Discover what happened on August 11 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

August 11

Discover what happened on August 11 with HISTORY&#8217;s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

What Happened on August 11 | History.com

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1934

2014

1965

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1943

1972

1984

1806

1973

1980

1864

1919

World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers claimed victory, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

World War I

The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.

US Government

Crime

Riots

Protests

The Vietnam War pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later.

Vietnam War

Film

The 1960s were one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history, marked by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, political assassinations and the emerging "generation gap."

1960s

Crime has been a dark and powerful undercurrent in human society throughout history. Uncover the facts behind some of the most daring robberies, brazen scams and brutal murders ever committed.&nbsp;

The Civil War was America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with millions more injured and the South left in ruins.

Civil War

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

Art, Literature, and Film History

Royalty

Middle East

<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> team. Articles with the “<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> Editors” byline have been written or edited by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen.

History.com Editors

<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history">World War II</a> was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945.

World War II

Westward expansion, the 19th-century movement of settlers into the American West, began with the Louisiana Purchase and was fueled by the Gold Rush, the Oregon Trail and a belief in "manifest destiny."

Westward Expansion

Cold War

Germany

The Middle East is a large and diverse region composed of several countries and cultures in north Africa and western Asia. Its complex history includes the Persian Gulf War, the Iran Hostage Crisis, the Yom Kippur War, Zionism and more.

This Day In History: August 11

Federal prisoners land on Alcatraz

Also on This Day in History August | 11

Oscar‑winning actor Robin Williams dies at 63

Watts Rebellion begins

Hussein succeeds to Jordanian throne

Germans begin to evacuate Sicily

Last U.S. ground combat unit departs South Vietnam

Reagan jokes about bombing Russia

Meriwether Lewis is shot in the leg

Hip hop is born at a birthday party in the Bronx

“American Graffiti” opens

Carol Bundy confesses her connection to the “Sunset Slayer”

Confederate general Jubal Early abandons Winchester, Virginia

Weimar Constitution adopted in Germany

Also on This Day in History August | 11

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