What Happened on March 5?

All

events

births

deaths

holidays

EVENTS ON MARCH 5

Italo-Turkish War

Year: 1912

Italo-Turkish War: Italian forces are the first to use airships for military purposes, employing them for reconnaissance behind Turkish lines.

British Raj

Year: 1931

The British Raj: Gandhi–Irwin Pact is signed.

Moro Rebellion

Year: 1906

Moro Rebellion: United States Army troops bring overwhelming force against the native Moros in the First Battle of Bud Dajo, leaving only six survivors.

George Westinghouse

Year: 1872

George Westinghouse patents the air brake.

Mefistofele

Year: 1868

Mefistofele, an opera by Arrigo Boito, receives its premiere performance at La Scala.

Adolf Hitler

Year: 1933

Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party receives 43.9% at the Reichstag elections, which allows the Nazis to later pass the Enabling Act and establish a dictatorship.

Spanish Civil War

Year: 1939

Spanish Civil War: The National Defence Council seizes control of the republican government in a coup d'etat, with the intention of negotiating an end to the war.

Cold War

Year: 1946

Cold War: Winston Churchill delivers his famous "Iron Curtain" speech at Westminster College, Missouri.

Joseph Stalin

Year: 1953

Joseph Stalin, the longest serving leader of the Soviet Union, dies at his Volynskoe dacha in Moscow after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage four days earlier.

Red Army

Year: 1944

World War II: The Red Army begins the Uman–Botoșani offensive in the western Ukrainian SSR.

BIRTHS ON MARCH 5

Peter Woodcock

Year of birth: 1939

Peter Woodcock, Canadian serial killer (died 2010)

Benyamin Sueb

Year of birth: 1939

Benyamin Sueb, Indonesian actor and comedian (died 1995)

Pierre Wynants

Year of birth: 1939

Pierre Wynants, Belgian chef

Robert Cooper Grier

Year of birth: 1794

Robert Cooper Grier, American lawyer and jurist (died 1870)

Fred Williamson

Year of birth: 1938

Fred Williamson, American football player, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Lynn Margulis

Year of birth: 1938

Lynn Margulis, American biologist and academic (died 2011)

Tony Rundle

Year of birth: 1939

Tony Rundle, Australian politician, Premier of Tasmania (died 2025)

Samantha Eggar

Year of birth: 1939

Samantha Eggar, English actress (died 2025)

Tom Butler (bishop)

Year of birth: 1940

Tom Butler, English bishop

Benjamin Gompertz

Year of birth: 1779

Benjamin Gompertz, English mathematician and statistician (died 1865)

DEATHS ON MARCH 5

Cai Yuanpei

Year of death: 1940

Cai Yuanpei, Chinese philosopher and academic (born 1868)

Max Jacob

Year of death: 1944

Max Jacob, French poet and author (born 1876)

Lena Baker

Year of death: 1945

Lena Baker, African American held captive post slavery-era (born 1900)

Alfredo Casella

Year of death: 1947

Alfredo Casella, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1883)

Reşit Galip

Year of death: 1934

Reşit Galip, Turkish academic and politician, 6th Turkish Minister of National Education (born 1893)

David Dunbar Buick

Year of death: 1929

David Dunbar Buick, Scottish-American businessman, founded Buick (born 1854)

Friedrich Blass

Year of death: 1907

Friedrich Blass, German philologist, scholar, and academic (born 1843)

Johan Jensen (mathematician)

Year of death: 1925

Johan Jensen, Danish mathematician and engineer (born 1859)

Franz Mertens

Year of death: 1927

Franz Mertens, Polish-Austrian mathematician and academic (born 1840)

Roman Shukhevych

Year of death: 1950

Roman Shukhevych, Ukrainian general and politician (born 1907)

HOLIDAYS ON MARCH 5

March 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Christian feast day: March 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Lei Feng

Learn from Lei Feng Day (China)

Thietmar of Minden

Christian feast day: Thietmar of Minden

Ciarán of Saigir

Christian feast day: Ciarán of Saigir

John Joseph of the Cross

Christian feast day: John Joseph of the Cross

Saint Piran

Christian feast day: Piran

St Piran's Day

St Piran's Day (Cornwall)

Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea

Christian feast day: Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea

March