It happened one 23 October

1942 : Second Battle of El Alamein


On October 23, 1942, the Second Battle of El Alamein began in order to repel the German forces and prevent them from gaining Egypt and controling the Suez Canal. Despite the harsh weather conditions, the problems of dysentery and heat stroke and the return of Rommel at the front, with his tanks and the superiority of English in the Mediterranean, which prevents the supply of Axis troops, General Montgomery and his British troops won the battle and pushed the Germans and Italians to Libya.

1956 : Violent protests in Hungary


On October 23, 1956, student and workers demonstrations who demanded more democracy in the country and the withdrawal of Soviet forces turned to confrontation with the police. Hungarian leader Erno Gero appealed to further Soviet troops to restore order. Thousands of Hungarians were killed in Budapest and other major cities.

1983 : Attack against the American and French forces in Beirut


On October 23, 1983, two suicide car bomb perpetrated by the Hezbollah hit a base of the Marine Corps at Beirut International Airport and a base of French paratroopers nearby. 240 marines and 58 French paratroopers were killed. The soldiers were part of an international peacekeeping force which was trying to negotiate a truce between the warring parties of the various Lebanese factions.

2002 : Hostages crisis in a Moscow theater


On October 23, 2002, 50 Chechen rebels took 850 hostages among the audience of the musical Nord Ost in a theater in Moscow. They demand the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya. After 57 hours of negotiations during which two hostages were killed, Russian special forces disseminate a powerful narcotic gas that made rebels and hostages unconscious before launching the assault. 39 rebels and 139 hostages were killed, most by the gas.

Latest news : 23 October

National Day in Hungary
October 23 is National Day in Hungary, which commemorates the Revolution of October 23, 1956 and the proclamation of the third Republic of Hungary in 1989.

Quote of the day : 23 October

Général Bernard Montgomery
Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole.
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Vue mer : crédit photo Aseed