What Happened On This Day – August 7
2008 War Between Russia and Georgia Breaks Out
The conflict began over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway regions of Georgia. When the two provinces broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s and most of the international community did not recognize their independence. Russia on the other hand backed them and place peacekeeping forces in the two regions. In 2008, tensions escalated between the two countries after Russia moved a large number of troops in the area. The war ended with Russian victory and with Georgia losing parts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to Russia.
1998 US embassy bombings
Two bomb attacks occurred one after the other at the locations of US embassies in the capital cities of Tanzania and Kenya, killing over 200 people.
1982 George Washington Institutes the Purple Heart
Then known as the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is a military decoration. In 1932 on the 200th birth anniversary of Washington, it was decided that the award would given to those wounded or killed while serving in the United States Armed Forces as a result of enemy action on or after April 5, 1917. August 7 is annually observed as Purple Heart Day in the United States.
1974 Daredevil Walks a High Wire Between Twin Towers of the World Trade Center
French high wire artist Philippe Petit, who was 24 years old at the time, walked 8 time across a high wire between the two towers in 45 minutes. The high wire was was 1,350 feet from the ground.
1960 Ivory Coast Independence
The West African country known as Côte d'Ivoire gained its independence from France after being a member of the French Community for 2 years. Ivory Coast became a French Colony in 1893 under the leadership of explorer Louis Gustave Binger. Felix Houphouet-Boigny became the first president of the independent country and reined in office until his death in 1993.
Births On This Day – August 7
1987 Sidney Crosby
Canadian ice hockey player
1975 David Hicks
Australian alleged terrorist
1975 Charlize Theron
South African model, actress
1958 Bruce Dickinson
English singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor
1876 Mata Hari
Dutch spy
Deaths On This Day – August 7
2011 Mark Hatfield
American politician
2005 Peter Jennings
Canadian/American journalist
1957 Oliver Hardy
American comedian, actor
1941 Rabindranath Tagore
Indian author, poet, Nobel Prize laureate
1938 Constantin Stanislavski
Russian actor, director
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