What Happened on May 15

The Peace of Westphalia is Achieved through the Treaties of Osnabrück and Münster

The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24, 1648, respectively, and... Read more

Committee of Vigilance Established in Wild West

On May 15, 1856, residents of San Francisco organized a Committee of Vigilance to combat crime in their rapidly growing town. Like other gold rush... Read more

L. Frank Baum is Born

Lyman Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was born on May 15, 1856, in Chittenango, New York. The son of a successful entrepreneur,... Read more

Battle of Drewry's Bluff

The Battle of Drewry’s Bluff, also known as the Battle of Fort Darling or Fort Drewry, took place on May 15, 1862, in Chesterfield County,... Read more

Lincoln Establishes the Department of Agriculture

On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln established the independent Department of Agriculture to be headed by a Commissioner without Cabinet... Read more

Battle of New Market

Description: In conjunction with his Spring offensive, Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant ordered Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel to move up the Shenandoah Valley along the... Read more

Battle Of Festubert

The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May... Read more

Battle Of Asiago

The Battle of Asiago (Battle of the Plateaux) or the Trentino Offensive (in Italian: Battaglia degli Altipiani), nicknamed Strafexpedition... Read more

"The Floorwalker" (film) is Released

The Floorwalker was Charlie Chaplin's first Mutual Film Corporation film, made in 1916. It starred Chaplin as a customer in a department store who... Read more

Cleveland Clinic Fire

The Cleveland Clinic fire was a major structure fire at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio on May 15, 1929. It started in the basement of the... Read more

"Goodbye, Mr. Chips" Is Released

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) is a British film based on the novel of the same name by James Hilton. It was directed by Sam Wood, and starred Robert... Read more

"Only Angels Have Wings" Is Released

Only Angels Have Wings (1939) is a movie directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur. It is generally regarded as being among... Read more

German Army Group A Breaks Defenses at Sedan

On the morning of 15 May German Army Group A broke the defences at Sedan and was now free to "dash" to the English Channel. The Allies now... Read more

Dutch Army Surrenders to Germany Despite Continued Fighting in Parts of the Netherlands

At 05:00 on 15 May a German messenger reached The Hague, inviting Winkelman to Rijsoord for a meeting with von Küchler, to negotiate the articles... Read more

Dick and Mac McDonald Open the First McDonald's Restaurant

McDonald's began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the... Read more

Ronald Reagan is Assigned to the Army Air Force (AAF) Public Relations

Upon the approval of the Army Air Force (AAF), he applied for a transfer from the Cavalry to the AAF on May 15, 1942, and was assigned to AAF... Read more

Arab-Israeli War

The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known by the Israelis as the War of Independence and War of Liberation, and by Palestinians as the Catastrophe, was the... Read more

"Gigi" Is Released

Gigi is a 1958 American musical film directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner is based on the 1944 novella of the same name... Read more

Ronald Reagan Cracks Down on People's Park Protests at UC Berkeley

Reagan was involved in high-profile conflicts with the protest movements of the era. On May 15, 1969, during the People's Park protests at UC... Read more

"So Far Away" Is Released

So Far Away is The Chords debut album. Highest chart position: 30, 3 weeks on chart. The cover was inspired by the second LP by The Spencer Davis... Read more

"Breaker Morant" Is Released

Breaker Morant is a 1980 Australian feature film about the court martial of Breaker Morant, directed by Bruce Beresford and starring British actor... Read more

Len Barker Pitches a Perfect Game

Leonard Harold Barker III (born July 7, 1955 in Fort Knox, Kentucky), better known as Lenny Barker or Len Barker, is a former Major League Baseball... Read more

"La Nuit De Varennes" Is Released

That Night in Varennes (French: La Nuit de Varennes) is a 1982 French and Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola. It is based on a novel by... Read more

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble release Couldn't Stand the Weather

Couldn't Stand the Weather is the second studio album by American blues rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It was released on May 15,... Read more

Alcatrazz releases Disturbing the Peace

Disturbing the Peace is the second studio album by Alcatrazz, and is the only one featuring Steve Vai on guitar. One of the singles, God Blessed... Read more