THE DAY IN HISTORY · SEPTEMBER 15

September 15 in history

What happened on September 15: 4 moments from the Maps of History atlases, in 1830, 1894, 1940 and 1950, each linked to the map that shows it.

1830 — Rainhill trials

Oct 1829 — The Liverpool & Manchester holds trials to select its locomotive. The Stephensons’ Rocket wins, reaching about 30 mph. When the line opens on 15 Sep 1830, it is the first inter-city railway operated entirely by steam.

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

1894 — Battle of Pyongyang

15 Sep 1894 — Japanese columns closed in on the Qing garrison at Pyongyang and drove it from Korea in a single day. Two days later, Japan’s navy defeated the Chinese fleet off the Yalu. Within six weeks, the war over control of Korea had effectively been decided.

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

1940

Battle of Britain Day: the Luftwaffe’s maximum effort against London is met, wave for wave, by radar-guided squadrons. Invasion is quietly shelved.

READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE WW2 MAP →

1950 — Inchon landing

15 Sep 1950 — MacArthur lands two divisions in the treacherous tidal harbor serving Seoul, 240 km behind the front. Within two weeks the North Korean army collapses.

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