3114 BC: The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, used by several pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, notably the Mayans, begins

1945: Allies refuse Japan’s offer to surrender on the condition that Emperor Hirohito retains his status

1954: Formal peace treaty ends over 7 yrs of fighting in Indochina between the French and the Communist Viet Minh

1988: Al-Qaeda formed at a meeting between Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Dr Fadl in Peshawar, Pakistan

2003: NATO takes over command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, marking its first major operation outside Europe in its 54-year-history.

Source: Onthisday.com