Events that happened across the world on August 15

While India celebrates its Independence Day on August 15, many other significant events across the world share the date -- including 'The Beatles' concert, the release of a classic movie, and a bunch of countries that became independent.

Here are some of the iconic moments that happened on August 15:

The Beatles concert at Shea Stadium, 1965

While stadium concerts across the world are a staple now (at least before the Covid-19 pandemic), the half-hour gig of 'The Beatles' at Shea Stadium in New York City became one of the first concerts, gathering over 55,000 people, marking a beginning of a new era in the music world. It was also one of the first major pop bands to play in an outdoor stadium.

The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Founding leader and first Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated on August 15, 1975, along with some family members after a military coup in the country, which became independent from Pakistan in 1971.

Also read: Independence Day: The evolution of the Indian flag to the tricolour we know

Woodstock, 1969

Hailed as the greatest event in rock and roll history, Woodstock Music & Art Fair, held over the weekend from August 15-17, the concert became one of the most iconic moments in the counter-culture event. Held in Bethel, around 200 km from New York City in the United States, on a 600-acre farm, the festival saw icons like Jimi Hendrix perform to over four lakh attendees.

Apocalypse Now, 1979

Francis Ford Coppola's epic film on the Vietnam war, Apocalypse Now, was released on this day in 1979. The movie said to be one of the greatest films ever, went on to win the top award at Cannes and two Oscars. The film starred legendary actors like Michael Sheen, Marlon Brando among others.

The Wizard of Oz, 1939

The Wizard of Oz was another classic American film to hit the screens on August 15. The musical went on to bag multiple Oscar awards, losing Best Picture to Gone With The Wind.

iMac G3, 1998

The tech pioneer Steve Jobs' Apple introduced iMac G3 and went to shipping across the world on August 15, 1998. The model marked a new era of computers that replaced the standard floppy disk with then-revolutionary USB.

Other countries that gained independence on August 15

Korea from Japanese in 1945; Bahrain in 1971, from the British, and the Republic of Congo in 1960 from the French colonial powers.