Microsoft Founded In 1975

On 4 April 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company started as a small software company, but grew to become one of the largest and most influential technology companies in the world. Microsoft has brought us some of the most iconic technology products, including Windows, Office, and Xbox. Today, we celebrate Microsoft's success and the impact it has had on the technology industry.

NATO Treaty Signed In 1949

 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established on 4 April 1949 by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty (Washington Treaty). The 12 founding members of the alliance were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

NATO is a security alliance of 30 countries from North America and Europe. NATO's fundamental goal is to safeguard the Allies’ freedom and security by political and military means.

World Drummer's Day

World Drummer’s Day is observed on 4 April every year. This day is dedicated to the drummers, who play the drums and provide the backbone of any band. The day is celebrated not only in Germany but also in many other countries all over the world. 

The history of World Drummer’s Day can be traced back to 2013 when Christian Schages founded it. Schages is a professional drum teacher who had his own personal drum school in Germany. He had a strong urge to create a day dedicated to drummers all over the world.

The day has gained traction and popularity in recent years. It is now celebrated not only in Germany and other European countries, but also in Africa and other parts of the world. People all over the world come together to celebrate the day with various events and performances.

World Drummer’s Day is a significant day to recognize and celebrate the importance of drummers in society. It is also a day to express one’s appreciation for the efforts of drummers in making the world a better place.

Battle of Kohima started in 1944

 

One of the fiercest battles of the Second World War, the Battle of Kohima started on 4 April 1944, in which British and Indian troops fought against the Japanese offensive in the northeast of India. The Japanese were defeated which marked the beginning of the Allied push into Burma.

Battle of Kohima Details

• In 1944, during the height of the Second World War, the Japanese planned an incursion into India via Burma. The plan was codenamed Operation U Go.
• The plan was to attack the northeast of India through Burma. There was a British garrison at Kohima, today the capital of the state of Nagaland. The Japanese forces wished to attack the garrison and take Kohima after which they would take Assam and then march on to Delhi.
• But, this was not to be as the British and Indian forces fought valiantly and thwarted the ambitious plans of Japan.
• In March 1944, the Japanese came in through the dense jungles of the region from Burma into India. They attacked Imphal first catching the British by surprise. After this, they eyed Kohima and the garrison stationed there.
• It was a relatively obscure garrison because this part of the region was not key to British plans. They had a total of about 2500 forces. In contrast, the Japanese were moving ahead with 12000 men.
• With the odds placed undeniably in favour of the Japanese, they attacked the garrison at Kohima with a view to capturing the town itself.
• However, the British troops held on their strategic positions and troubled the Japanese with their artillery fire.
• The Japanese were also worried by the lack of adequate supplies. They had brought along with them about 5000 oxen to be slaughtered for food, but most of the animals died on the way.
• Many battles were fought at the garrison. The bungalow and the tennis court of the Deputy Commissioner were witness to bloody battles. This was called the Battle of the Tennis Court. Many engaged in hand-to-hand combat. The number of people who perished was in the thousands and a further many got sick because of the stench of rotting corpses.
• Supplies were low on both sides but the soldiers battled on steadfastly.
• British reinforcements arrived in Dimapur to relieve the forces at Kohima. Now the Japanese realised that their position was precarious as they were extremely low on supplies. They began to fall back. The Japanese were also defeated during the in the subsequent Battle of Imphal.
• The Battle of Kohima was one of the fiercest battles of the Second World War but one that India seemed to have forgotten.
• The Indian and British troops lost about 4000 men while the Japanese lost 5000 – 7000 men in the battle.
• The battle is often referred to as the Stalingrad of the East.
• The British National Army Museum voted this battle as “Britain’s Greatest Battle”.
• Today, in the place where the tennis court of the Deputy Commissioner was, there is a war cemetery for the Allied dead. It has the famous Kohima Epitaph which reads,

“When you go home, tell them of us and say,

  For your tomorrow, we gave our today”

• This battle turned the tide of the war in the eastern theatre and built the grounds for a Japanese retreat.

 

Karl Benz's Death Anniversary

 

Karl Benz, who passed away on 4 April 1929, aged 84, was a German engine designer and engineer, regarded as the inventor of the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine.

While contemporaries of Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach were working on similar engines at the same time, it was Benz who received a patent for his work first. Subsequently Benz would go on to patent all the processes necessary to make the internal combustion engine feasible for use in an automobile.

Benz along with his wife Bertha went on to found the Mercedes-Benz company to commercialize this technology. It is now one of the world's leading luxury car brands.

Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in 1968

American Martin Luther King Jr., the most visible and well-known leader of the Civil Rights Movement, was a Baptist minister who helped advance civil rights through non-violent methods based on his Christian beliefs.

King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and helped lead the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott early in his career. After the unsuccessful Albany Movement to end segregation in Albany, Georgia, he organised the March on Washington in 1963 where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Though he alienated many of his liberal allies by calling for opposition to the Vietnam War, he remained highly popular.

In 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In the midst of planning the Poor People's Campaign in Washington D.C., he was assassinated by James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4 April 1968. He was 39. His death sparked massive nationwide riots. In 1986, Martin Luther King Day was inaugurated as a federal holiday.

World Rat Day

 

World Rat Day is celebrated every year on 4 April. This day is dedicated to the pet rat and its importance in our lives. The day is observed to educate people about the wonderful companionship and care that pet rats can provide to human beings.

Rats have been a part of our lives for centuries. They have helped us provide companionship, food, and shelter. Despite the negative perceptions of rats, they are said to be loyal, intelligent, and very endearing. Once you get to know the importance of rats, you will start to see their finer qualities. World Rat Day aims to dispel the stigma surrounding rats and celebrate them instead. It is also a fantastic opportunity to give our pet rats a special treat and a chance to take some cute photographs of them.

History of World Rat Day

The history of World Rat Day dates back to 2002, when a discussion was sparked about the possibility of establishing a holiday to recognize and promote pet rats as ideal companions. The date of 4 April was chosen because it is the only day clearly linked to the beginning of the ratlist, which is currently owned by James Kittock and Robyn Arthur. Although any day of the year could have been designated as World Rat Day, 4 April was eventually chosen as a unique tribute to the ratlist. The ratlist has had a significant impact on pet rats everywhere, and World Rat Day is a day to express our gratitude for it.

Significance of World Rat Day

World Rat Day is celebrated on April 4 every year. This day is dedicated to the lesser mammal, rats and mice. According to the Chinese zodiac, rats were the first animals to emerge from the twelve-year cycle and were associated with positive personality traits such as optimism, intelligence, and diligence.

Since the 1960s, rats have been used in medical research to develop treatments for a variety of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and Covid-19. Despite some animal rights activists' concerns about the use of rats in these studies, they have been instrumental in advancing medical science and understanding.

International Carrot Day

International Carrot Day is observed annually on 4 April. Carrot is a much-loved vegetable and for all the right reasons. Every time we say carrot, we conjure up the image of a bright orange vegetable with green foliage. However, contrary to popular beliefs, carrots also come in other colours. In fact, orange is one of the lesser-known colours of carrots. There is the purple dragon carrot, a lovely form of this root vegetable that has a deliciously complex flavour, slightly spicy with a kid-friendly sweetness. There is also a lovely yellow carrot that is coloured as bright yellow as a banana but has a wonderful flavour all its own. Carrots, besides being bright in colour, are also extremely tasty and healthy. Carrot cakes are also unanimously agreed to be one of the best flavours of cakes available in the market. Carrots are good for eye health and help in regulating blood sugar. They also help in managing weight loss and alleviating the risk of cancer.

Every year, International Carrot Day is observed to reiterate the importance of consuming carrots and including them in the daily diet.

History Of International Carrot Day

The history of International Carrot Day is really the history of the carrot, and research of this incredibly popular root has revealed that it likely finds its origins in Central Asia. Through thousands of years of careful cultivation, the world has ultimately arrived at the bright orange, slightly sweet, not at all bitter variety of carrot that is regularly found in recipes today!

International Carrot Day, itself was established in 2003 and it has spread throughout the world to all the places the carrot is known. By 2012, International Carrot Day celebrations had found their way around the globe to several countries on different continents, including France, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

 

 

Senegal Independence Day

In Senegal, Independence Day is a public holiday celebrated on April 4th.

This day is the National Day of Senegal and celebrates independence from France on April 4th 1960.

History of Senegal Independence Day

From the 15th century, the region now known as Senegal had attracted the attention of the European colonial powers.

By the end of the 17th century, France had taken control of the area around modern Dakar as effectively a staging post for the Atlantic slave trade. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that the French extended their control deeper into the mainland, taking over almost all the local kingdoms.

In April 1959 Senegal merged with the French Sudan to form the Mali Federation. A transfer of power agreement was signed with France on 4 April 1960, which led to formal independence on June 20th 1960.

The Mali Federation proved to be very short-lived and broke up on August 20th 1960, when Senegal proclaimed its independence. A month later French Sudan (later renamed the Republic of Mali) followed suit.

Léopold Sédar Senghor became Senegal's first president in September 1960, leading the country until he retired in 1980. He was followed by Abdou Diouf who was also president for twenty years, giving the fledgeling nation a continuity in leadership rare in the region.

The day is marked by a parade by the armed forces in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Other festivities include music, parades and indulging in delicious cuisine—like the national dish of thieboudienne, a Senegalese Jollof rice traditionally served with vegetables and marinated fish.