On November 13, 2015, Paris experienced a night of unprecedented violence as Islamic State militants executed coordinated attacks throughout the city, including at the national stadium, the Bataclan concert hall, and various restaurants and streets. The tragedy left 130 dead and hundreds injured, marking the deadliest attack on French soil since World War II. This horrific event strengthened France’s resolve in combating extremism and served as a somber reminder of the global threat posed by terrorist organizations.
Other Events That Happened On November 13:
On this day in 1775, Continental Army forces under General Richard Montgomery captured Montreal in a remarkable victory during the early stages of the Revolutionary War. This success, achieved months before the Declaration of Independence, demonstrated the growing strength and organization of American forces. The capture of Montreal symbolized a critical early assertion of American resolve and expanded the influence of the Continental Army in the region.
In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Alabama’s bus segregation laws, affirming a lower court’s decision that deemed them unconstitutional. This landmark ruling followed the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott, a campaign that brought national attention to racial injustice and ultimately contributed to the Civil Rights Movement’s momentum. The decision was a crucial step in the fight against segregation, laying the groundwork for future civil rights victories.
On November 13, 1971, Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to enter orbit around another planet as it reached Mars. This achievement marked a milestone in space exploration, allowing scientists to study Mars’ surface and atmosphere in unprecedented detail. Mariner 9’s success paved the way for future Mars missions and expanded humanity’s knowledge of the solar system.
In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., honoring the lives of the 58,000 American soldiers who died in the Vietnam War. Its reflective black granite design, inscribed with the names of the fallen, serves as a powerful testament to sacrifice and healing. The memorial remains an enduring symbol of respect and remembrance for Vietnam veterans and their families.
A devastating volcanic mudslide struck Armero, Colombia, on November 13, 1985, claiming the lives of an estimated 23,000 people as the city was buried under tons of debris. Triggered by the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, the disaster underscored the vulnerability of communities near active volcanoes and emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness and response.
Finally, in 2001, U.S.-backed Northern Alliance fighters entered Kabul, Afghanistan, as Taliban forces withdrew. This marked a turning point in the fight against terrorism and the beginning of Afghanistan’s transition away from Taliban rule. The capture of Kabul signaled a shift in the U.S.-led effort to dismantle extremist networks and brought renewed hope for stability in the region.
Today in History: November 14
Today in History: November 14. On November 14, 1889, journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in 80 days; she would successfully complete the journey in just over 72 days. In 1851, Herman Melville’s novel ‘Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale’ was published in the United States, almost a month after being released in Britain. In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. In 1965, the U.S. Army’s first major military operation of the Vietnam War began with the start of the five-day Battle of Ia Drang.In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the NFL’s all-time winningest coach with a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Today in History: November 12
Today in History: On November 12: 1954, Ellis Island officially closed as an immigration station and detention center. More than 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States via Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. In 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party. In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., and gave the green light to traffic. In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal. In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The deadliest tropical cyclone on record claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000-500,000 people.
Today in History: November 11
Today in History: November 11: On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compiègne in northern France. In 1620, 41 Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, anchored off Massachusetts, signed the Mayflower Compact, calling for a “civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation.” In 1921, the remains of an unidentified American service member were interred in a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in a ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding. In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off on a four-day mission with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard; it was the tenth and final crewed flight of NASA’s Gemini program.
Today in History: November 10
Today in History: November 10: On Nov. 10, 1898, in Wilmington, North Carolina, a mob of as many as 2,000 white supremacists killed dozens of African Americans, burned Black-owned businesses and forced the mayor, police chief and aldermen to resign at gunpoint, before installing their own mayor and city council in what became known as the “Wilmington Coup.” Other events of November 10. In 1775, the United States Marine Corps was established when the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution to raise two battalions of Marines to support naval forces in the Revolutionary War. In 1954, the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, depicting the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima in 1945, was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Arlington, Virginia. In 1969, the children’s educational program “Sesame Street” made its debut on National Educational Television. In 1975, the Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank after being caught in a severe storm on Lake Superior; all 29 crew members were lost. In 2019, Bolivian President Evo Morales resigned after weeks of public protests in response to alleged election fraud in Bolivia’s general election the previous month.
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