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Katsura Taro

Katsura Taro

Marquess Katsura Taro (桂太郎 Katsura Tarō), 4 January 1848 - 10 October 1913, was a Japanese soldier, politician and Prime Minister of Japan. He was born in 1848 in Choshu. He commenced his career by fighting under the Imperial banner in the civil war of the Meiji Restoration, and he displayed such talent that he was twice sent at public expense to Germany (1870-1873 and 1884) to study strategy and tactics. His political rise was assisted by Yamagata Aritomo. He was Governor-General of Taiwan from 2 June 1896 to October 1896. In 1886 he was appointed vice-minister of war, and in 1891 the command of division devolved on him. He led the Japanese army in the campaign of 1894-1895 against China, and made a memorable march in the depth of winter from the north-east shore of the Yellow Sea to Haicheng, finally occupying Niuchwang, and effecting a junction with the second army corps which moved up the Liaotung peninsula. For these services he received the title of viscount. After holding war minister in 1898, he held the portfolio of war from 1898 to 1901, when he became Prime Minister and retained office for four and a half years, which was a record in Japan in that time. During his four year first term Japan emerged as a major power in Asia, marked by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 and the defeat of Russia in 1905, the Taft-Katsura agreement of 1905 with Britain gave Japan control of Korea. From those diplomatic accomplishments, Katsura received from King Edward the grand cross of the order of St Michael and St George, and being raised by the mikado to the rank of marquess. He was a strictly conservative politician that he distanced himself from the Diet and political parties and saw his sole responsibility to the Emperor. In January 1906, Katsura resigned the premiership to Marquess Saionji Kinmochi over the Treaty of Portsmouth (1905) of peace between Japan and Russia. He was again invited to form a cabinet in 1908. His second term was marked by the full annexation of Korea (1910). His brief reappointment as Prime Minister in December 1912, replacing Saionji Kinmochi over a military crisis, was seen as a plot by the genro group and precipitated a political crisis. Faced with a non-confidence motion Katsura sought imperial intervention. He lost the support of his backers and was forced to resign in February 1913. He was succeeded by Yamamoto Gonnohyoe and the Diet was held by the new Rikken Doshikai party. Katsura might be considered the chief exponent of conservative views in Japan. Adhering strictly to the doctrine that ministries were responsible to the emperor alone and not at all to the diet, he stood wholly aloof from political parties, only his remarkable gift of tact and conciliation enabling him to govern on such principles. His terms as Prime Minister were the 11th (June 2 1901–January 7 1906), 13th (July 14 1908–August 30 1911), and 15th (December 21 1912–February 20 1913).

Reference

References

- Category:1848 births Category:1934 deaths Category:Knights Grand Cross of St Michael and St George Category:Prime Ministers of Japan ja:桂太郎

4 January

January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 361 days (362 in leap years) remain in the year after this day.

Events

- 871 - Battle of Reading - Ethelred of Wessex fights a Danish invasion army.
- 1493 - Christopher Columbus leaves the New World, ending his first journey.
- 1642 - English Civil War: King Charles I of England attacks Parliament.
- 1698 - Most of the Palace of Whitehall in London, the main residence of the English monarchs, is destroyed by fire.
- 1717 - The Netherlands, England and France sign the Triple Alliance.
- 1762 - England declares war on Spain and Naples.
- 1847 - Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government.
- 1850 - The first American ice-skating club is formed (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
- 1854 - The McDonald Islands are discovered by Captain William McDonald aboard the Samarang.
- 1884 - The Fabian Society is founded in London
- 1885 - The first successful appendectomy is performed by Dr. William W. Grant on Mary Gartside.
- 1896 - Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state.
- 1912 - The Scout Association is incorporated throughout the British Commonwealth by Royal Charter.
- 1936 - Mickey's Polo Team, a short animated film featuring Charlie Chaplin, Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel and Harpo Marx in a polo match against various Disney characters, is first released.
- 1936 - Billboard magazine publishes its first pop music charts.
- 1944 - World War II: The Battle of Monte Cassino begins.
- 1948 - Burma gains its independence from the United Kingdom.
- 1951 - Korean War: Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul.
- 1957 - After 69 years the last issue of Collier's Weekly magazine is published.
- 1958 - Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4, 1957).
- 1959 - Luna 1 becomes the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon.
- 1962 - New York City introduces a train that operates without a crew on-board.
- 1965 - United States President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaims his "Great Society" during his State of the Union address.
- 1967 - Donald Campbell dies as his jet-powered Bluebird K7 crashes during an attempt to break the water speed record.
- 1972 - Rose Heilbron becomes the first woman judge to sit at the Old Bailey in London.
- 1974 - United States President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over materials subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.
- 1987 - An Amtrak train en route to Boston from Washington, DC collides with Conrail engines, killing 16 (Chase, Maryland rail wreck).
- 1989 - A pair of Lybian MiG-23 "Floggers" are shot down by a pair of US Navy F-14 Tomcats during an air-to-air confrontation.
- 1990 - A crowded passenger train collides with a standing freight train in Pakistan's Sindh province, killing 300 people.
- 1998 - Wilaya of Relizane massacres in Algeria; over 170 are killed in three remote villages.
- 1999 - Gunmen open fire on Shiite Muslims worshipping in an Islamabad mosque killing 16 people injuring 25.
- 2004 - Dr. Mikhail Saakashvili is elected the President of Georgia.
- 2004 - Spirit, a NASA Mars Rover, lands successfully on Mars at 04:35 UTC.

Births

- 1077 - Emperor Zhezong of Song Dynasty in China (d. 1100)
- 1334 - Amadeus VI of Savoy (d. 1383)
- 1581 - James Ussher, Irish Catholic archbishop (d. 1656)
- 1643 - Isaac Newton, English scientist and philosopher (d. 1727)
- 1664 - Lars Roberg, Swedish physician (d. 1742)
- 1672 - Hugh Boulter, Irish Archbishop of Armagh (d. 1742)
- 1710 - Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Italian composer (d. 1736)
- 1720 - Johann Friedrich Agricola, German composer (d. 1774)
- 1785 - Jakob Grimm, German philologist and folklorist (d. 1863)
- 1809 - Louis Braille, French teacher of the blind (d. 1852)
- 1832 - George Tryon, British admiral (d. 1893)
- 1838 - Charles Stratton, American circus performer (d. 1883)
- 1848 - Katsura Taro, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1913)
- 1869 - Tommy Corcoran, baseball player (d. 1960)
- 1874 - Josef Suk, Czech composer and violinist (d. 1935)
- 1881 - Wilhelm Lehmbruck, German sculptor (d. 1919)
- 1883 - Max Eastman, American writer (d. 1969)
- 1894 - Manuel de Abreu, Brazilian physician (d. 1962)
- 1896 - Everett Dirksen, American politician (d. 1969)
- 1896 - André Masson, French artist (d. 1987)
- 1900 - James Bond, American ornithologist (d. 1989)
- 1901 - C. L. R. James, writer and journalist (d. 1989)
- 1905 - Sterling Holloway, American actor (d. 1992)
- 1914 - Jane Wyman, American actress
- 1920 - William Colby, American Central Intelligence Agency director (d. 1996)
- 1930 - Sorrell Booke, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1930 - Don Shula, American football coach
- 1931 - Adi Lady Lala Mara, First Lady of Fiji
- 1935 - Floyd Patterson, American boxer
- 1937 - Grace Bumbry, American singer
- 1937 - Dyan Cannon, American actress
- 1940 - Helmut Jahn, German architect
- 1940 - Brian David Josephson, Welsh physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1940 - Gao Xingjian, Chinese-born writer, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1941 - Maureen Reagan, American political activist (d. 2001)
- 1943 - Doris Kearns Goodwin, American writer
- 1945 - Richard R. Schrock, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1953 - Norberto Alonso, Argentine footballer
- 1953 - George Tenet, American Central Intelligence Agency director
- 1956 - Bernard Sumner, English musician (New Order)
- 1957 - Patty Loveless, American singer
- 1958 - Matt Frewer, American actor
- 1958 - Gary Jones, Welsh-born actor
- 1960 - Michael Stipe, American singer (R.E.M.)
- 1962 - Peter Steele, American singer and bassist (Type O Negative)
- 1962 - Robin Guthrie, Scottish guitarist
- 1963 - Dave Foley, Canadian comedian and actor
- 1963 - Till Lindemann, German singer (Rammstein)
- 1965 - Julia Ormond, English actress
- 1966 - Deana Carter, American singer
- 1978 - Dwight Freeney, American football player
- 1978 - Dominik Hrbatý, Slovakian tennis player
- 1979 - Jeph Howard, American musician (The Used)
- 1986 - James Milner, English footballer

Deaths

- 1248 - King Sancho II of Portugal (b. 1207)
- 1564 - Hosokawa Ujitsuna, Japanese military commander (b. 1514)
- 1695 - François Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, duc de Luxembourg, French general (b. 1628)
- 1752 - Gabriel Cramer, Swiss mathematician (b. 1704)
- 1761 - Stephen Hales, English physiologist, chemist, and inventor (b. 1677)
- 1782 - Ange-Jacques Gabriel, French architect (b. 1698)
- 1804 - Charlotte Lennox, English author and poet
- 1821 - Elizabeth Ann Seton, American saint (b. 1774)
- 1825 - King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (b. 1751)
- 1831 - James Monroe, President of the United States (b. 1758)
- 1877 - Cornelius Vanderbilt, American entrepreneur (b. 1794)
- 1896 - Joseph Hubert Reinkens, German Old Catholic bishop (b. 1821)
- 1903 - Gulstan Ropert, Roman Catholic prelate (b. 1839)
- 1940 - Flora Finch, English-born comedienne and actress (b. 1869)
- 1941 - Henri Bergson, French philosopher, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature (b. 1859)
- 1960 - Albert Camus, Algerian-born French philosopher and writer, Nobel Prize laureate (automobile accident) (b. 1913)
- 1961 - Erwin Schrödinger, Austrian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1887)
- 1965 - T. S. Eliot, American writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1888)
- 1967 - Donald Campbell, English water speed record setter (b. 1921)
- 1969 - Violet and Daisy Hilton, English conjoined twin actresses (b. 1908)
- 1970 - Jean-Etienne Valluy, French general (b. 1899)
- 1985 - Brian Horrocks, British general (b. 1895)
- 1986 - Christopher Isherwood, English writer (b. 1904)
- 1986 - Phil Lynott, Irish musician (b. 1949)
- 1990 - Doc Edgerton, American electrical engineer (b. 1903)
- 1998 - Mae Questel, American actress (b. 1908)
- 1999 - Iron Eyes Cody, American actor (b. 1904)
- 2003 - Conrad Hall, American cinematographer (b. 1927)
- 2003 - Yfrah Neaman, Lebanese-born violinist (b. 1923)
- 2004 - Joan Aiken, English author (b. 1924)
- 2004 - Brian Gibson, English film director (b. 1944)
- 2004 - Jake Hess, American singer (b. 1927)
- 2004 - Jeff Nuttall, English writer, publisher, actor, artist, and jazz trumpeter (b. 1933)
- 2004 - John Toland, American author and historian (b. 1912)
- 2005 - Humphrey Carpenter, English author and biographer (b. 1946)
- 2005 - Ali al-Haidri, Iraqi governor of Baghdad (assassinated)
- 2005 - Frank Harary, American mathematician (b. 1921)
- 2005 - Robert Heilbroner, American economist (b. 1919)
- 2005 - Bud Poile, Canadian hockey player (b. 1924)

Holidays and observances

- Feast day of St Elizabeth Ann Seton
- The tenth day and eleventh night of Christmas in Western Christianity

External links

- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/4 BBC: On This Day] ---- January 3 - January 5 - December 4 - February 4 — listing of all days ko:1월 4일 ja:1月4日 simple:January 4

1848

1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar.

Events

Gregorian calendar]
- The Revolutions of 1848, a series of widespread but failed struggles for more liberal governments, from Brazil to Hungary.
- January 12 - The Palermo rising in Sicily rises against the Bourbon kingdom of Two Sicilies
- January 24 - California Gold Rush: James W. Marshall finds gold at Sutter's Mill, in Coloma, near Sacramento
- January 24 - The Storming of the Venezuelan National Congress takes place.
- January 26 - Henry David Thoreau addresses the Concord Lyceum with "The Rights and Duties of the Individual in Relation to Government" (which later came to be known as Civil Disobedience).
- February 2 - Mexican-American War: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, ending the war.
- February 2 - California Gold Rush: The first ship with Chinese emigrants seeking fortune in California's gold country arrive in San Francisco.
- February 19 - First rescue party reaches the Donner Party, a convoy of settlers almost buried under snow near what is now the Donner Lake. They have eaten everything, including their own dead
- February 21 - Karl Marx publishes The Communist Manifesto.
- February 22 - In Paris, revolt erupts against the king Louis Philippe. Two days later he abdicates, leading to the Second Republic.
- March 4 - Carlo Alberto di Savoia signs the Statuto Albertino that will represent the first constitution of the Regno d'Italia
- March 7 - The Great Mahele (land division) is signed in Hawaii.
- March 10 - The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is ratified by the United States Senate, ending the Mexican-American War.
- March 15 - Revolution breaks out in Pest. The Habsburg rulers are compelled to meet the demands of the Reform party.
- March 20 - King Ludwig I of Bavaria abdicates
- March 23 - Province of Otago in New Zealand is founded.
- March 29 - An upstream ice jam stops almost all water flow over Niagara Falls for 30 hours
- April 10 Chartist 'Monster Rally' held in Kennington Park London, headed by Feargus O'Connor. A petition demanding the franchise is presented to parliament.
- April 10 - Bridge collapses in Yarmouth, England - 250 dead
- May 15 - Radicals invade the France Chamber of deputies
- May 19 - Mexican-American War: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - Mexico ratifies the treaty thus ending the war and ceding Texas, California and most of Arizona and New Mexico to the United States for $15 million dollars.
- May 29 - Wisconsin is admitted as the 30th U.S. state.
- July 19 - Women's rights: Seneca Falls Convention - The two day Women's Rights Convention opens in Seneca Falls, New York and the "Bloomers" are introduced at the feminist convention.
- July 29 - Irish Potato Famine: Tipperary Revolt - In Tipperary, an unsuccessful nationalist revolt against British rule is put-down by a government police force.
- August 17 - Yucatan officially united with Mexico
- August 19 - California Gold Rush: The New York Herald breaks the news to the East Coast of the United States, that there is a gold rush in California (although the rush started in January)
- August 28 – Mathieu Luis, first black member joins the French parliament as a representative of Guadaloupe
- November 1 - In Boston, Massachusetts, the first medical school for women, The Boston Female Medical School (which later merged with Boston University School of Medicine), opens.
- November 3 - Greatly revised Dutch constitution proclaimed
- November 7 - U.S. presidential election, 1848: Whig Zachary Taylor of Louisiana defeats Democrat Lewis Cass of Michigan in the first US presidential election held in every state on the same day.
- December 2 - Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria, abdicates in favor of his nephew, Franz Josef I.
- December 10 - Prince Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte elected first president of the French Second Republic.
- December 20 - President Bonaparte takes his Oath of Office in front of the French National Assembly.
- December 26 - Phi Delta Theta Fraternity founded
- Cholera epidemic in New York kills 5000
- Associated Press founded in New York
- Queen's College for women founded in London
- Boston Public Library is founded by an act of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts
- Shaker song Simple Gifts is written by Joseph Brackett in Alfred, Maine
- First railway in Spain is opened, with line Barcelona to Mataró (circa 40 km).
- Illinois and Michigan Canal is completed.
- Independent Republic of Yucatan joins Mexico in exchange for Mexican help in suppressing revolt by Maya Indians.
- Serfdom is abolished in Austro-Hungarian Empire.
- John Bird Sumner becomes archbishop of Canterbury.
- British, Dutch, and German governments lay claim to New Guinea.
- Admiral Nevelskoi explores Strait of Tartary.
- Dunedin, New Zealand is founded by Scots settlers.
- University of Ottawa is founded.
- University of Mississippi is founded.
- University of Wisconsin, Madison is founded.
- Geneva College in Pennsylvania is founded.
- Holmes County, Florida is created.
- Elizabeth Gaskell publishes Mary Barton anonymously.
- Henrik Ibsen publishes first play Catilina.
- Ivar Aasen publishes Grammar of the Norwegian Dialects.
- Robert Schumann composes opera Genoveva.
- Richard Wagner begins writing libretto that will become Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).
- Rhodes College is founded.

Ongoing events

- Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
- Irish Potato Famine (1845-1849)

Births

- January 6 - Hristo Botev, Bulgarian revolutionary (d. 1876)
- January 19 - John F. Stairs, Canadian businessman and statesman (d. 1904)
- January 21 - Henri Duparc, French composer (d. 1933)
- January 27 - Togo Heihachiro, Japanese admiral (d. 1934)
- February 5 - Joris-Karl Huysmans, French author (d. 1907)
- February 5 - Belle Starr, American outlaw (d. 1889)
- February 8 - Joel Chandler Harris, American journalist and author (d. 1908)
- February 14 - Benjamin Baillaud, French astronomer (d. 1934)
- February 16 - Octave Mirbeau French art critic and novelist (d. 1917)
- February 18 - Louis Comfort Tiffany, American glass artist (d. 1933)
- February 24 - Grant Allen, Canadian author (d. 1899)
- February 24 - Andrew Inglis Clark, Tasmanian politician (d. 1907)
- February 27 - Hubert Parry, English composer (d. 1918)
- March 19 - Wyatt Earp, American lawman and gunfighter (d. 1929)
- March 31 - Viscount William Astor, British financier and statesman (d. 1919)
- April 7 - Randall Thomas Davidson, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1930)
- April 10 - Hubertine Auclert, French feminist (d. 1914)
- May 23 - Otto Lilienthal, German engineer (d. 1896)
- June 7 - Paul Gauguin, French artist (d. 1903)
- July 6 - Gabor Baross, Hungarian statesman (d. 1892)
- July 9 - Robert I, Duke of Parma, last ruling Duke of Parma (d. 1907)
- July 15 - Vilfredo Pareto, Italian economist (d. 1923)
- July 22 - Winfield Scott Stratton, American miner (d. 1902)
- July 25 - George Robert Aberigh-Mackay, Anglo-Indian writer (d. 1881)
- July 25 - Arthur James Balfour, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1930)
- November 13 - Albert I, Prince of Monaco (d. 1922)

Deaths

- January 19 - Isaac D'Israeli, English author (b. 1766)
- January 20 - Christian VIII, King of Denmark (b. 1786)
- February 15 - Hermann von Boyen, Prussian field marshal (b. 1771)
- February 23 - John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States (b. 1767)
- March 29 - John Jacob Astor, American businessman (b. 1763)
- April 8 - Gaetano Donizetti, Italian composer (b. 1797)
- May 25 - Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, German writer (b. 1797)
- June 27 - Denis Auguste Affre, Archbishop of Paris (b. 1793)
- July 4 - François-René de Chateaubriand, French writer and diplomat (b. 1768)
- August 7 - Jöns Jakob Berzelius, Swedish chemist (b. 1779)
- August 12 - George Stephenson, English locomotive pioneer (b. 1781)
- November 9 - Robert Blum, German politician (b. 1810)
- November 23 - Sir John Barrow, English statesman (b. 1764)
- November 24 - Lord Melbourne, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1779)
- December 19 - Emily Brontë, English author (b. 1818)
- Edward Baines, British newspaperman and politician (b. 1774) Category:1848 ko:1848년 simple:1848

10 October

October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). There are 82 days remaining.

Events

- 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was decapitated by forces under Caliph Yazid I. This is commemorated by Shi'a Muslims as Aashurah.
- 732 - Battle of Tours: Near Poitiers, France, leader of the Franks Charles Martel and his men, defeat a large army of Moors, stopping the Muslims from spreading into Western Europe. The governor of Cordoba, Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, is killed during the battle.
- 1471 - Battle of Brunkeberg in Stockholm: Sten Sture the Elder, the Regent of Sweden, with help of farmers and miners, repels an attack by Christian I, King of Denmark.
- 1575 - Battle of Dormans: Catholic forces under Duke Henry of Guise defeated the Protestants, capturing Philippe de Mornay among others.
- 1582 - Due to the implementation of the Gregorian calendar this day does not exist in this year in Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
- 1631 - A Saxon army takes over Prague.
- 1780 - The Great Hurricane of 1780 kills 20,000-30,000 in the Caribbean.
- 1845 - In Annapolis, Maryland, the Naval School (later renamed the United States Naval Academy) opens with 50 midshipmen students and seven professors.
- 1868 - Carlos Céspedes issued the Grito de Yara from his plantation, La Demajagua, proclaiming Cuba's independence.
- 1877 - Lieutenant-Colonel George Armstrong Custer is given a funeral with full military honors.
- 1908 - citing of bigfoot in japanBaseball Writers Association forms.
- 1910 - Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity is established at Columbia University.
- 1911 - Wuchang Uprising which led to the demise of Qing Dynasty, the last emperial court in China, and the founding of the Republic of China.
- 1913 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson triggered the explosion of the Gamboa Dike thus ending construction on the Panama Canal.
- 1920 - The Carinthian Plebiscite determined that the larger part of Carinthia became part of Austria.
- 1933 - A United Airlines Boeing 247 is destroyed by sabotage while en route from Cleveland, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois, the first such proven case in the history of commercial aviation.
- 1935 - A tornado destroyed the 160 metre tall wooden radio tower in Langenberg. As a result of this catastrophe, nearly no more wooden radio towers are built any more.
- 1938 - The Blue Water Bridge opens, connecting Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario
- 1938 - World War II: The Munich Agreement cedes the Sudetenland to Germany.
- 1944 - Holocaust: 800 Gypsy children are systematically murdered at Auschwitz death camp.
- 1954 - The Communist Party of Honduras is founded.
- 1957 - U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower apologizes to the finance minister of Ghana, Komla Agbeli Gbdemah, after he was refused service in a Dover, Delaware restaurant.
- 1964 - The 1964 Summer Olympics open in Tokyo, Japan
- 1966 - Simon and Garfunkel release the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
- 1970 - Fiji becomes independent.
- 1970 - In Montreal, Quebec, a national crisis hits Canada when Quebec Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte becomes the second statesman kidnapped by members of the FLQ terrorist group.
- 1971 - Sold, dismantled and moved to the United States, the London Bridge reopens in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
- 1973 - Vice President of the United States Spiro Agnew resigns after being charged with federal income tax evasion.
- 1978 - US President Jimmy Carter signs a bill into law that authorizes the minting of the Susan B. Anthony dollar.
- 1979 - The Pac-Man arcade game is released to the Japanese market by Namco.
- 1985 - United States Navy F-14 fighter jets intercept an Egyptian plane carrying the Achille Lauro cruise ship hijackers and force it to land at a NATO base in Sigonella, Sicily where they are arrested.
- 1986 - An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale strikes San Salvador, El Salvador, killing an estimated 1,500 people.
- 1987 - Fiji becomes a republic.
- 1997 - An Austral Airlines DC-9-32 crashes and explodes near Nuevo Berlin, Uruguay, killing 74.
- 2001 - US President George W. Bush presents a list of 22 most wanted terrorists.
- 2005 - Channel 4's new 'adult' entertainment channel More4 starts broadcasting on ntl, Sky Digital and Freeview in the UK.
- 2005 - Angela Merkel is announced to be the new chancellor of Germany.
- 2005 - Most Aardman Animations props are melted in a warehouse fire. Props from Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit were destroyed.

Births

- 1678 - John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, Scottish soldier (d. 1743)
- 1684 - Antoine Watteau, French painter (d. 1721)
- 1700 - Lambert-Sigisbert Adam, French sculptor (d. 1759)
- 1731 - Henry Cavendish, British scientist (d. 1810)
- 1780 - John Abercrombie, Scottish physician and philosopher (b. 1844)
- 1813 - Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer (d. 1901)
- 1825 - Paul Kruger, President of the Transvaal Republic (d. 1904)
- 1830 - Queen Isabella II of Spain (d. 1904)
- 1834 - Aleksis Kivi, Finnish author (d. 1872)
- 1837 - Robert Gould Shaw, U.S. Army officer (d. 1863)
- 1861 - Fridtjof Nansen, Norwegian explorer, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1930)
- 1870 - Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin, Russian writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1953)
- 1885 - Walter Anderson, German folklorist (d. 1962)
- 1898 - Lilly Daché, French-born milliner (d. 1989)
- 1900 - Helen Hayes, American actress (d. 1993)
- 1901 - Alberto Giacometti, Swiss sculptor (d. 1966)
- 1906 - Paul Creston, American composer (d. 1985)
- 1906 - R.K. Narayan, Indian novelist (d. 2001)
- 1913 - Claude Simon, French writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2005)
- 1914 - Tommy Fine, baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1917 - Thelonious Monk, American jazz pianist (d. 1982)
- 1924 - James Clavell, Australian author (d. 1994)
- 1924 - Ed Wood, American filmmaker (d. 1978)
- 1926 - Richard Jaeckel, American actor (d. 1997)
- 1930 - Yves Chauvin, French chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1930 - Harold Pinter, English playwright, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1933 - Jay Sebring, American hair stylist
- 1938 - Moriyama Daido, Japanese photographer
- 1942 - Peter Coyote, American actor
- 1946 - Charles Dance, English actor
- 1946 - Naoto Kan, Japanese politician
- 1946 - John Prine, American singer
- 1946 - Chris Tarrant, British television host
- 1946 - Ben Vereen, American actor and dancer
- 1948 - Séverine, French singer
- 1951 - Ratu Epeli Ganilau, Fiji soldier and statesman
- 1953 - Midge Ure, Scottish musician
- 1953 - Gus Williams, American basketball player
- 1954 - David Lee Roth, American singer
- 1957 - Rumiko Takahashi, Japanese artist
- 1958 - Tanya Tucker, American singer
- 1959 - Kirsty MacColl, British singer and songwriter (d. 2000)
- 1960 - Eric Martin, American singer
- 1961 - Jodi Benson, American voice actress and singer
- 1963 - Anita Mui, Hong Kong singer (d. 2003)
- 1963 - Daniel Pearl, American journalist (d. 2002)
- 1963 - Rebecca Pidgeon, American actress, singer, and songwriter
- 1963 - Jolanda de Rover, Dutch swimmer
- 1966 - Tony Adams, English footballer
- 1966 - Rick "Finky" Finkelstein, The inventor of the "Rick Rub"
- 1968 - Bart Brentjens, Dutch mountain biker
- 1969 - Brett Favre, American football player
- 1970 - Dean Kiely, Irish footballer
- 1970 - Corinna May, German singer
- 1970 - Sir Matthew Pinsent, English rower
- 1970 - Maja Tatic, Serbian singer
- 1973 - Mario López, American actor
- 1974 - Dale Earnhardt Jr., American race car driver
- 1976 - Bob Burnquist, Brazilian-born skateboarder
- 1976 - Pat Burrell, baseball player
- 1978 - Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, American actress
- 1979 - Mya, American singer
- 1979 - Nicolás Massú, Chilean tennis player
- 1980 - Tim Maurer, American singer (Suburban Legends
- 1980 - Charles Gauthier, Peribonka citizen
- 1984 - Stephanie Cheng, Hong Kong singer
- 1984 - Chiaki Kuriyama, Japanese actress

Deaths

- 19 - Germanicus, Roman general (b. 15 BC)
- 732 - Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, Moorish Governor of Andalusia
- 833 - al-Ma'mun, Abbasid caliph of Baghdad (b. 786)
- 1359 - King Hugh IV of Cyprus
- 1459 - Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini, Italian humanist and classicist (b. 1380)
- 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli, Swiss reformer (killed in battle) (b. 1484)
- 1659 - Abel Tasman, Dutch explorer (b. 1603)
- 1674 - Thomas Traherne, English poet
- 1691 - Isaac de Benserade, French poet (b. 1613)
- 1708 - David Gregory, Scottish astronomer (b. 1659)
- 1714 - Pierre Le Pesant, sieur de Boisguilbert, French economist (b. 1646)
- 1720 - Antoine Coysevox, French sculptor (b. 1640)
- 1723 - William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper, Lord Chancellor of England
- 1725 - Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil, Governor-General of New France
- 1747 - John Potter, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1759 - Granville Elliott, British military officer (b. 1713)
- 1765 - Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1688)
- 1795 - Francesco Antonio Zaccaria, Italian theologian and historian (b. 1714)
- 1827 - Ugo Foscolo, Italian writer (b. 1778)
- 1837 - Charles Fourier, French philosopher (b. 1772)
- 1872 - William H. Seward, United States Secretary of State (b. 1801)
- 1875 - Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy, Russian novelist, poet and dramatist (b. 1817)
- 1893 - Lip Pike, baseball player (b. 1845)
- 1901 - Lorenzo Snow, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (b. 1814)
- 1913 - Katsura Taro, Prime minister of Japan (b. 1848)
- 1914 - Charles I of Romania (b. 1839)
- 1927 - Gustave Whitehead, German-born inventor (b. 1874)
- 1930 - Adolf Engler, German botanist (b. 1844)
- 1940 - Berton Churchill, Canadian actor (b. 1876)
- 1964 - Eddie Cantor, American singer and vaudeville performer (b. 1892)
- 1964 - Heinrich Neuhaus, Soviet pianist (b. 1888)
- 1970 - Édouard Daladier, French politician (b. 1884)
- 1971 - John Cawte Beaglehole, New Zealand historian (b. 1901)
- 1978 - Ralph Metcalfe, American athlete (b. 1910)
- 1979 - Christopher Evans, British psychologist and computer scientist (b. 1931)
- 1979 - Paul Paray, French conductor (b. 1886)
- 1983 - Ralph Richardson, English actor (b. 1902)
- 1985 - Yul Brynner, Russian-born actor (b. 1915)
- 1985 - Orson Welles, American director and actor (b. 1915)
- 1998 - Clark Clifford, United States Secretary of Defense (b. 1906)
- 2000 - Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (b. 1916)
- 2002 - Teresa Graves, American actress and singer (b. 1948)
- 2003 - Eugene Istomin, American pianist (b. 1925)
- 2004 - Ken Caminiti, baseball player (heart attack) (b. 1963)
- 2004 - Christopher Reeve, American actor (b. 1952)
- 2004 - Arthur H. Robinson, American cartographer (b. 1915)
- 2004 - Maurice Shadbolt, New Zealand writer (b. 1932)
- 2005 - Wayne Booth, American literary critic (b. 1921)
- 2005 - Milton Obote, President of Uganda (b. 1925)

Holidays

- RC Saints - Saint Thomas of Villanueva? ; Saint Paulinus of York (in England)
- Also see October 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Canada - Thanksgiving Day of 2005 (second Monday of October)
- Republic of China (on Taiwan) - National Day (Double Tenth Day 雙十國慶)
- Fiji - Fiji Day (National Day)
- United States - Columbus Day of 2005 (second Monday of October)
- Japan - National Health-Sports Day
- World Mental Health Day

External links

- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/10 BBC: On This Day] ---- October 9 - October 11 - September 10 - November 10 - more historical anniversaries ko:10월 10일 ms:10 Oktober ja:10月10日 simple:October 10 th:10 ตุลาคม

Soldier

A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment (such as a uniform and weapon) to defend that country or its interests. In most countries, the term soldier is limited to such people who serve in the land branch of the armed services (usually known as the army). Armies are strictly hierarchical societies, and within them, groups of soldiers are usually divided into military units of some kind. A soldier is not necessarily a fighter. Although all soldiers get basic combat training, many soldiers serve in the rear in non-combat positions (such as in office management, clerical, logistics, or research and development positions). In an army, the most common military rank held by soldiers is the lowest - in the British Army and United States Army, a private or equivalent. In some countries of the world, soldier specifically refers to members of the army who are not holders of an officer's commission. In most armies of the world a soldier who is not an officer can in theory work their way through the ranks to obtain a commission. A soldier who no longer serves in the armed forces is called a veteran, a term which can also apply to a long-serving or experienced soldier who is still in the army.

Classification

veteran Infantry (or infantrymen, archaically foot), are soldiers who specialise in ground combat. Not all soldiers are infantrymen, and not all infantrymen are soldiers. Infantry that are not soldiers include members of the British RAF Regiment (who are technically airmen, not soldiers), and members of the United States Marine Corps, British Royal Marines, and other marine forces (many of whom bristle at being called soldiers, although they are often so described). Several navies maintain forces of naval infantry, who are sailors, not soldiers. Cavalry (or cavalrymen; archaically horse), are traditionally soldiers who fight from horseback, but now usually crew armoured fighting vehicles. Variations include dragoons, lancers, hussars and cuirassiers. Artillery (or artillerymen) operate heavy mortars, howitzers, guns, and missile and rocket launchers. Engineers, also called pioneers, are military construction, demolition, bridging and mine clearance specialists. A pre-modern soldier is also called a warrior. The word warrior implies one who is not part of a full-time army. Without strict hierarchical discipline constantly being imposed on them, warriors in pre-modern societies were often guided by societal warrior codes.

Etymology

The word soldier is derived from an Old French word, itself a derivation of Solidarius, Latin for someone who served for pay. Solidare in Latin means "to pay" and Roman soldiers were paid in Solidi. The common origin for the words soldier and payment survives not only in French (soldat and solde) but also in other languages, like German (soldat and sold), Spanish (soldado and soldada) and Dutch (soldaat and soldij).

Politician

A politician is an individual involved in politics to the extent of holding or running for public office. In Western democracies, the term is generally restricted to those officials who attain their position through election campaigns, rather than all members of the state bureaucracy. Such a distinction is less clear in non-democratic forms of government. In a state, individual politicians compose the executive branch of government and the office of Head of State (unless the head of state is a non-political figure, such as a king) as well as the legislative branch, and regional and local levels of government. Other organs of government such as the judicial branch, law enforcement, and the military are not usually regarded as being composed of politicians, despite the fact that the men and women involved do government work. Sometimes political scientists are also refered to as politicians. The Australian slang term for politicians is pollies. Some common offices for politicians can include:
- Alderman
- Congressman
- Councillor
- Governor
- Mayor
- Member of Parliament
- Minister
- Premier
- President
- Prime Minister
- School board member
- Senator

External link

- [http://politicalgraveyard.com/chrono/index.html List of American Politicians by Year Born or Died] Politicians Politician
- ja:政治家

Prime Minister of Japan

The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku sōri daijin) is the English political nomenclature of the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation is Prime Minister of the Cabinet.The Prime Minister is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office. The Prime Minister is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State. The current Prime Minister of Japan, since 2001, is Junichiro Koizumi.

Appointment

The Prime Minister is designated by both houses of the Diet, before the conduct of any other business. For this purpose, each conducts a ballot under the run-off system. If the two houses choose different individuals, then a joint committee of both houses is appointed to agree on a common candidate. Ultimately, however, if the two houses do not agree within ten days, the decision of the House of Representatives is deemed to be that of the Diet. Theoretically, therefore, the House of Representatives can ensure the appointment of any Prime Minister it wishes. The Prime Minister must resign if the House of Representatives adopts a motion of no confidence or defeats a vote of confidence, unless the House of Representatives is dissolved within ten days. The Prime Minister must also resign after every general election to the House of Representatives, even if they have won a majority in the house. The office of Prime Minister has by convention usually been occupied by the leader of the largest party in the Diet, which has usually been the Liberal Democratic Party.

Role

The Prime Minister:
- "Exercises control and supervision" over the executive branch.
- Chairs meetings of the Cabinet.
- Appoints and dismisses Ministers of State.
- Permits legal action to be taken against Ministers of State.
- Counter-signs, along with the competent minister, all laws and cabinet orders. Theoretically, the Prime Minister is very powerful, with a role most similar to the German chancellor and even greater because of Japan's unitary form of government. However, because of the factionalised and consensus-based nature of Japanese politics in the Diet and with the perpetual creation of coalition governments under the proportional representation schemes, the Prime Minister has much less actual power than his/her counterpart of many other nations. His position as president of the largest party involves negotiation with main party faction and coalition leaders, and legislation is usually initiated and reviewed by party committees rather than by the cabinet. Furthermore, substantial power is actually wielded by the civil service, over which the Prime Minister has little control.

History and official residence

civil service The current office of Prime Minister derives from the 1946 Constitution of Japan. However the office also existed under Japan's pre-war, imperial constitution to replace the civilian feudal office of kanpaku. Prior to 1946 the Prime Minister was chosen directly by the Emperor, and did not, under the constitution, need to have the support of the Diet. During World War II, the Prime Minister headed the Supreme War Council in the name of the emperor. The official residence of the Prime Minister of Japan is called the Kantei. The original Kantei served from 1929 until 2002. A new building was inaugurated at this time and now serves as the new Kantei.

External links

- [http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet]. Official website.
- [http://www.geocities.co.jp/WallStreet-Bull/6515/rekidaiNaikaku.htm List of Japanese cabinets] (in Japanese only).
Category:Politics of Japan
- ja:内閣総理大臣

Choshu

Nagato (Japanese: 長門国, Nagato no kuni), often called Choshu (長州, Chōshū), was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshu, in the area that is today Yamaguchi prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suo Provinces. Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimonoseki, Hagi was usually the seat of the han (fief). Nagato was ruled by the Mori clan before and after the Battle of Sekigahara. In 1871 with the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures (Haihan Chiken) after the Meiji Restoration, the provinces of Nagato and Suo were combined to eventually establish Yamaguchi prefecture. Historically, the oligarchy that came into power after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 had a strong representation from the Choshu province, as Ito Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Kido Koin (as known as Katsura Kogoro) were from there. Other natives famous for their role in the restoration include Yoshida Shoin, Takasugi Shinsaku, and Kusaka Genzui among others.

Boshin War

The Boshin War (戊辰戦争 Boshin Sensō, literally "War of the Year of the Dragon") was fought in 1868-1869 between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the pro-Imperial forces in Japan. The defeat of the shogunate led directly to the Meiji Restoration. Meiji Restoration] Discontent between the shogunate and the reformist sonnō jōi movement had been brewing for years. A secret alliance against the shogunate was formed in 1866 between Chōshū and Satsuma. In November 1867, Emperor Meiji had given the rebellious provinces of Satsuma and Choshu the right to overthrow the shogunate; however, reigning Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu deftly sidestepped this by resigning his post (but not his power) the next day. Events came to a head on January 3, 1868 when the forces of Chōshū and Satsuma seized the imperial palace. The emperor declared his own restoration to full power, and the war started seven days later when Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu declared the declaration "illegal" and attacked Kyoto, the seat of the emperor. Despite a 3:1 numerical advantage and training by French military advisors, the first significant battle near Toba and Fushimi led to a rout of the 15,000-strong shogunate forces, and Yoshinobu was forced to flee to Edo. Saigo Takamori led the victorious imperial forces north and east through Japan, eventually leading to the unconditional surrender of Edo in May 1868. Edo.]] After Yoshinobu's surrender, most of Japan accepted the emperor's rule, but a core of shogunate supporters led by the Aizu clan continued the resistance. After a protracted month-long battle, Aizu finally admitted defeat on September 23, leading to the mass suicide of the Byakkotai (White Tiger Corps) young warriors. A month later, Edo was renamed Tokyo, and the Meiji Era started. In a final chapter to the war, navy official Enomoto Takeaki had fled to Hokkaido with the remnants of the shogun's navy and a handful of faithful French military advisors (especially Jules Brunet) and attempted to establish the Republic of Ezo there, but this too was crushed by Meiji forces in May 1869, bringing the war to an end. Category:Wars of Japan Category:Meiji Restoration Category:1868 ja:戊辰戦争

1870

1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar).

Events

January - April

- January 1 - Plans for the Brooklyn Bridge are done.
- January 2 - Construction of the Brooklyn Bridge begins.
- January 6 - The inauguration of the Musikverein (Vienna).
- January 10 - John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil
- January 15 - A political cartoon for the first time symbolizes the United States Democratic Party with a donkey ("A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion" by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly).
- January 26 - American Civil War: Virginia rejoins the Union
- January 27 - First college sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, is formed at DePauw University
- February - Vrain Denis-Lucas in sentenced for two years in prison for multiple forgery in Paris
- February 2 - It is revealed that the famed Cardiff Giant was just carved gypsum and not the petrified remains of a human.
- February 3 - The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed
- February 10 - Anaheim, California is incorporated.
- February 10 - The YWCA is founded (

Katsura Taro

See also

Reference

References

4 January

Events

Births

Deaths

Holidays and observances

External links

1848

Events

Ongoing events

Births

Deaths

10 October

Events

Births

Deaths

Holidays

External links

Soldier

Classification

Etymology

See also

Politician

See also

External link

Prime Minister of Japan

Appointment

Role

History and official residence

See also

External links

Choshu

See also

Boshin War

1870

Events

January - April