This Day in History: June 28
1️⃣ 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Ignites World War I
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist. This seemingly isolated act of political violence triggered a chain of alliances and hostilities that erupted into World War I, a conflict that would claim over 16 million lives and reshape the global order. The assassination’s significance lies in how it exposed the fragility of the European balance of power, demonstrating how nationalist movements and rigid alliances could quickly plunge nations into catastrophe. An interesting detail: Franz Ferdinand had narrowly escaped a previous assassination attempt earlier that same day but insisted on continuing his visit, only to encounter Princip by chance on a side street.
2️⃣ 1919: Treaty of Versailles Signed
On this day in 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed at the Palace of Versailles in France, officially ending World War I. The treaty imposed harsh reparations and territorial losses on Germany, sowing seeds of resentment that would later help fuel the rise of Adolf Hitler and World War II. Historically, the treaty is a symbol of how peace settlements can fail if they punish rather than reconcile. Lesser-known is that U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s idealistic “Fourteen Points” largely fell apart during negotiations, and the U.S. itself refused to ratify the treaty, instead signing a separate peace with Germany.
3️⃣ 1969: Stonewall Riots Spark LGBTQ+ Movement
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City triggered an uprising among the LGBTQ+ community against decades of oppression and harassment. The riots lasted several days and galvanized the modern gay rights movement in the United States and beyond. The Stonewall Riots are historically significant because they marked a turning point from passive resistance to active civil rights advocacy. A lesser-known fact is that many of the frontline activists at Stonewall were transgender people of color, including Marsha P. Johnson, whose legacy continues to inspire activists today.
4️⃣ 1950: Start of the Korean War
On June 28, 1950, just three days after North Korea invaded the South, North Korean forces captured Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The Korean War, backed by Cold War superpowers on both sides, would rage until 1953, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided to this day. The fall of Seoul so soon after the conflict began showed how unprepared the South initially was, spurring the United States and the United Nations into rapid military intervention. An interesting note: Seoul would change hands four times during the course of the war, symbolizing the fierce and tragic tug-of-war that still resonates in today’s tense North-South relations.
5️⃣ 1997: Mike Tyson Bites Evander Holyfield’s Ear
On June 28, 1997, heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson stunned the sports world by biting off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear during their rematch in Las Vegas, leading to his disqualification. Dubbed the “Bite Fight,” the incident shocked viewers and became one of the most infamous moments in sports history. Its significance lies in how it highlighted issues of sportsmanship, mental health, and rage in high-stakes athletics. A lesser-known detail: Tyson bit Holyfield twice during that same match, with the referee missing the first incident until Holyfield protested in pain.
