1791 Long-distance communication speeds up with the unveiling of a semaphore machine in Paris

1796 Napoléon Bonaparte is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the French Army in Italy

1807 US Congress bans the slave trade within the US, effective January 1, 1808

1888 The Convention of Constantinople signed, guaranteeing free maritime passage through the Suez Canal during war and peace

1946 Ho Chi Minh elected President of North Vietnam

1956 Morocco tears up the Treaty of Fez, declaring independence from France

1970 White government of Rhodesia declares itself a republic

2002 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: US conventional forces first deployed as part of Operation Anaconda