of aircraft in war occurred in Libya.
• 1942 – The Second Battle of El Alamein began in North Africa.
• 1956 – The Hungarian Revolution against Soviet rule began in Budapest.
• 1983 – Suicide bombings killed 241 U.S. and 58 French peacekeepers in Beirut.
• 2002 – Chechen rebels seized a Moscow theater, leading to a deadly hostage crisis.

Famous Birthdays

• Adlai Stevenson I (1835–1914) – 23rd Vice President of the U.S.
• Gummo Marx (1893–1977) – American comedian, Marx Brothers.
• Gertrude Ederle (1905–2003) – American swimmer, first woman to swim the English Channel.
• Pelé (1940–2022) – Brazilian football legend.
• Michael Crichton (1942–2008) – American author and filmmaker.
• Dwight Yoakam (born 1956) – American singer and actor.
• Weird Al Yankovic (born 1959) – American singer and parodist.
• Ryan Reynolds (born 1976) – Canadian actor.

Notable Deaths

• Christian Dior (1905–1957) – French fashion designer.
• Yitzhak Rabin (1922–1995) – Israeli Prime Minister, Nobel laureate.
• Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979) – French composer and conductor.

Holidays

• Chulalongkorn Day (Thailand) – Commemorates King Chulalongkorn’s death.
• Mole Day (United States, unofficial) – Celebrates Avogadro’s number (6.02 × 10²³).

Fun Facts

• Mole Day runs from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. on 10/23.
• Pelé, often called the greatest footballer of all time, was born today.
• The Second Battle of El Alamein was a turning point in WWII.