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What is Cinco de Mayo?

Introduction Cinco de Mayo (pronounced [ˈsiŋko̞ ðe̞ ˈma̠ʝo̞] in Mexico, Spanish for “Fifth of May”) is an annual celebration held on 05 May. The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on 05 May 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza. The victory… Read More

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What was the Iranian Embassy Siege (1980)?

Introduction The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 05 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy on Prince’s Gate in South Kensington, London. The gunmen, Iranian Arabs campaigning for sovereignty of Khuzestan Province, took 26 people hostage, including embassy staff, several visitors, and a police officer… Read More

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What was the Bruneri-Canella Case?

Introduction The Bruneri-Canella case, called in Italian the case of the Smemorato di Collegno (the Collegno Amnesiac), is a notorious judicial and media affair concerning the alleged reappearance in 1926 of a man who had gone missing in World War I. The question of his identity was thoroughly discussed in newspapers and in courtrooms, and… Read More

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What is Cassinga Day?

Introduction Cassinga Day is a national public holiday in Namibia remembering the Cassinga Massacre. Background Commemorated annually on 04 May, the date “remembers those (approximately 600) killed in 1978 when the South African Defence Force attacked a [South West Africa People’s Organisation] SWAPO base at Cassinga in southern Angola”. Commemorations are marked yearly by ceremonies… Read More

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What was the Dos de Mayo Uprising (1808)?

Introduction On the 02 and 03 May 1808 the Dos de Mayo or Second of May Uprising of 1808 took place in the outskirts of Madrid. It was a rebellion by the people of Madrid against the occupation of the city by French troops, provoking repression by the French Imperial forces that had tremendous significance.… Read More