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On This Day · The 275th day of the year

October 2

A look at October 2 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Mahatma Gandhi and Paul von Hindenburg, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2018

    The Washington Post

    The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi is assassinated in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

    American daily newspaper
  2. 2007

    Roh Moo-hyun

    President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea goes to North Korea for an Inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

    President of South Korea
  3. 2006

    West Nickel Mines School shooting

    Five Amish girls are murdered in a shooting at a school in Pennsylvania, United States.

    Mass shooting in Lancaster
  4. 1971

    Nguyễn Văn Thiệu

    South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu is re-elected in a one-man election.

    President of South Vietnam
  5. 1967

    Thurgood Marshall

    Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first African-American justice of the United States Supreme Court.

    US Supreme Court justice
  6. 1958

    Guinea

    Guinea declares its independence from France.

    Country in West Africa
  7. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: Ocean Liner RMS Queen Mary accidentally rams and sinks HMS Curacoa, killing over 300 crewmen aboard Curacoa.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  8. 1919

    Stroke

    Seven days after suffering a "physical collapse" following a speech in Pueblo, Colorado, U.S. president Woodrow Wilson has a catastrophic stroke at the White House, leaving him physically and mentally incapacitated for the remainder of his presidency.

    Death of a region
  9. 1864

    American Civil War

    American Civil War: Confederates defeat a Union attack on Saltville, Virginia. A massacre of wounded Union prisoners ensues.

    1861–1865 conflict in the
  10. 1187

    Saladin

    Saladin won Jerusalem after the city surrendered to his forces following a prolonged siege.

    Founder of the Ayyubid
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Famous birthday twins

Born on October 2

Mahatma Gandhi

b. 1869

Indian freedom fighter, activist and philosopher

Paul von Hindenburg

b. 1847

German field marshal and politician, 2nd President of Germany

Leopold Figl

b. 1902

Austrian politician, Chancellor of Austria

Frank Malina

b. 1912

American engineer and painter

Leroy Shield

b. 1893

American composer and conductor

Boris Shaposhnikov

b. 1882

Russian colonel

Don McLean

b. 1945

American singer-songwriter

Wolfhart Pannenberg

b. 1928

Polish-German theologian and academic

Deaths

  • 2002Heinz von Foerster, Austrian-American physicist and philosopher
  • 1999Heinz G. Konsalik, German journalist and author
  • 1988Hamengkubuwono IX, Indonesian politician, 2nd vice president of Indonesia
  • 1968Marcel Duchamp, French painter and sculptor
  • 1938Alexandru Averescu, Romanian military leader and politician, 24th Prime Minister of Romania
  • 829Michael II, Byzantine emperor

Holidays & observances

  • —Batik Day (Indonesia)
  • —Christian feast day: Denha I of Tikrit (Syriac Orthodox Church)
  • —Christian feast day: Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels
  • —Christian feast day: Leodegar
  • —Christian feast day: October 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Gandhi's birthday-related observances: Gandhi Jayanti (India)
  • —Gandhi's birthday-related observances: International Day of Non-Violence
  • —Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Guinea from France in 1958

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