⚔️ 1683 – The Battle of Vienna ended in a decisive victory for European forces led by Poland's King John III Sobieski, halting the Ottoman Empire's expansion into Europe. ⚔️🏰

👨‍✈️ 1919 – Adolf Hitler joined the German Workers' Party in Zürich, Switzerland, marking the beginning of his rise within the group that would later become the Nazi Party. 🇩🇪⚠️

🎨 1940 – The Lascaux Cave paintings, dating back over 17,000 years, were discovered in France, offering one of the finest examples of prehistoric art. 🎨🖼️

✈️ 1943 – Benito Mussolini was rescued by German paratroopers in the Gran Sasso Raid, after which he was reinstated as leader of the Nazi-backed Italian Social Republic. 🇮🇹💥

⚔️ 1944 – Allied forces crossed the Siegfried Line and entered Germany, marking a key moment in the eventual fall of Nazi Germany during World War II. 🌍💥

🌕 1959 – The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 became the first human-made object to reach the moon, marking a pivotal achievement in the Space Race. 🚀🌕

✊ 1977 – Anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko died in police custody in South Africa, sparking international outrage and further intensifying the fight against apartheid. 🇿🇦✊

🇩🇪 1990 – The "Two Plus Four Agreement" was signed, paving the way for the reunification of Germany after decades of division following World War II. 🇩🇪✍️

🇮🇱 2005 – Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, ending its 38-year occupation, in a controversial move with mixed reactions from Palestinians and Israeli settlers. 🇮🇱🇵🇸

🧪 2013 – The U.S. and Russia reached a deal in Geneva for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons, preventing U.S. military intervention after a deadly chemical attack. 🇸🇾🧪