Historical Events on August 15
- 982: Otto II – the Holy Roman Emperor -is defeated at the Battle of Capo Colonna by the Saracens.
- 1483: The Sistine Chapel is consecrated by Pope Sixtus IV.
- 1511: Malacca is conquered by Afonso de Albuquerque of Portugal.
- 1519: The Panama city – Panama City – was founded on this date.
- 1537: The city of Asunción, Paraguay was founded on this date.
- 1540: The Peru city of Arequipa is founded on this date.
- 1843: An amusement park named Tivoli Gardens opens up in Copenhagen, Denmark on this date.
- 1843: Our Lady of Peace – a Cathedral in Honolulu, Hawaii – is dedicated on this date. Today, it is one of the oldest Roman Catholic Cathedrals in the U.S.
- 1914: The SS Ancon becomes the first ship to pass through the newly opened Panama Canal.
- 1914: Paul von Rennenkampf leads the First Russian Army into Eastern Prussia.
- 1939: The Wizard of Oz opens at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in L.A on this date.
- 1943: The Battle of Trahili begins during World War II.
- 1944: Allied forces land in Southern France during Operation Dragoon.
- 1948: South of the 38th parallel, the Republic of Korea is established.
- 1954: In Paraguay, Alfredo Stroessner becomes a dictator.
- 1965: 60,000 fans pack Shea Stadium in New York City to watch the Beatles perform. It’s widely considered to be the beginning of stadium rock.
- 1969: In a field in Woodstock, New York, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair opens. It features some of the most popular rock performers of the time.
- 1971: Bahrain becomes independent from the UK.
- 1973: The U.S ends the bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War.
Famous Birthdays on August 15
- American actress Debra Messing is born in 1968.
- Australian singer-songwriter Benard Fanning is born in 1969.
- American comedian and actor Anthony Anderson is born in 1970.
- American actor Ben Silverman is born in 1970.
- American actor, director, screenwriter and producer Ben Affleck is born in 1972.