On this day in history - January 17

What Happened On This Day – January 17

• 1995 The Great Hanshin earthquake hits Kobe, Japan

  6,434 people lost their lives during the quake, according to estimates.

• 1991 The Gulf War in Iraq begins

  “Operation Desert Storm”, launched in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, resulted in about 100,000 civilian deaths.

• 1961 Patrice Lumumba is murdered with support from western governments

  An independent commission concluded that Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of the Congo, died at the hands of his domestic adversaries with the assistance of the Belgian government and the CIA.

• 1946 The UN Security Council holds its first session

  The UNSC is the most powerful organ of the United Nations and it is charged with upholding international peace and security.

• 1945 Soviet and Polish forces liberate Warsaw during World War II

  About 85% of the city was destroyed at that point.