Century overview
The world in the 20th century
1901 – 2000. 1559 events across 10 regions. Below, the century’s most significant events by region — what each part of the world was doing during the same stretch of time.
Europe
Showing 6 of 549 events from this century
- Development of the Haber–Bosch ammonia synthesis process
The Haber process for synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen was developed in the early 20th century. German chemist Fritz Haber achieved the laboratory-scale process in 1909, and a BASF team led by Carl Bosch completed its industrialization in 1913. It has since become the main industrial method for producing ammonia.
- U-boat campaign
During World War I, the Imperial German Navy waged a submarine campaign against Allied trade routes, primarily in the waters around the British Isles and the Mediterranean. Germany sought to cut off Britain's overseas supplies with U-boats in response to the Royal Navy's blockade, making this a key part of the Atlantic theatre.
- World War I
World War I was a global military conflict fought from 1914 to 1918 between the Allies and the Central Powers. The war was primarily waged in Europe but extended to the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific, causing tens of millions of casualties and witnessing the large-scale use of new weapons. The conflict directly led to the collapse of the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires.
- Battle of Verdun
From 21 February to 18 December 1916, the Battle of Verdun was fought on the Western Front in the Verdun region of France between French and German forces. It is regarded as the longest battle of the First World War.
- Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of revolutionary movements in the former Russian Empire. The February Revolution overthrew the Romanov dynasty and established a provisional government; in the October Revolution the Bolsheviks seized power and formed Soviet Russia. The revolution led to civil war and spurred independence movements within the former empire.
- October Revolution
The October Revolution was the second revolution of 1917 in Russia. On 7 November 1917 (O.S. 25 October), an insurrection in Petrograd overthrew the Russian Provisional Government led by Kerensky. It is also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution, the October coup, or the Bolshevik Revolution.
North America
Showing 6 of 182 events from this century
- Implementation of the New Deal
Between 1933 and 1938, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented a series of economic, social, and political reforms in response to the Great Depression, centered on relief, recovery, and reform. The policies aimed to stabilize the economy through massive government intervention, assist the poorest, and reform financial markets.
- Battle of Midway
From June 4 to 7, 1942, a major naval battle took place northwest of Midway Atoll between the U.S. Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy, marking a turning point in the Pacific War. Japan aimed to capture Midway and destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet's carriers, but two American carrier strike groups inflicted a decisive defeat on the Japanese Combined Fleet, crippling its carrier force. This battle shifted the strategic balance in the Pacific.
- Bretton Woods System
In July 1944, delegates meeting in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, agreed on a postwar monetary framework—the Bretton Woods system. It linked national currencies to the U.S. dollar, with the United States committing to redeem dollars for gold for foreign official holders, and created the International Monetary Fund to oversee exchange-rate practices and provide reserve financing to members with balance‑of‑payments difficulties, aiming to curb competitive devaluations through cooperation.
- Beginning of the Digital Revolution
The development of the transistor in 1947 marks the beginning of the Digital Revolution, driving a rapid shift from traditional industry to an information technology economy.
- Peak Phase of the African American Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968)
Between 1954 and 1968, the African American civil rights movement peaked, using nonviolent means to challenge racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. Originating in the Reconstruction era and influenced by Gandhi's nonviolent philosophy, it involved mass protests and civil disobedience. This led to new federal protections, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
- Signing of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
In 1961, the United Nations adopted the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in New York, consolidating previous fragmented treaties and expanding control beyond opium and coca derivatives to any substance with similar effects. It established the International Narcotics Control Board and granted the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and WHO authority to modify the schedules, forming the foundation of the modern global drug control system.
West Asia
Showing 6 of 142 events from this century
- Armenian Genocide
Between 1915 and 1917, the Ottoman Empire's Committee of Union and Progress systematically destroyed the Armenian people, primarily through death marches and forced Islamization, resulting in approximately one million deaths.
- Outbreak of the Turkish War of Independence
In 1919, the Turkish War of Independence broke out in Anatolia, primarily pitting the Turkish National Movement against the Entente powers and their allies. The war stemmed from the occupation and partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. After about four years of conflict, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, the sultanate and caliphate were abolished, and the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923.
- 1948 Palestine War
The 1948 Palestine War was fought from 1947 to 1949 in what was British-ruled Mandatory Palestine. It began as a civil war between Arab and Jewish communities following the UN Partition Plan and escalated into an international conflict with the establishment of Israel and the entry of neighbouring Arab states. The war caused the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians, with Israel controlling about 78% of the former mandate territory, while Transjordan and Egypt took the West Bank and Gaza. The 1949 Armistice Agreements established the Green Line and marked the start of the broader Arab–Israeli conflict.
- Yom Kippur War
In October 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a coordinated attack on Israel, aiming to regain the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights lost in the 1967 Six-Day War. After early gains by the Arab coalition, Israel counterattacked, pushing Syrian forces from the Golan Heights and crossing the Suez Canal. The war ended with a UN ceasefire while Israel held battlefield momentum.
- Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979 overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty, ending the monarchy in Iran. Led by Ruhollah Khomeini, it established an Islamic Republic, replacing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States.
- Iran–Iraq War begins
In September 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, igniting the Iran–Iraq War. The eight-year conflict stemmed from long-standing border disputes and Iraqi fears that Iran’s Islamic Revolution might spread to its Shiite population. The war caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, becoming the deadliest conventional war between regular armies of developing countries.
East Asia
Showing 6 of 140 events from this century
- Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) was a major conflict fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire over rival ambitions in Manchuria and Korea. Japan opened the war with a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur in February 1904, followed by a land invasion through Korea and Manchuria, culminating in the capture of Port Arthur and the Battle of Mukden. The decisive naval Battle of Tsushima in May 1905 destroyed Russia's Baltic Fleet. Mediation by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt led to the Treaty of Portsmouth, ending the war with a Japanese victory.
- Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution broke out in 1911, overthrowing the Qing dynasty, ending over two millennia of imperial rule, and establishing the Republic of China. Sparked by the Wuchang Uprising, it forced the abdication of the Xuantong Emperor. Broadly, it included anti-Qing movements by organizations like the Xingzhonghui and Tongmenghui since 1894.
- Launch of the Northern Expedition
In 1926, the National Revolutionary Army under the Kuomintang launched the Northern Expedition, a military campaign aimed at overthrowing the Beiyang government and ending warlordism. Led by Chiang Kai-shek, the campaign sought to reunify China, advancing from south to north.
- 1931 China floods
In the summer of 1931, the Yangtze and Huai River basins in China suffered catastrophic flooding from persistent heavy rain. About 150,000 people drowned; including disease and famine, death tolls range from hundreds of thousands to millions. Over a dozen provinces were hit, tens of millions were affected, and a dike burst near Lake Gaoyou around 25 August.
- Long March begins
In October 1934, the main force of the Chinese Red Army's First Front Army departed from the Jiangxi Soviet, beginning a strategic retreat after the defeat in the Fifth Encirclement Campaign. This marked the start of the Long March, which lasted two years and ended with the Red Army's relocation to northern Shaanxi.
- Second Sino-Japanese War begins
In 1937, full-scale war broke out between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, known as the Second Sino-Japanese War. The war was primarily fought in China, also extending into neighboring areas such as northern Burma. It was the largest Asian war in the 20th century and is often regarded as the beginning of World War II in Asia.
South Asia
Showing 6 of 125 events from this century
- Siamese revolution of 1932
On 24 June 1932, a nearly bloodless coup by military and civilian forces ended absolute monarchy under Siam's Chakri dynasty. It produced the country's first constitution, inaugurated constitutional monarchy, and created the first mass party, the People's Party.
- Emergence of the Green Revolution
In the 1940s to 1960s, technology transfer initiatives were launched to increase agricultural yields in developing countries. These promoted high-yielding cereal varieties, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, later termed the Green Revolution or Third Agricultural Revolution.
- Partition of India
In 1947, British India was divided into the dominions of India and Pakistan based on religious demographics. The partition involved the division of Bengal and Punjab provinces, as well as the splitting of the army, civil service, railways, and treasury. The legal basis was the Indian Independence Act 1947, ending British colonial rule. The two nations came into being at midnight on 14–15 August 1947.
- Outbreak of the Vietnam War
In 1955, armed conflict erupted between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), marking the start of the Vietnam War. This war was simultaneously a civil war, a Cold War proxy war, and a postcolonial independence conflict, with North Vietnam backed by the Soviet Union and China, and South Vietnam supported by the United States and other anti-communist nations. The fighting later spread to Laos and Cambodia, ending with all three countries under communist rule in 1975.
- Fall of Saigon
On 30 April 1975, North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, leading to the collapse of the South Vietnamese government and the end of the Vietnam War. The event prompted mass evacuations and was followed by a transition period under a provisional government until reunification in 1976.
- Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan mujahideen, who received aid from multiple countries. The war lasted nearly a decade, ending with the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989. American and British support for the mujahideen escalated the Cold War, ending a brief period of relaxed Soviet–US relations.
Central & South America
Showing 6 of 121 events from this century
- Planning and commencement of the Panama Canal
The initial planning and construction of the massive Panama Canal began in the early 20th century. The canal was designed to cut across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The project included constructing a lock system to lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial freshwater lake. The entire undertaking was one of the most challenging engineering feats of its time.
- Cuban Missile Crisis
In October 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense confrontation over Soviet nuclear missiles deployed in Cuba, in response to earlier US missile deployments in the UK, Italy, and Turkey. The crisis, lasting about two weeks, is considered the closest the Cold War came to full-scale nuclear war.
- Santa María School massacre
On December 21, 1907, the Chilean Army massacred striking nitrate workers and their families in Iquique, with an estimated death toll exceeding 2,000. The official government figure acknowledged only 126 deaths. Occurring during the peak of the nitrate mining era, the strike was crushed, and the workers' movement was suppressed for over a decade. The incident was officially suppressed for decades until a highly publicized centenary commemoration in 2007, including a national day of mourning and reinterment of victims' remains.
- Battle of the Falkland Islands
The Battle of the Falkland Islands, fought on 8 December 1914 in the South Atlantic, was a decisive British naval victory over Germany during the First World War. In retaliation for the defeat at Coronel, the British dispatched a superior force that annihilated Vice-Admiral von Spee's East Asia Squadron, ending the German surface threat to British commerce. The battle is commemorated as a public holiday in the Falkland Islands.
- Battle of Coronel
On 1 November 1914, during World War I, the German East Asia Squadron defeated a British Royal Navy squadron off Coronel, Chile. The Germans were led by Vice-Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee, the British by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock. It was the Royal Navy's first defeat since 1812, causing a significant shock.
- Establishment of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro was formally established in 1920 in Brazil. Being the largest federal university in the country at the time, its creation aimed to consolidate national higher education resources, promote excellence in teaching and research, and gradually become a leading academic center in Brazil.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Showing 6 of 108 events from this century
- Soweto uprising
On 16 June 1976, black students in Soweto, South Africa, launched demonstrations against the mandatory use of Afrikaans in schools. The police opened fire on the protesters, sparking widespread unrest that spread to other towns and lasted into 1977. The uprising, which left hundreds dead, marked a turning point in the anti-apartheid struggle and galvanized international opposition to the regime.
- 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
From 7 April to mid-July 1994, during the Rwandan Civil War, Hutu militias systematically killed between 500,000 and 800,000 people, predominantly Tutsi, over approximately 100 days, accompanied by widespread sexual violence.
- South Africa's First All-Race General Election
Between 26 and 29 April 1994, South Africa held its first universal suffrage election, open to citizens of all races. The vote marked the culmination of the process that ended apartheid. Conducted under the Independent Electoral Commission, it resulted in the first non-racial government and made Nelson Mandela the country's first Black president.
- Outbreak of the Second Congo War
On 2 August 1998, the Second Congo War began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when President Laurent-Désiré Kabila turned against his former allies, Rwanda and Uganda. The conflict expanded as Kabila rallied a coalition of other countries to his defense, eventually drawing in nine African nations and approximately 25 armed groups, making it one of Africa's largest wars.
- Signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging
On 31 May 1902, the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed at Melrose House in Pretoria, ending the Second Boer War. The South African Republic and the Orange Free State accepted British rule, though with certain compromises.
- Maji Maji Rebellion
An armed rebellion against German colonial rule broke out in German East Africa from 1905 to 1907, triggered by forced cotton cultivation policies. The conflict caused massive deaths, overwhelmingly from famine.
Oceania
Showing 6 of 95 events from this century
- Attack on Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii. The strike led the United States to declare war on Japan the next day, bringing the U.S. into World War II.
- Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal campaign, fought from 7 August 1942 to 9 February 1943, was a pivotal Pacific War battle. As the first major Allied land offensive against Japan, it aimed to secure supply routes between the US, Australia, and New Zealand, marking a turning point in the Allied strategic offensive.
- Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Fought from 12 to 15 November 1942 near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, this decisive naval battle pitted Allied (primarily U.S.) forces against the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was part of the Guadalcanal campaign and centered on a Japanese effort to reinforce their troops on the island. The engagement involved air and surface actions over four days and marked a turning point in the Pacific War, with the loss of two U.S. Navy admirals.
- Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, fought in October 1944 near Leyte Island in the Philippines, was the largest naval battle of the Pacific War and among the largest in history. Involving over 200 warships and nearly 2,000 aircraft, it marked the last carrier-versus-carrier and battleship engagement. The Allied victory paved the way for the recapture of the Philippines.
- Greater Blue Mountains Area inscribed on the World Heritage List
In 2000, the Greater Blue Mountains Area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Cairns, Australia. The site, located in New South Wales, Australia, comprises eight protected areas and covers over one million hectares of sandstone plateaux, escarpments and gorges dominated by temperate eucalypt forest. It is recognised for its representation of eucalypt evolutionary adaptation and diversification in post-Gondwana isolation, and for its rich biodiversity, including rare species such as the Wollemi pine.
- Establishment of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
The Philippines established the Tubbataha Reefs marine protected area in the Sulu Sea in the late 20th century. The sanctuary comprises two large atolls and a smaller reef, covering about 97,000 hectares. It is known for its high density of marine species and spectacular coral reef formations, and was later inscribed as a World Heritage site.
North Africa
Showing 6 of 60 events from this century
- Tunisia campaign
The Tunisia campaign was the decisive phase of the North African campaign during World War II, lasting from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. Allied forces, including British Imperial, American, and French corps, fought against German and Italian forces. Despite early Axis successes, Allied numerical superiority and supply interdiction led to a decisive Axis defeat. Over 230,000 German and Italian troops were taken prisoner, including most of the Afrika Korps, ending the war in North Africa.
- 1948 Arab–Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the second stage of the First Arab–Israeli War, began on 15 May 1948, the day after Israel's declaration of independence and the end of the British Mandate, when a coalition of Arab states entered Palestine. The war concluded with the 1949 Armistice Agreements, establishing the Green Line.
- Founding of Gordon Memorial College
Gordon Memorial College, the predecessor of the University of Khartoum, was founded in 1902.
- Outbreak of the French conquest of Morocco
In 1907, France began its conquest of the Sultanate of Morocco by occupying Oujda on 29 March. Subsequent military campaigns led to the Treaty of Fes in 1912, establishing the French protectorate, while pacification operations continued until 1934.
- Founding of Cairo University
On December 21, 1908, Cairo University (then known as the Egyptian University) was officially founded as a private institution.
- Founding of the University of Algiers
In 1909, the French colonial authorities in Algeria merged several educational institutions in the capital Algiers to establish the country's first modern university, marking the beginning of higher education in Algeria.
Central Asian steppe
Showing 6 of 37 events from this century
- Baikonur Cosmodrome Opening
On June 2, 1955, the Soviet Union opened the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the steppe region of Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan, as a launch site for spacecraft and a missile test base. It was the world's first and largest space launch center, initially serving the Soviet space program.
- Dissolution of the Soviet Union
On 25 December 1991, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned; the following day, the Supreme Soviet adopted a declaration formally dissolving the Soviet Union, which ceased to exist as a sovereign state, and the republics gained independence.
- Signing of the Treaty of Kyakhta
In 1915, the Republic of China, the Russian Empire, and the Bogd Khanate of Mongolia signed a tripartite treaty at Kyakhta, establishing Mongolia's autonomy under Chinese suzerainty and seeking to balance Sino-Russian influence in Mongolia.
- Outbreak of the Basmachi Movement
In 1916, an uprising by Muslim peoples of Central Asia against tsarist conscription and colonial rule broke out in Turkestan, marking the beginning of the Basmachi movement. This decentralized resistance later turned against Soviet rule and became the most protracted anti-colonial armed struggle in the region, gradually subsiding only by 1934.
- Central Asian revolt of 1916
In 1916, the Russian Empire's conscription of Central Asian Muslims for service on the Eastern Front of World War I sparked a massive anti-Russian uprising among the indigenous inhabitants of Russian Turkestan. The corrupt colonial regime and Tsarist oppression across economic, political, religious, and national dimensions further fueled the revolt. The uprising spread across Central Asia, profoundly impacting local societies.
- Founding of Irkutsk State University
Irkutsk State University was established in Irkutsk, Siberia, in the early 20th century, becoming a comprehensive higher education institution covering humanities, natural sciences, technology, and applied sciences.
Years in the 20th century
100 years in this century have enough records for a page of their own.
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