Wikipedia goes online. The online encyclopedia has since become the largest reference work on the internet.

Croatia and Slovenia are internationally recognized as independent nations. The Yugoslav federation effectively collapsed as a result.

Nixon orders ceasefire in Vietnam. The fighting continued anyway until the capture of Saigon by the Vietnam People's Army on April 30, 1975.

The rules of Basketball are published. Canadian James Naismith invented the sport for his gym class at YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The British Museum opens. Its collection comprises 8 million items and it is one of the most comprehensive collections in the world.