October 8th

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake centered in the Pakistani-controlled part of the Kashmir region killed more than 80,000 and injured 65,000.

Martha Stewart began her prison sentence at Alderson Federal Prison Camp.

U.S. President George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security.

Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched the first and only perfect game in a World Series.

World’s first internal pacemaker implanted. A 43-year-old man called Arne Larsson was the recipient of the pacemaker which worked only for a few hours. However, Larsson lived long after the pacemaker stopped working. He died in 2001 at the age of 86.

President Harry Truman announced the U.S. would share the secret of the atomic bomb only with Great Britain and Canada.

Bruno Hauptmannn was indicted for the murder of Charles Lindbergh's baby.

World’s first transcontinental air race. 63 airplanes – 15 from San Francisco and 48 from New York – took part in this 5400-mile round-trip race. The winner, Lieutenant Belvin Maynard, took 3 days and 21 hours to return to New York.

Leon Trotsky named chairman of the Petrograd Soviet as Bolsheviks gain control.

Battle of Loos, almost 430,000 French, British & Germans killed.

First Balkan war begins. Montenegro started the conflict by declaring war on the Ottoman Empire. A few days later Greece, Bulgaria, and Serbia joined the war and created the Balkan League. The 7-month long war ended with a decisive Balkan League victory. Dissatisfaction over the spoils of the war led to the Second Balkan War a year later.

The Great Fire of Chicago started. That same day in Peshtigo, Wis., the worst forest fire in U.S. history also began.

The 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, died in Concord, N.H.

Otto von Bismarck becomes Chancellor of the German Empire.

The Second Opium War or second Anglo-Chinese War: begins with the Arrow Incident on the Pearl River.

Great standing on the Ugra river, standoff between forces of Akhmat Khan, Khan of the Great Horde, and Ivan III Grand Prince of all Rus, Tataro-Mongols retreat, leds to disintegration of the Horde.