THE DAY IN HISTORY · MARCH 26

March 26 in history

What happened on March 26: 3 moments from the Maps of History atlases, in 1913, 1953 and 1989, each linked to the map that shows it.

1913 — Siege of Adrianople

Nov 1912–Jul 1913 — Bulgarian and Serbian troops besiege Adrianople, the old Ottoman capital, and capture it on 26 March 1913. Four months later Bulgaria is fighting its former allies, and Ottoman troops under Enver march back into the city almost unopposed. Adrianople changes hands twice within a year.

READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE WWI MAP → · THE FULL STORY →

1953 — Lari massacre

26 Mar 1953 — Mau Mau fighters kill 74 people, by Anderson’s count, most of them families of loyalist Home Guards. In reprisal, security forces and Home Guards kill at least twice as many suspects. Remember all of them.

READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE TWO ROADS TO INDEPENDENCE MAP → · THE FULL STORY →

1989 — Congress of People’s Deputies election

26 Mar 1989 — The first contested national elections since 1917 gave voters a chance to reject senior party officials, and dozens lost. In Leningrad, even the unopposed regional party chief failed to win: most voters crossed out his name. The new Congress opened in May, with proceedings televised live.

READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE REMAKING THE STATE MAP → · THE FULL STORY →