Pope Benedict XVI. AFP File
Today is 28 February and it’s time we take a stroll into our history to know about what happened on this date in the past. When talking about history, it comes with a slew of events, with most of them holding a significant place in creating and developing the world that we live in today. Some of these happenings include wars, human evolution, development in various fields including science and technology, creation of nations, and most importantly the births and deaths of notable personalities. Knowing about all of these will help people gain a deep insight into their origins and further pass on the information to future generations.
28 February: Historical events
1922 – Egypt was declared an independent country
It was 28 February 1922 when the United Kingdom declared independence for Egypt by recognising the country as an independent sovereign state. While keeping four ‘reserved’ states including Sudan as exceptions, Britain also did take the views of the opposition leaders in the negotiations. Following this, a new government was formed after the elections and Zaghlul became the Prime Minister of Egypt.
1942 – Battle of Java
After defeating the Allies and averting them from intercepting their invasion fleet in the Battle of the Java Sea, the Japanese troops on 28 February 1942 landed on four different places on Java island to further expand their beachhead. It was until 1945 that the troops occupied the island.
Olof Palme was assassinated
Former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated on the unfortunate date of 28 February 1986 in Stockholm. It was when he came on the street after watching a movie with his family that an unidentified attacker fired at him. Following his death, a series of speculation and theories were made regarding the possible reasons to kill him and doubts also prevailed over the years to identify his killer.
Persian Gulf War ended
After months of relentless attacks and violence, it was on 28 February when then US President George HW Bush announced a cease-fire, leading to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein accepting the agreement and bringing an end to the Persian Gulf War. The Iraqi troops after facing defeat retreated from Kuwait on the same date.
2013 – Benedict XVI resigned
Shocking the world with his decision, Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign from office on 28 February 2013. When Pope Francis was elected right after that, questions continued to hover about the possible reasons behind the decision. An official statement by the office cited his waning physical and mental health.
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