From the books of history - 19 October special

What Happened

1950: Foundation of the Missionaries of Charity: Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (then Calcutta) to provide care for the impoverished and destitute. Decades later on this exact day in 2003, she was formally beatified by Pope John Paul II. 1970: Milestone in Indigenous Defense: The Indian Air Force inducted its first domestically manufactured MiG-21 supersonic fighter jet, heavily advancing India’s self-reliance in military technology. 1781: End of the American Revolution: British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces at Yorktown, Virginia. This decisive defeat effectively guaranteed American independence from Great Britain. 1812: Napoleon’s Retreat from Russia: Following a brutal stalemate, Napoleon Bonaparte and his Grand Armée began their disastrous retreat from Moscow, exposing his forces to a devastating Russian winter and partisan attacks. 1960: U.S. Embargo on Cuba: The United States imposed a near-total trade embargo against Communist Cuba, halting all shipments except for food and medicine. 1987: ""Black Monday"": Global financial markets suffered their worst single-day shock when the U.S. stock market crashed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging 508 points—a record 22.6% drop in value in a single day.