HomeToday in HistoryWhat Happened on January 21

What Happened on January 21

Pope John Paul II visits Cuba
It was the first time any Pope visited the country.

Concorde takes off on its first scheduled flights
2 of the supersonic aircraft took off from Paris and London simultaneously.

The Battle of Khe Sanh begins
It is one of the most publicized battles of the Vietnam War.

23 cars take part in the first Rally Monte Carlo
Unlike today, the competitors set out from 11 different European locations, heading for the finish line in Monte Carlo.

Opel builds its first automobile
Today, Opel is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers.

  • 1963 Hakeem Olajuwon
    Nigerian/American basketball player
  • 1941 Plácido Domingo
    Spanish tenor, conductor
  • 1940 Jack Nicklaus
    American golfer
  • 1905 Christian Dior
    French fashion designer, founded S.A.
  • 1824 Stonewall Jackson
    American general
  • 1997 Colonel Tom Parker
    Dutch/American talent manager
  • 1950 George Orwell
    English author
  • 1938 Georges Méliès
    French director
  • 1924 Vladimir Lenin
    Russian politician
  • 1683 Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury
    English politician

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